11/21/2025
House feels bigger. Car feels smaller. Hearts feel fuller.
81 days.
42 campgrounds.
35 states.
Almost 10,000 miles.
1 new walker. 1 new reader.
And uncle + grandparent hugs to finish it off in Palm Springs.
Somewhere between campfires and long drives, we finished 6 read-aloud books snuggled together in the RV, watching our kids grow in front of our eyes.
We’ve been home a few days, and already it feels like we stepped out of one world and back into another.
Last night, after a fun day, I was exhausted. Instead of going to bed, I decided the playroom had to be cleaned.
I snapped at my son to help me and told him he couldn’t open a craft box he’d been excited about—one that had never even been opened—because I couldn’t handle one more mess.
Instant regret.
Guilt whispered, “See? You’re failing as a mom.”
Then I found an old card tucked in a pile:
“Find the good in everything.”
We sat down and talked. About overreacting, about forgiveness, about how love doesn’t disappear when we get tired.
That moment didn’t feel perfect—but it brought us closer.
Re-entry hasn’t been perfect either: the car wouldn’t start (thanks, rat), the internet died, and routines feel like puzzles.
But we’re resetting—screen time, chores, rhythm, and ways to protect the togetherness we found on the road.
You don’t need 10,000 miles to step out of autopilot. You can choose one small thing—today—to do differently with the people you love.
I’d do it all over again. And I’m so glad to be home.
✨ What’s one tiny ritual that helps your family feel “home,” no matter where you are?