Our Story

Growing up on a small farm in Ohio, I always dreamed of traveling to beautiful spots around the world.  When I met my husband, Jack, an experienced traveller, our goals aligned perfectly.  We began journeying around the USA, following travel nurse contracts that took us to four different states as I clocked in to battle the Pandemic.  We took time out for occasional international jaunts (for medical missions purposes or just for fun).  I’d always thought that our trips would lead us back to the United States, especially after we had our son in 2022 and our daughter in 2025.  As my career as a registered nurse began to wear me down to the soul, I began to question what was keeping me in the USA.  After a certain election result in 2024, both Jack and I began to feel that our time as dyed-in-the-wool Ohioans was running out.  After sixteen months of paperwork, tears, stressful visa trips and seemingly-endless waiting, we received our visas and began our new life in northern Portugal!  

I’m going to be chronicling our adventures, ups-and-downs, and perspectives from Europe as we navigate learning a new culture, language, and norms as a family of four.