moving from California

🚗 A Lesson in Waiting: When the Car Finally Came

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Alex’s car finally arrived! We hadn’t had it since June 11th, but on July 12th, it was loaded onto a transporter and it made the long journey all the way from California to Maryland.

After more than a week of waiting, calls, delays, and vague updates, the car is finally here. And I’m grateful. But I’d be lying if I said the whole experience didn’t test my patience in ways I wasn’t quite prepared for.

The car had made it to Philly a week ago. I knew that much. And then… it just sat. Four whole days of sitting. Not moving, not progressing, not being delivered. Every day I called, asked for an ETA, and got the same uncertain tone on the other end. “Soon.” “Maybe tomorrow.” But tomorrow kept shifting.

And here’s the thing: I may not have had official updates, but I had other ways of knowing where the car was. Let’s just say I had eyes on the situation, aka an AirTag. I didn’t say a word to the delivery company, of course since some things are better left unspoken. But that quiet knowing, that silent tracking, made the waiting somehow feel even longer.

Because I knew it wasn’t stuck in traffic. It wasn’t on the way. It was just sitting still. Close, but not quite home.

And that’s where the real lesson came in – Waiting isn’t always about time, it’s about surrender.
Letting go of control. Resisting the urge to push. Choosing calm even when every part of you wants to scream, “Just deliver the car already!”

It reminded me how uncomfortable patience can be. Not the light, fluffy kind where you say “it’ll happen when it happens”, but the gritty, frustrating kind where you know what’s supposed to be happening, and it still isn’t. Sometimes in life, delays aren’t just setbacks, they’re gentle redirections guiding us exactly where we need to be, even if we don’t see it right away.

But eventually, the wait ended. The car showed up. Alex has wheels, and I’ve got a story (and a little more restraint) under my belt.

Turns out, patience isn’t about sitting still, it’s about what we choose to do while we wait.

☕ Support the Journey:
If you’ve ever waited for something that felt like it should have already arrived, while quietly tracking the chaos in the background, you’re not alone. If this post gave you a moment of “yep, been there,” feel free to support my writing with a cup of coffee: 👉 coff.ee/smalltownmichele

My Maryland Driver’s License Adventure

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Today I did the thing and went to the MVA (that’s right, not DMV… I’m still reprogramming my brain) and applied for my Maryland driver’s license! As a Recovering Californian, this feels like a milestone. I’m slowly shedding my West Coast habits, well, except for saying “the freeway.” I keep calling it that, and while no one here in Maryland has corrected me (yet), I know I’m sticking out like a palm tree in a forest of oaks.

On the East Coast, it’s all “highway” or “route.” You’ll hear people say, “Take 95” or “hop on Route 40”—not a freeway in earshot, linguistically speaking. But old habits die hard. I’m trying, okay?

Now, let’s talk about the real challenge: the vision test. I’ve got a cataract in my right eye that covers my pupil, and those little letters? They looked like alphabet soup. I finally gave in and put on my driving glasses at the suggestion of the MVA clerk for my right eye. I saw a smidge better, just enough to pass. So, yes, “corrective lenses required” will now be part of my driver’s license.

But the good news? I passed. I survived the MVA. And in 7–10 business days, I’ll be holding my shiny new Maryland license, officially making me a licensed East Coaster.

One more step on my “Leaving California” healing journey complete.

Next stop: learning to remember to say “MVA” and “highway”.

☕ Support the Journey:
From failing to call it a “highway” to barely passing the vision test thanks to my right eye doing its own thing, this Maryland chapter is already full of character. If you got a chuckle or felt a little less alone reading about my license saga, you can always fuel the ride with a cup of coffee at:
👉 coff.ee/smalltownmichele