There is a moment that happens right before you decide to go. The car is still in the driveway. The bags aren’t fully packed yet. You’re mentally tallying snacks, chargers, extra sweatshirts, all the footwear options you may need, and wondering if a few hours in the car with three kids is something you actually have the energy for. It’s easy to decide to stay home and say, “We’ll do it another time.”
But listen, I know it may feel daunting, but take the trip!
When schedules are full, and life is a constant juggling of activities and appointments, it can feel easier to keep things local. Sports practices, school projects, work commitments, and the general busyness of raising kids can make travel feel overwhelming. A few-hour drive suddenly feels like a mountain you are ill-prepared to climb.
Yet some of the most meaningful memories don’t happen close to home. They happen when we pack up the kids and spend time with the people who mattered in the early chapters of our lives. The friends who knew us before we were parents. The ones who were there in college, in tiny apartments, at weddings, and in the messy early years of adulthood. They are the people who watched us grow up and now get to watch our families grow together.
Getting through the hours in the car, the rest-stop bathroom breaks, and the traffic on the Jersey Turnpike leads to something beautiful when you finally arrive at your destination. There’s a comfort in being with people who know your history and who don’t need an explanation for who you are or where you came from.
We talk a lot about making memories for our kids. But we’re also creating memories for ourselves. We won’t remember the stress of packing or the traffic. We’ll remember the laughs together, the meals we share, and the way our children ran around together as if they were family.
We’re showing our girls that relationships matter. Family isn’t only the people who live under your roof or who share your DNA. Showing up and making the effort to see your people is how love stays strong. They’re watching us prioritize connection and relationships, and to us, that is superior.
While getting our crew packed and out the door for a road trip is not glamorous, it is important. They will be tired, hungry, and so will I, but then there will be a moment that makes it all worth it. When we are with our friends, laughing together, getting those treasured group photos, that is the realization that this is what life is about.
The seasons of motherhood move quickly. One day, the kids won’t need car snacks or entertainment for the ride. One day, they’ll be busy with lives of their own, and we’ll be grateful we said yes to the trips that brought our worlds together.
