Four days. That’s all that stands between us and the start of a wild, year-long adventure around the world.
We’re moving out of our Brooklyn apartment… the one at the top of four lovely, leg-burning flights of stairs… and while chaos is definitely in the air, for once… we’re kind of ready? Maybe… but either way, 4 days remain!
This Time, We Planned (Sort Of)
To be honest, this is the most prepared we’ve ever been for a move.
Storage bins are labeled (mostly accurately), clothes are being sorted into “bring,” “store,” and “how did this even end up in our house?” piles, and we’re doing our best to clear the decks before the final stretch.
The kids are somehow handling it better than we are. They’ve turned the packing process into an elaborate obstacle course/game show/fort-building session. Every box is a prop. Every pile of clothes is a potential costume change. And every moment is the perfect one to pull everything out and throw it around the house (true story).
We’ve lived in this apartment for five years. It’s not the one where we brought our babies home (that was our last place), but it’s where they became little people. It’s where we’ve had dance parties and sick days, birthdays and breakdowns, and about 400 renditions of Let It Go.
It’s been our home. And now it’s almost time to say goodbye…. or more accurately, see you in a year.
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Two Things We’re Looking Forward To
There are a lot of emotions swirling around here—excitement, nerves, nostalgia, and more than a little lower-back tension. But we’re also laser-focused on what’s ahead. A few things topping our “can’t wait” list:
- Waking Up Somewhere New
We’re trading our Brooklyn routines for mornings that might include a street market in Bangkok, a mountain view in Fuki, or a fruit stand in Cape Town. We won’t always know where the best coffee is—or where the nearest bathroom is, for that matter… but that’s part of the adventure.
- Spending Time, Not Just Scheduling It
One of the reasons we’re doing this is time. We’ve spent so many years scheduling around school, work, lessons, bedtime, emails, and errands. This year, we get to take that same time and stretch it.
We’ll be together in a way that feels less like “fitting it all in” and more like “being in it.” Less multitasking. More memory-making. (We hope.)
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A Lesson From Before Takeoff
Look, we’re not pretending this is all magical. The past week has been a blur of “buy nothing” runs, storage bins, packing tape, and midday arguments over whether or not the stuff will, in fact, all fit in our storage (Mike – “yes”, Elisa – “nope… not a chance.”).
But somewhere between the box-labeling and the farewell Table 87 pizza orders, there’s a real sense of gratitude growing in our little family. We’re not just leaving—we’re launching. And every tired, sweaty, over-caffeinated moment right now is laying the groundwork for something we’ve dreamed about for years.
This move is hard. But it’s hard because, I think we know deep down, this is the start of something amazing.
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Want to Follow Along?
- If you’ve done a big move or big leap, reply and tell us what helped you keep perspective (or sanity).
- If you’ve got a favorite hidden gem in Tokyo, Bali, or Cape Town—send it our way!
- If you’re just here for the laughs, meltdowns, and mango-sticky-rice content to come, we’re thrilled to have you.
We’ll keep writing, photographing, and storytelling our way around the world. And we hope you’ll join us for the ride.
Four days to go. EEEEEEEK!
Let’s do this.
– Mike, Elisa, Evelyn and Dax
