I remember climbing up the ramp into the Penske truck, slamming the last box on the cold steel floor. I stumbled down the ramp stepping into the hot, blazing sun. I wiped my sweaty brow. My mom in a orange striped shirt stood on the front porch with, my twelve and fifteen year old sister, and two baby brothers stood, looking through the doors of the empty house. My dad packed the last of the fragile items in the trunk of our new, white Honda van. I stood thinking to myself on the rocky sidewalk. Why did I have to move? Why did I have to leave the city of Richmond, Virginia that I’d lived in for six years? It all seemed so strange to me. Didn’t my parents know I had friends I cared about? But, I didn’t want to sound selfish, I wasn’t selfish. Was that what I had become, a selfish little eleven year old?

I broke out of my trance. I walked up the front porch steps, tears swelling in my big brown eyes. I closed the front door, and whispered silently to myself, “good bye house.” I cried deep inside my heart, tears running down my brown cheeks. My heart felt ripped open, torn apart, like no one else cared about my feelings ,but in the back of my heart I knew I was lying to myself .


“Faith,” my mother called interrupting my thoughts, “Coming.” I said walking toward her. She gestured for me to get in. I hesitated wanting to run into the house and sit there for eternity. But to show respect I climbed into the van halfheartedly looking back at the house. We pulled out of the driveway right behind the Penske truck and my dad’s car. We were heading off into the unknown state of North Carolina.


I was so tired from packing, loading, and waking so early to start packing. After we got onto interstate 95 I fell asleep, simply dreaming of being back at my old house. In one particular dream I remember running in the snow with my two sisters in their red and pink jackets . I can still visualize my little brother coming out of the house in his puffy, little jacket, giggling as I picked him up and ran around the yard. I woke up instantly looking at the clock. “You slept for two hours.” said my big sister sipping the last of a drink. All I could see were signs saying Morehead city 1 2/3 miles. I found myself getting a little excited but not completely .Then it hit me as hard as a big ,cold bolder; I needed to stop being selfish and think about people other than myself. I realized we had stopped. It was way past midnight and my eyes felt heavy. I turned all the way around in my seat to see the shining glory. We had reached our new brick house and my heart was about to burst out of my chest.

“We’re here.” I said jumping out of the van into the prickly grass. I smiled knowing this were I belonged.










Fall 2008

We’ve moved into our new house and things are going well. We’ve got a new school and I’ve got new friends, everyone and everything is so excepting and very welcoming. I love the nature and the beach and everything about North Carolina, it’s so fun with free open spaces.

I also learned I shouldn’t judge a book by its cover!