We reached New York and bid farewell to the last Great Lake of this trip. Big pine trees surround the Airstream and I am reminded of Lake Tahoe. As if the map of the U.S. folded in on itself, and I am finding a great circle of landscape moving back towards that which I am familiar with.

I opened my journal and saw a date of June 6… We’ve been galloping about the Great Lakes and Midwest for 6 weeks. We’ve felt the crystal waters flow over our skin. We’ve ridden through dense forest, hiked in endless tree tunnels, enjoyed orange sunsets, and captured dozens of glow bugs in our glass mason jar.

Hiking / Slick Rock Lighthouse, Lake Superior

We’ve driven through more of small town American then I even thought existed and I truly realize that our small circus on wheels is but a blip on the radar of this great land. We are one small story moving along the interstate, 10 mph slower than everyone else. 🙂

People have been asking how we feel, what we are thinking, now that we have crossed the half-way point in our time away. And honestly, things are mixed.

Big ships in Duluth, MN

We’ve finally settled in to a routine (as routine as traveling to never-been-to-places can be) and I find it interesting that we have foregone much of the home-sickness I have experienced on other travels abroad in my younger years. I am wondering if having your own house on wheels helps in that regard. While everything is new and changing, our house does not. We sleep in the same bed, have the same dishes, and during the week, we have mostly the same routine of school and work… just with a new backyard every couple of days.

Tucked in / Pestosky State Park, MI

We’ve had the blessing of meeting up with friends roughly every month to 6 weeks along the journey. First in the Grand Canyon, then in Colorado, next Michigan, and lastly our friends the Currens are along for New York and Maine. These brief or not so brief touches with friends have helped us stay connected to community, eliminating much of the alone feeling I was afraid of.

Sailing, Pine Lake, MI

We’ve started talking about the kid’s school when we return, some changes we want to make to our house, and what life will look like again through this next winter. We’ve even started talking about next summer’s travel plans.

However, one sadness nags at my heart. When I look back at the last 3 months I am overwhelmed with memories, most of them great. Shared experiences that have brought us closer as a family, beautiful places and mostly time together. I have so many memories I cannot count them all. I am already sad it will have to end.

Over the last handful of years, when we are at home and immersed in city life I find these things describe us: hard-working, busy, productive, efficient. BUT I can hardly remember any of the things we’ve done as a family that were truly fun and uniting. I have hardly any memories outside our daily routine. All of our best memories from the last 5 years are of the travels we’ve gone on!

And while I know that some of this is natural and you cannot live the charmed life of travel 24/7, I am desperate to find a way to have more quality time together at home. Don’t misunderstand me. There are thing we LOVE about our home and being there. I just want to spend more time enjoying home while I am actually there instead of planning how to escape. LOL

I have no clue how to do this, how to share new experiences when we are surrounded with the familiar.

Do you? How do you make lasting memories right inside the routine of your daily life?

Or is this the purpose of travel, to give us this gift of time in an otherwise busy life? Maybe the right response is gratitude?

I don’t have the answers, and maybe I never will. But I do have this time now, and I feel blessed to share it with my crew.

-Alyssa