I’m a homebody. I’m an introvert and I like the comfort of my home and my people. I have always been this way. I wish I was the fun, adventurous person who jumps in their car and takes off for the next destination; the one who drives and flies and boats and skydives all over; the one who eats anything and takes on every challenge of traveling. I always wanted to be that person.
I am not that person.
I am the let’s stay home and work on a project on our house instead person. The everything we need is here person. The why leave when you have it all here person. It’s my comfort zone and I evidently like to stay in it. But something different has begun to happen to me. The past couple of years, as our kids have gotten older, I am seeing travel through their eyes. Everything is so fun that way! Each new adventure is ten times better with them by my side. I am watching their worlds expand and it’s making me want to expand mine, too!
Last year we took our kids (then ages six, four, and two) to Washington DC. We used to live there; in fact my oldest was born there. I love DC and I got to share it all with them. They were too young to appreciate all of the significance of the different buildings and monuments, but they still got it. They still got the magic of the city. One night we went to Georgetown Cupcakes and then ate the cupcakes in front of the Lincoln Memorial — something my husband and I used to do before we were even married. Watching my kids in that moment, under the lights on that warm May light, did something to me. It was like a switch was flipped and I suddenly got it.
I understood that traveling with kids is so worth it.
Sure it is a headache and always a trip and not a vacation while traveling with kiddos, but it is valuable. Getting to watch their worlds grow right before their eyes was a gift to them and me. So while I may never be the adventurer who tours overseas with my precious kids in tow (although I am jealous of all those who do), I see the value in throwing aside how I used to be and jumping in for some adventure with my people.
We used to live in Tampa when my oldest was 6-20 months and loved it! Tons of family stuff. I would take Busch Garden a MILLION times over Disney, the beach is close by, tons of cheap, awesome Cuban food (plenty of expensive food, too, but that’s neither here nor there), and an IKEA. The children’s museum is right on the riverfront with a splash pad out from. About 45 minutes north of Tampa is Weeki Watchi State Park, which has a water park open seasonally and an underwater theater built in to a spring where you can watch a mermaid show year round. I love Knoxville, but I legit miss living in Tampa.