Slowing Down, Looking Around, and moving forward

Exciting Adventures Await: Our Gap Year Journey Begins Soon!

For years, life moved in a steady rhythm — familiar, full, and often demanding. Hawai‘i has been our home for seventeen years, the place where my daughter grew up and where I learned how to build a life from scratch more than once. But as this chapter comes to a close, I’ve felt something shifting inside me. Not a dramatic moment or a single spark — more like a quiet knowing that it’s time to step into something new.

So when we leave the islands this summer, we won’t be rushing into the next version of “normal.” Instead, we’ll spend a few months road‑tripping across the mainland, visiting friends and family. After that, we’ll begin our slow‑travel journey through Europe, starting in Finland and following curiosity wherever it leads. Ivey has shared her expectations with me and that includes: snow, snow, and more snow!

The choice to throw ourselves onto the path less traveled grew out of a season of deep change: my retirement from the military, the loss of Ivey’s father and my co‑parent, and the realization that the life we knew had been rearranged in ways we never expected. With no house anchoring us and no job demanding my time, I feel a pull — not gentle or subtle, but like the universe tapping on my shoulder saying, “You know it’s time, right?” We’re currently in the “how did we accumulate this much stuff” phase of packing, and if you hear distant screaming, it’s probably me trying to sell things on Facebook Marketplace.

More than anything, I want to give both of us room to heal, to grow, and to rediscover who we are now.

🌍 Our Travel Philosophy

This year isn’t about chasing landmarks or collecting passport stamps. It’s about three simple intentions:

Connecting with ourselves

Making space for rest, reflection, curiosity, and the kind of growth that only happens when life slows down.

Connecting with each other

Strengthening our bond, creating shared memories, and learning how to navigate the world together as we figure out who we are in and after this transition.

Letting the world be our classroom and community

Meeting people, learning from different cultures, and allowing experiences — big and small — to shape us in ways that can’t happen when staying in one place.

✨ What We Hope to Find

I’m not looking for this year to deliver a specific outcome. I’m open to whatever unfolds. I hope we try new things, wander through nature, get lost in places that surprise us, and meet people who expand our understanding of the world.

More than anything, I hope Ivey sees that it’s okay to be brave. It’s okay to step into uncertainty. It’s okay to choose a path that feels a little scary — especially when your heart is nudging you forward.

I can’t promise that this is the “right” choice in any traditional sense. But I know with absolute clarity that I would regret not trying.

This year feels like our chance to jump in — not because we’re ready, but because it’s time.

We’re not experts, influencers, or people who color‑code packing cubes. We’re just two humans trying things and seeing what happens. We’ll be sharing stories from the road — the magical moments, the mildly chaotic ones, and the everyday in‑between. Expect reflections, photos, travel mishaps, lessons learned, and the occasional “we definitely should’ve planned that better” update. Nothing polished or perfect — just real life as it unfolds.

If you’re reading this, you’re part of the community that helped us reach this moment — whether through encouragement, curiosity, or simply cheering us on from afar. We feel that support, and it means so much to us.

If you have recommendations, favorite places, or friends we should meet along the way, please share! We’d love to hear from you as we go.

Follow along with us as we close out these last few months in Hawai‘i and begin our adventure. We’re grateful you’re here, walking this detour with us — snacks encouraged.