Midlife. A Season of Discovery.

If you found your way here, welcome.

I find myself squarely in midlife, standing at a point where reflection and possibility seem to meet. So let me tell you a little about how I got here.

I had both of my kids before I was 30. At the time, all I wanted was to stay home with them and be a mom—and I did just that. For twelve years, I was a stay-at-home mom. My days were filled with kids, PTA meetings, carpools, and probably a little too much time wandering the aisles of Target. It was a full season of life, and one I look back with love.

In 2017, we moved to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas so my husband could earn his master’s degree at the War College. That move marked a turning point for me. That year, I decided to go back to work. I found a part-time job at the library in the children’s section, where I ran Story Time and a program called Wiggle Workshop. I loved it. I worked just a few hours a day, felt creatively fulfilled, and rediscovered how good it felt to be part of the workforce again.

Our time in Kansas was short—only a year—before we moved again, this time to Virginia. I wanted to keep working, but I also needed a schedule that matched my kids’ school calendar so I could still be present for breaks, snow days, and all the little moments. While registering my kids for their new school, I casually asked if they were hiring. They were—and that’s how I became an instructional assistant at an elementary school.

Three years into that job, I took advantage of a county program that allowed me to go back to school and become a special education teacher. It wasn’t easy. I was working full time, going to school, and juggling everything else life required of me. But after two intense years, I graduated in May 2024—summa cum laude—with my degree in special education. It is one of the accomplishments I am most proud of.

I’m now in my second year of teaching, and most days, I absolutely love it.

Somewhere in the midst of all of this—motherhood, career changes, and returning to school—I discovered women’s group travel. My first trip was with Into the Wild, and it truly changed my life. Since then, I’ve traveled to Iceland, Croatia, Turkey, Bora Bora, Costa Rica, and Morocco. I’ve also traveled with another women’s group that specializes in African trips, including a journey to Tanzania where I attempted (and failed) to hike Mount Kilimanjaro. I didn’t reach the summit, but we did go on safari afterward—so it wasn’t a total loss.

Women’s group trips give me life. They are my favorite way to travel. I love the camaraderie of traveling with like-minded women, bonding over new adventures, shared challenges, and long car rides that somehow turn strangers into lifelong friends.

I’ve also learned that sometimes the timing doesn’t work for anyone else—and that means going solo. I’ve traveled alone to New Orleans, New York City, and Vietnam. In Vietnam, I hired a guide and a driver, but I was still very much on my own. Solo travel taught me confidence, independence, and the freedom of moving entirely at my own pace.

When I can, I love traveling with others. I enjoy the shared experiences and companionship. But I also have big goals—and sometimes, those require doing things on my own.

Which brings me to my long-term dream.

One day, I would like to take a year off from work and travel the world. By then, both of my kids will have graduated and be living independent lives. My husband will be required to go overseas for a year without me. Ideally, I’d sprinkle in women’s group trips along the way so the year wouldn’t be entirely solo. That’s the dream.

Will it happen? Time will tell. For now, I have massive savings goals—and even bigger travel dreams.

And this space? This is where I’ll share that journey.