I don’t know about you but sometimes I get so busy making plans for tomorrow that I forget how important it is to enjoy today. We tell ourselves we’ll take that trip next year. We’ll visit that little town when we have more money. We’ll spend an afternoon with family when things slow down.
But here’s something I’ve learned over the years. Sometimes tomorrow doesn’t come the way we expect it to. And that’s one of the reasons our family’s Route 66 centennial adventure means so much to me. This isn’t simply about visiting Weatherford, Oklahoma, eating at an old-fashioned diner, or taking pictures with a giant astronaut. It’s about making memories while we still have the opportunity which I never was able to do with Suzzane.
Route 66 has become something special to our family. My grandfather owned a gas station, and I can’t help thinking about him whenever I see pictures of those old service stations along America’s Mother Road. I wonder what stories he could tell us about the travelers who stopped for gasoline, the automobiles that pulled up to the pumps, and the way families traveled before everything became so hurried.
There’s also my aunt and the memories connected to our family’s Route 66 dreams. And then there’s Suzzane. My daughter isn’t here to climb into the car with us, but that doesn’t mean she’s forgotten or that she isn’t part of the reason this adventure matters more to me than you will ever know..
When you’ve lost someone you love, you begin to understand that memories are treasures you can’t replace. I would give anything for another ordinary afternoon with Suzzane. One more hug or one more mom I love you. Not an expensive vacation. Not a fancy restaurant. Just time together.
That’s something I carry with me whenever I think about the experiences I still want to share with David and Charlie. I think sometimes families put too much pressure on themselves to create the perfect vacation. We want the nicest hotel, the best attractions, the prettiest photographs, and enough money to do everything on our wish list.
But what happens when the budget doesn’t stretch that far? Do we give up on making memories? I don’t think we should. That’s one reason we’re starting our Route 66 adventure with Weatherford, Oklahoma, and the surrounding communities. It’s a trip we can plan from the Fort Worth area without needing to travel across the country.
We can visit a museum if our budget allows, explore downtown, enjoy a meal, or simply stop for photographs. And if we don’t get to everything? Well, that gives us a reason to return! The important thing isn’t checking every attraction off a list. It’s enjoying the people who are with us.
When I think about family memories, it’s funny how often the little things come to mind. A conversation in the car. Somebody laughing over something silly. A stop for a cold drink. A photograph nobody expected to take. Or walking into a store and finding something that reminds you of your childhood.
I can already imagine David and me getting distracted by the antique stores in Weatherford. We might go in looking for one thing and end up talking about a dozen memories from years gone by. Charlie might notice something completely different and want to stop for a photograph. And we might discover that our favorite part of the trip wasn’t something we planned at all. Those are the moments I want to leave room for.
As we’re planning this adventure, I’ve also been thinking about the possibility of taking David’s mom. She’s in her 80s, and this will be our family’s first holiday season without Pa. That makes spending time together feel especially important especially with Charlie turning 19 and having one foot here in Texas and one in Oklahoma.
If she decides she’d like to join us, we’ll need to think about how much walking is comfortable, where we can stop to rest, and whether an overnight trip would make more sense than trying to do everything in one day. And that’s perfectly fine. A family adventure doesn’t have to look the same for everyone.
Sometimes the best plan is the one that allows everybody to participate comfortably. I’d rather visit two places and enjoy them together than rush through ten attractions and leave everyone exhausted. I also think Route 66 would make a wonderful adventure for #homeschool families and grandparents raising or spending time with grandchildren.
Imagine letting the children help choose the places to visit. One child might want to learn about airplanes and astronauts. Another might be interested in antique automobiles. Someone else might want to visit a park, take photographs, or find an old-fashioned diner.
You could give each child a notebook and encourage them to record their favorite discoveries. When you get home, turn the photographs and stories into a scrapbook. Years later, that little book could become something the whole family treasures. And here’s another thought. Let the grandparents tell their stories, too. Ask them about their first car, their favorite family vacation, or what road trips were like when they were growing up. Those stories deserve to be remembered.
On November 11, 1926, Route 66 received its official designation as part of America’s developing highway system. Now, exactly 100 years later, families are celebrating a road that connected communities, businesses, and generations of travelers. I love thinking about all the families who have traveled that highway over the years.
Some were heading toward new opportunities. Some were taking vacations. Others were simply trying to get home. And along the way, small towns, restaurants, service stations, and roadside attractions became part of their stories. Now it’s our turn to create a few stories of our own and I can’t wait. Would you want to come with us?
As we’re working on our Christmas Gift Guide Wishlist, I keep coming back to the idea of giving experiences. What if this Christmas, instead of purchasing another toy that might be forgotten in a few months, you planned a special outing with your children or grandchildren?
It doesn’t have to be Route 66. It could be a trip to a nearby museum, a picnic in a park, an afternoon at the library, or a drive to a little town you’ve never explored. You could make a homemade gift certificate and wrap it for Christmas morning. Then choose a date, mark it on the calendar, and make that adventure happen.
And if money is tight, remember that time together doesn’t have to cost much. The gift is being present. The gift is listening. The gift is making someone feel important enough to spend time with. That’s something I think Santa would be happy to help us deliver.
I know what it’s like to have bills to pay, responsibilities at home, and a hundred reasons to put something off. Sometimes a trip really does need to wait, and there’s nothing wrong with making responsible decisions. But I also know how quickly life can change.
So when an opportunity comes along to spend meaningful time with the people I love, I want to make an effort to take it. Even if the trip is short. Even if we pack sandwiches instead of eating out. Even if we only visit one attraction. Because the memories aren’t measured by how much money we spend or how many miles we travel. They’re measured by the love we share along the way.
I’m hoping to make our first Route 66 centennial trip to Weatherford, Oklahoma, soon. I just need to get Charlie and David on board because I’ve been researching the museums, restaurants, parks, historic downtown buildings, and little businesses we’d love to explore.
I’m excited about seeing Major Tom, visiting the antique stores, and discovering what makes this part of Oklahoma special. But more than anything, I’m looking forward to spending the day with my family. I know Suzzane won’t be sitting beside me in the car. But I’ll carry her memory with me, just as I do every day.
And maybe somewhere along that road, we’ll find a little reminder of the people who helped shape our lives and the memories that brought us here. That’s what this adventure is really about. Not just celebrating 100 years of Route 66. But remembering the past, enjoying the present, and making new memories for the future.
So if there’s a trip you’ve been wanting to take, a grandparent you’ve been meaning to visit, or an afternoon you’ve been promising your children, I hope you’ll find a way to make it happen when you can. Because someday, the little moments we’re living today may become the memories we treasure most. Make the memories while you can, buttercup.
A note from our family: This article is a personal reflection on why we’re planning our Route 66 adventure. Our Weatherford visit is still in the planning stages, and we’ll share our firsthand experiences and photographs after our trip.
Continue Our Route 66 Centennial Celebration: Explore Happy 100th Birthday, Route 66!, Visit Weatherford, Oklahoma: More Than Museums!, Downtown Weatherford, Oklahoma: Meet Major Tom, and Free and Affordable Things to Do in Weatherford, Oklahoma for more of our family’s plans.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
