Final Destination

We drove several hours from Michael's parents' house to the place we're calling home.

It's...  breathtaking to think that we've ended this journey and we're already stepping out into something completely new.

We started this trip to find our spot.

The place where we would put down roots.  The place that fit us best.

Of course we also wanted to see more of the world, to show our children more and more dazzling adventures than they could ever imagine...

But always we were searching for the place.  The one where we would end the journey and begin something totally different.

In California we decided that we needed to move things along a little faster.  Maeryn needed stability and we were no longer able to provide it on all of the necessary levels.  Fast forward to our trek through the snow storm and our shortened visits with just about everyone just to get here.

We bought a piece of land and we're going to build a house on it.

I'm looking up activities for the kids and we're easing back into the use of a calendar to plan things.

It's sad and surreal and terrifying and magical and exciting all at once and more feelings I can't yet grasp closely enough to describe.

Yesterday we bought groceries.  We went to the land and met some of our neighbors.  The kids made friends.  We attended our new church.  I'm putting together a photo book for publication about our trip.  

Life is a strange thing.

You always know just what you want but you never know how it will happen or if it will happen and when it does happen it is never quite like you imagined.  Sometimes better.  Sometimes not.  Always different.

This trip has taught me so many things.

I wish I could express them all in this small space.

I wish that I could relive the entire journey for each of you with you inside my head so that you could really see...

I wish that you could all go on your own journeys.  The ones you need to take.

You know the ones.

Not all of them involve logging over 16,000 miles in a converted school bus.

Some of them involved making amends or cleaning house emotionally or just driving down the block.

This trip has changed me.

I am more resiliant.  I am stronger.

More than anything I've reconnected with pieces of me that I'd forgotten existed. My own inner strength.  My love of silliness and laughter.  The wide eyes of a child.  Listening for the Voice of God.  Embracing change.

There have been several layers of skin shed.  A New Me every day.

I hope that you have enjoyed sharing this journey.

I will likely continue to blog here as we establish our new life and step out on this new path, but it might not be for awhile.

We're calling our new house Taproot, because we want our roots to grow deep.

Neither of us have allowed ourselves that sort of luxury before.

We'll need some time to start that tree growing. 

Thank you for taking this trip with us.  Thank you for reading and commenting and giving so much support to our family in so many ways.  We love you.  We miss you.  And we have learned that you are really never too far away.  Expect us for coffee.  We'll bring dinner.  And probably photographs.