My favorite spot in our last home and in my childhood home is looking out the window, especially when it’s raining or snowing.
As we have moved from our house of 10 years to the carriage house we are renting, I’ve pondered these questions of ”What is home?” What I’ve come to realize is that for me, home revolves more around feeling than place.
I associate home with relaxation, being able to kick my shoes off, say what I’m thinking, and be myself. It’s a place I don’t need to pretend to be anyone but me.
Home feels warm and inviting. It’s a place to rest after a busy day. Home can be a gathering place, but it can also be a place to be alone. It is where I sleep, recharge, and find shelter.
Can I find home on this 6 month roadtrip where our home will change from month to month, and sometimes even from day to day? A few wise friends have suggested having certain things that don’t change like taking a morning walk each day, writing in a journal, an evening reading/prayer time as a family, and set times each week to check in with loved ones.
For those who have moved a lot or travel for work, how do you find ”Home on the road?”
I wanted to give you a quick update on our trip. It’s really happening, and after a year of this being an idea, it’s coming up in just 3 weeks! We leave November 1st.
Here are some of your most asked questions answered:
Did you buy an RV? Nope. Our vehicle is a Honda Pilot. We are traveling light.
Where will you go first?
We plan to take about 9 days to get to Macon, Georgia where we will stay in an airbnb for a month. On the way to Macon, we intend to stay in 🏠Madison, WI 🏠Normal, IL 🏠Indianapolis, IN 🏠Cincinatti, OH 🏕Cumberland Falls State Park and 🏠Chatanooga, TN
We have planned the trip intentionally so we only drive about 4 hours in a day. (This is a marathon, not a sprint 😁) If you want to know if we are coming through your state in the next 6 months, send me a personal message.
I’m not going to list the whole trip’s itinerary in this one post. You’ll have to follow this blog (or personal emails and texts are always welcome) if you want to keep up with us. You can also sign up for our Postcard Club. It’s a simple way to support our adventure in a small way with $6 a month and we will send you postcards from the road.
(If you can’t swing the $6, but still want to get postcards, just send me a message with your mailing address)
What do the kids think about the trip?
“I feel more and more everyday that this is the best decision for our family, but what if I can’t get the kids to see it?”
Both girls have struggled with switching to homeschooling this year and all of the life changes we’ve made (including having both older siblings move away to college). We have had some great days and some really hard days. I have seen our relationships grow closer these last few months and we have made so many memories together through simplifying our life and routine. Its amazing how much time was spent doing homework, packing lunches, and rushing to get to school in the mornings. Now, our days feel unhurried and more restful. Our older two kids, Elliot and Tabby, are practicing their ”adulting skills” at college in Massachusetts and NYC. They just spent their fall break together which made me very happy.
Will Mark be DJing on the trip? Will you be teaching piano lessons?
Mark will be booking weddings and events for summer of 2023 and 2024 and overseeing his other DJs from the road. He will be flying home for 3 weddings during the trip. I will be taking a complete break from teaching, but hope to connect with some piano teachers in other states during the trip.
What are you most looking forward to?
ANNA –
I’m looking forward to seeing new parts of the country, especially National Parks. I look forward to being near the ocean in December and missing out on the MN winter.
I’m also really excited to meet new people and bring attention to seemingly “ordinary faces” who don’t get noticed, but are really quite extraordinary. I want to inspire others to become Story Hunters looking for great stories from people in their everyday lives who have been overlooked.
MARK –
I’m looking forward to walking about the United States to discover fresh purpose for the 2nd half of my life.
Making memories with Anna and the kids.
MALIA – I’m not looking forward to the trip much at all, but if I had to say something –
the dogs and
the ocean.
(if we could send her home with a dog (or a bunny), it would all be worth it 😂)
Ivy is the one who is always saying, ”Take a picture of me!!”
IVY –
I’m looking forward to eating Asian food.
I’m excited to play in the ocean, see dolphins and dogs, ride horses, see cactus, and hike in mountains.
What are you hoping to gain personally from this trip?
I want this trip to stretch and challenge me (Anna) to grow in several areas.
#1. My willingness to ask for help.
#2. Boldness and confidence in speaking to people I am meeting for the first time.
#3. Courage to speak up about things I care about that may be controversial.
A few more thoughts
Do you have a dream of trying something out of the traditional box that scares you? Do you hold back because you are afraid of what people will think? Maybe its not travel, but a business idea or a new life direction, a parenting idea, or even something that seems small to most people, but is really a big change for you.
Encourage your Midlife Creative self today to see how far you’ve come and ask yourself, ”What small changes can I make to become more fully myself”
