Why my family moved back home to Kentucky from Los Angeles—and the time it gave me before Dad’s sudden death
A move long considered
The writer and her husband had been discussing a move from California to Kentucky since their son was young. She wanted family dinners, sleepovers and the support she had missed after becoming a parent, while her husband needed time to consider changes to their careers and friendships.
One afternoon, their toddler asked to call his grandfather. After the writer’s father spoke with his grandson about Legos, she told him she worried that moving home might never happen. He reassured her that she would recognize the right time.
Finding the right moment
The couple moved five years after their son was born, shortly before he started kindergarten. Once they were back in Louisville, the writer said it took about two days to realize that returning home felt right.
She felt safer and more at ease, and said the family’s closeness made a significant difference for her son. The move also meant more time together with her parents.
A family ritual remembered
After weekly dinners, the writer and her son would wave goodbye to her parents from the driveway. Her father would then run through two backyards and appear on the sidewalk to wave again as they drove away.
Her son laughed and wondered how his grandfather had done it. The writer let him imagine that his Papa was magic.
Looking back at Los Angeles
The family sometimes misses Los Angeles favorites, including In-N-Out Burger’s animal fries and warm sunshine. They playfully imagine what life might have been like if they had stayed, talking about Disneyland and spotting celebrities.
Those conversations do not last long. The writer’s memories of being home with her family, and the time she had with her father before his sudden death, remain central to why the move mattered.
Key points
- The couple moved their family from California to Kentucky after years of considering the change.
- The writer’s father encouraged her to trust that she would know when the time was right.
- Returning to Louisville brought family closeness and weekly dinners with her parents.
- The move gave the writer more time with her father before his sudden death.