‘Grand Adventure’ first leg done!

It’s been just about a week since we left our home in De Pere for our “Grand Adventure,” and I have to say things are off to a really good start. The girls, not surprisingly, are amazing travelers, having spent much of their childhood already in the back of the minivan. I love how well they are getting along with each other and adapting to the “new normal” of learning online from various locations, including the breakfast room at a Holiday Inn in South Bend, Indiana.

From an adventure standpoint, we have quite a few highlights: attending Mass at the basilica at the University of Notre Dame; eating Primanti Bros. almost famous sandwiches in Pittsburgh; making personalized candy bars at Hershey’s Chocolate World; and meeting Tony’s cousin Danielle for a picnic outside Philadelphia.

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Our current “home” is an adorable rental in the quaint, quiet burg of Milford, Delaware. Alayna picked it out, actually; we wanted a small town where we could hit a few beaches, try some local food and drink and figure out how to turn our “usual” day-to-day routine into one that’s comfortable and compatible with life on the road. I love that we are steps from a scenic river walk and just 10 minutes from the ocean. We’ve met the next-door neighbor lady and her dog, Wolfie. I’m already obsessed with the bakery downtown. Two thumbs up, Milford.

COVID stuff: No surprise, we’ve had to wear masks everywhere we’ve gone. Most of the hotel pools were closed and their breakfasts were minimal, but we survived. Notre Dame students were wearing masks at all times (even while running outdoors, which looked miserable), but the most surprising city was Pittsburgh. Apparently they had a recent spike in COVID cases. Bars were closed and restaurant dining was almost exclusively outdoors. We checked in to our hotel at 7:30 p.m. on a Friday night and had to scramble to find a restaurant that was open past 8. Lucky for us, we found an awesome brick-oven pizza joint in the Strip District and grabbed the last table of the night. Fantastic bacon candy and pancetta-wrapped shrimp; live DJ was a bonus.

Today is a quiet, rainy day. I’m trying to figure out how to pay our tolls from the states that didn’t let us pay on the road (and kicking myself for not purchasing an EZ-Pass before we left). Tony is calling bait shops about local fishing regulations, and the girls are doing homework upstairs.

Other news: We got an awesome call from our property manager yesterday. There is a family that is interested in renting our house for several months. While I’m relieved that we’ll be eliminating the in-and-out of short-term renters, this also means we’ll have to go somewhere else for Christmas. We knew this was a possibility, but the logistics right now are giving me a headache—especially since we just got settled (laundry finished, cooler unpacked, etc.) here in Delaware.

Gratitude check: Today I am most grateful for the health and well-being of my friends and family – the four of us here and countless others in different time zones and states. I’m also exceedingly grateful for the technology that allows us to stay connected and makes this trip possible through work/school connections. I’m also grateful for this quiet moment to write and for the many MANY of you dear friends who have offered your love and support for this journey. We carry you with us in our hearts!