It has been too long since Danny and I left the country. Too long. Coming up on four and a half years, in fact. Since then, we’ve zig-zagged across the good old U.S.A. . . . but we (specifically I) get antsy after a while. There’s so much to see out there, so much to learn in countries that aren’t just like our own. As much as I love home, it can be hard to stay put when you know there’s so much to explore.

But we’ve been loving our home more than ever this past year. Slowly but surely, we’re making our house feel more and more like the home we want. We’ve picked out a paint color for the bedroom, after only five years of searching. We’ve added more personal touches here and there to make the space feel like our own. Our closets and pantry and cabinets are organized, our lawn (and that always-blooming bougainvillea!) are lush and inviting, and it just feels good being at home these days, since our lives and our belongings are well in order.

But. Yes, there’s another but.

But. We still want to get out there and see more of the world. So we’re not only daydreaming anymore. We’ve been actively saving, and we’re actually planning.

The first and last time I went to Europe was a few weeks after I graduated college, on a fantastic trip to Paris to visit the haunts of the great expatriate writers of the 20th Century. Danny has been to Europe twice — to Ireland for a mission trip, to Germany for business, and a little sliver of France on a one-day road trip.  We have plans in the works to go back to Europe again this summer, together this time. We know Paris is on the itinerary, with our sights set on catching the end of the Tour de France in person. After that, we aren’t sure what other parts of the map we’ll be checking off our list.

But, we don’t really have an agenda; we just want to explore. That’s my favorite way to travel — simply arrive somewhere, drop our bags, and wander the streets discovering how the locals live, soaking in the local culture and food and atmosphere.

And.

Wherever we go, we can’t wait.

~ Laura