The One-Way Ticket Is Getting Real

Six months ago, Italy was an idea.

A set of Army orders.
A destination on a piece of paper.
A dream that felt exciting and impossibly far away.

We talked about it constantly… the cobblestone streets, the little cafés, the gelato-covered kids, what it might feel like to wake up somewhere that wasn't home yet.

We counted down the months. Then the weeks.
And now?
We’re down to 30 days!

30 days. It feels like no time.
30 days until we board a one-way plane with three little kids and an overwhelming number of bags (I’m already counting a minimum of 8 and they’re not event packed yet).

This isn't something we're planning for anymore. It's happening.

How We Got Here

For six months, we've been slowly making our way toward this moment. Passports. Packing. Selling the things that weren't coming with us.
Lists on top of lists… because apparently one list is never enough when you're moving your entire life across an ocean.

We've squeezed in adventures here in the U.S., knowing our time in this chapter is precious, and running out. We've tried to soak up the people and places that have been part of our story, before we leave them for this next grand adventure.

And here we are.
This move officially no longer feels like a far-off adventure and has started feeling very, very real.

Almost Ready

There are still boxes to pack. Things to sell. Goodbyes to navigate.
And three little people who have absolutely no concept of the logistical undertaking that is moving their entire life to another country.

But we're getting there. And maybe "almost ready" is exactly where we're supposed to be.

We've spent six months wondering what life in Italy will look like with visions of our kids running through Italian streets, eating too much gelato, and growing up with a little more of the world at their fingertips. While simulatneously wondering what it will feel like to start over somewhere completely unfamiliar and VERY outside of my comfort zone.

Now we only have four weeks left to wonder. After that, we get to find out.

What's Coming

There will undoubtedly be hard days.
We'll miss home.
We'll get lost.
The language barrier will humble us.
Someone will have a meltdown in a piazza, and I’ll definitely go through withdrawl from my Diet Coke addiction.

There will be moments we look at each other and wonder what on earth we were thinking.

But there will also be magic… the kind you can't plan for.

The first time we realize we're actually living in Italy.
The first family dinner.
The first weekend adventure.
The first Italian word our kids pick up.
The first time we look around and realize this strange, beautiful place has started to feel like home.

Four weeks. That's all that stands between us and the biggest adventure our family has ever taken.

Six months of waiting.
Four weeks of preparation.
One one-way plane ticket.
A whole new life on the other side.

We're coming in hot, Italy. We still can't quite believe it's almost time.