Troy and Melanie (dot com)

On July 5, 2000, we loaded up our rented U-Haul truck, took our last looks (for a while anyway) around our parents’ houses, our old neighborhoods, and the city in which we’d both grown up, met each other, and fallen in love (Lancaster, PA) and drove into the sunset (literally…we didn’t head out of town until around 5pm) on our way to a new adventure, a new life in a big, hot state called Texas.

We left town, driving the U-Haul and my Ford Escort station wagon and towing Troy’s GTI behind the truck.  Our parents and Kevin were with us and we made a whole family road trip of it, taking turns driving each of the vehicles.  We stopped in Virginia, Tennessee, Arkansas, and finally Texas.  We moved into our brand new apartment, visited with our families some more before seeing them off at the airport, and then sat back and wondered what in the world we had ahead of us now that we’d actually seen our plan through.

And then we met you oh blog friends or we stayed in touch with you dear “tenured” friends…and life was good.  And it still is.  And, we’re feeling sentimental today, so to commemorate the occasion, here’s a fun little list…

Some things we’ve learned since moving to TX:

• Staying hydrated will help prevent passing out.
• Austin is weird and folks here would like to keep it that way.
• Going to “the lake” means going to one of various sections of the Colorado River…and is always fun.
• Jalapeno Ranch is fabulous! (and no that’s not a place)
• The “worst barbecue in TX” is actually the best.  :-)
• Manor is pronounced “may-ner,” Guadalupe does not have a “pay” sound at the end of it, and Salazar is pronounced “sa-laser.”
• Things really are “bigger” here.
• Burnt orange is a beautiful color.
• Texans tell it like it is — you can drive down the highway and see business signs for “Guns,” “Flowers,” “Tacos,” and “Convenience Store”…hey, you’re not misled.
• It’s okay to traipse young’uns right along the highway if you’re doing it in a quest for great bluebonnet photos.
• You can get cupcakes from airstream trailers, have homemade soups delivered to your doorstep, and enjoy eating your dinner off of waxpaper here.
• 100 degrees and 112 degrees feel about the same.
• Allergy season is every season.
• “God blessed Texas with his own hands…”

But the number one thing we’ve learned is that this is a great place to start a new life, to have fun and enjoy life, to make great friends, to find fulfilling work, and to start a family. We love you, Texas! Thanks for 10 great years (so far)!