Our Family Road Trip: From Mississippi to Arizona (And Back)

Every family road trip has its moments of joy, adventure, and sometimes unexpected challenges. Ours was no different. This journey began as an exciting vacation with a deeper purpose: finding a safe and welcoming place to move and raise our two children, aged 13 and 4. However, what we experienced taught us more about home, safety, and resilience than we could have imagined.

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The Journey Begins

With our Subaru packed to the brim—trunk full and a cargo shell on top—we set off from Mississippi, eager to explore the country and search for a new place to call home. Our destination? Phoenix, Arizona, a city renowned for its family-friendly communities and top-tier schools like BASIS Peoria. After weeks of research, I was convinced this would be the perfect place for us.

Our trip started smoothly. We marveled at breathtaking mountain ranges, snapped photos of scenic beaches, and enjoyed two relaxing weeks along the coast. The road through Texas was filled with interesting sights, and everything felt like an adventure—until we hit New Mexico.

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A Roadside Hiccup

While driving through the desert on our way from Texas to New Mexico, our tire unexpectedly popped. There we were, on the side of a desolate highway surrounded by nothing but mountains and sand, with two kids in the car and all our luggage piled on the roadside.

We soon realized that retrieving the spare tire from the bottom of our trunk was the easy part. The challenge? Removing the lug nuts. The dealership we purchased our Subaru from hadn’t provided the key to unlock them. Desperate, we turned to YouTube for help. Thankfully, a kind-hearted Texas farmer driving by noticed us, turned around, and offered assistance. Miraculously, he had the exact tool we needed.

Two hours later, we reached the nearest town and got a new tire. While my husband chatted with the mechanic, he mentioned our plans to move to Phoenix. The mechanic, however, cautioned against it, warning that it might not be the best place for families. That was the first moment of doubt in our plan.

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The Turning Point

Determined to continue, we reached Albuquerque, New Mexico, where my husband, exhausted from the day’s ordeal, decided to stop for the night. We checked into a Holiday Inn, which seemed like a safe and clean choice despite the town’s somewhat sketchy vibe.

The room was comfortable, and we had a good night’s sleep. But the morning brought an unsettling discovery. Our entire top cargo shell was gone. Someone had cut it off in the middle of the night and stolen everything inside—clothes, toys, and other personal belongings. The hotel offered no help, and my husband felt the stolen items weren’t valuable enough to involve the police.

At that moment, we realized this journey wasn’t what we’d hoped it would be. For the first time, we felt unsafe. Despite living in places like D.C., Memphis, and other high-crime areas, we had never been robbed before. This experience shook us.

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The Road Back Home

Heartbroken and shaken, we decided to abandon our plan and return home to Memphis. The city we once thought we needed to leave suddenly felt like the safest and most welcoming place for us. Maybe Memphis wasn’t so bad after all.

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Conclusion

Sometimes, the road leads us back to where we started, but with a new perspective. Our family road trip may not have resulted in a move to Arizona, but it reminded us of the value of home, safety, and togetherness.

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Original Content

This post is entirely original and based on our personal experiences. Thank you for reading about our family’s journey!
I own all pictures as well.

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Tags

#travel #roadtrip #familyadventure #moving #lifejourney #roadsidehelp #familyfriends #memphis #newmexico #texas #arizona #vacation