Travel wasn't something I grew up thinking about much. It just wasn't in the cards for us financially when I was a kid. Even when I spontaneously signed up for a study abroad program in New Zealand during college, I had to locate it on a map after getting accepted and then convince my parents it wasn’t the most irresponsible thing I’d ever done (they weren't entirely convinced). After Justin and I were married, we dove right into starting a family, and travel felt like a distant dream. But then, I started noticing the signs.

I've always had faith that the right opportunities will present themselves when the timing is right, and I'd recently started a habit of asking for signs. Wondering if it was time for a career change? Show me a harp. Considering a new hobby? A purple balloon. Ready for an adventure? A flight deal too good to pass up. Ask and you shall receive, they say. So, when that flight alert to Paris landed in my inbox, I didn't hesitate to book and start (over)packing.

Life isn't always clear-cut; it's full of shades of gray. But I've learned to trust the signs and follow my intuition, and it's never led me astray. My wish is that if you're feeling that itch for something more, a yearning to break free from routine, you'll find inspiration in our journey to step outside the norm and shake things up a bit. It's never as daunting as our minds can make it seem, and despite the bumps along the road, we've discovered that the journey is always worth it.