Well here we are, a couple of weeks into this adventure that I’ve been planning for literal decades. For those of you who know me, you know I’ve traveled pretty extensively internationally. You may also know that I’ve very intentionally not explored a large chunk of the United States. Why? Because I was saving it. For this. THIS!
Long before I had kids, or even a partner I might want kids with, I knew I wanted to share this trip with a family of my own. Back then, my kids were barely a flutter in my heart. And yet, I was dreaming of showing them canyons and coastlines and weird roadside attractions and eating all the local foods in places with names that sound made-up. I had a moment, just a few weeks before we left, where I looked at my people and thought: Oh my gosh, these are the people I’m doing this with. It was as if I was introducing them to my dream for the first time. Or maybe I was introducing my dream to them. Either way, it was powerful.
Over the years, the dream slooooowly became a plan. It started with a decision: If we’re serious about doing THE trip, we probably need to stop having babies. So we had our final, precious bonus baby. (And helped another beautiful family grow their own: another story for another time.) Then came the puppy: “Let’s get him now so he’s a dog by the time we hit the road.” Because nothing says “Let’s simplify our lives for full-time travel” like adding another kid and a puppy. Right?
Eventually, the vague “someday” turned into calendar years. We bought a truck. Then a trailer. We took a year to learn how to use it. Then the years turned to months, and we found ourselves mapping actual routes and texting friends, “Hey, wanna meet up in Arizona in October?”
If you know Aaron and me, then you probably already know how our dynamic works: I present a grand (or tiny) idea, and he immediately comes up with all the reasons it won’t work. Then I go through and solve every one of them. Eventually, he gets on board 110% and helps me bring it to life. We’re wildly different in the best ways. I’m the vision-caster; he’s the grounding wire. I make it sparkle, he makes it work. We’re a good team, because we’re good at (and also terrible at) different things.
So here we are, about three weeks in (I’ve already lost track of time). And you know what? It’s exactly what I imagined. We’ve explored new places—some breathtaking, some hot and buggy. We’ve had so many sweet moments with the kids... and some exasperating ones when they argue over literally nothing. But overall? They’re getting along better than I expected, and watching them lean on each other as friends is possibly the best part.
And honestly? Spending this kind of time with Aaron is pretty amazing too. Before this trip, we were basically ships passing in the night: work, dinner, bedtime chaos, repeat. But now? Non-working Aaron is way more laid back and patient. (I think he’d say the same about me.) We’re reconnecting in a way that’s rare in the thick of normal life, and it feels pretty nice.
As for what I’ve learned so far?
But mostly, I’ve learned that living out a dream doesn’t feel like a fireworks show. It feels like a slow, rich unfolding. It feels like watching your kids giggle in a campsite under the stars. Like catching your partner’s eye across the picnic table and thinking, Yep. We’re doing it.
My favorite part is having the opportunity to push pause on real life and just soak in these precious moments with the people and pup I’m lucky enough to call mine. We’re just getting started. But it’s already everything I hoped for.
P.S. I'll maybe come back and add some pics later but right now internet is TERRIBLE and absolutely no cell service so pretty much impossible to add any pics.