Took the long way home

Marina’s orchids made it to Tanya’s home in Michigan.

We left NY almost a week after mom passed, horrified to leave dad but aching for home. We brought a few of mom’s plants with us, which meant rather than chance the Canadian border officials we would take the US route back to Michigan.

It was the first road trip without mom texting me for updates or me calling her from our dinner stop to check in. I was still in that somber sad state, mushy from days of crying, and easy to slip in and out of tears.

Since Colin and the kids came to NY after me, we had two cars to caravan home on this trip. Georgia rode with me in the Expedition, Peter rode with Colin in the pickup truck with the plants. I listened to podcasts of Nate Bargatze, Trey Kennedy and John Crist to pass the time. The exhaustion of grief was tough to combat against the hum of the highway.

One of Marina’s purple orchids, now in Tanya’s home.

Tanya’s CarPlay still shows mom in her top three favorite phone callers.