After spending more than two months up north with family, I have finally made my way home to Florida. This was a longer visit than usual, and I’m so grateful for the extra time it gave me with my children and grandchildren.

These days, everyone seems to be moving at full speed. Between work, school, activities, and all the responsibilities that come with everyday life, it can be difficult to really slow down and see how everyone is doing. Sometimes you simply have to stick around long enough to find your way into the flow of family life.

That might mean sharing a meal here and there, squeezing in an outing, sitting together for a little while, or simply being present when the opportunity comes. Those ordinary moments are often the ones I treasure most.

And no matter how much time we spend together, saying goodbye is never easy.

The visit itself was wonderful. The weather in the mountains was beautiful this time of year, and there is something very special about being surrounded by family while enjoying the beauty of nature. It was a season filled with conversations, laughter, meals, little adventures, and those quiet moments that don’t necessarily make it into photographs but somehow stay with us.

Then comes the drive home.

After making this trip many times, I’ve learned that being prepared makes a difference. Finding the best route, avoiding as much congestion as possible, and choosing roads that feel safe can take some of the stress out of a long journey.

But the truth is, Nana isn’t quite as young as she used to be!

Those long hours of sitting in the car can be surprisingly taxing. This time, we broke the trip into three overnight stops, which made the journey much more manageable.

And of course, I wasn’t traveling alone.

Lucy came along for the adventure. 🐾

Thankfully, she is a very good traveler. Being in different places seems to suit her curious nature, and everywhere we stop, she manages to attract a little attention and a lot of admiration. She seems to take each new place in stride, as if she simply assumes that wherever Nana goes, there must be something interesting to discover.

Finally, we arrived home.

And perhaps one of the greatest pleasures after a long journey is discovering that everything is still where you left it.

The car started.
The house was waiting.
And the garden—although a little overgrown—was thriving.

There was something wonderfully reassuring about walking back into my own space and seeing all the familiar things waiting for me.

Now comes the unpacking.

Then the cleaning.

Then the sorting and putting away.

And finally, the slow process of restarting.

I know I’m tired, but I’m also deeply grateful.

Grateful for the time I had with my family. Grateful for the beautiful mountains. Grateful for a safe journey home. Grateful for Lucy’s good traveling spirit. And perhaps most of all, grateful to have a place to return to—a garden waiting to be tended and a new season waiting to begin.

The Inspired Nana may be a tired Nana today.

But she is a very happy Nana, too. ❤️

And now I’ll begin the process of settling back in. There will be unpacking, cleaning, and getting the garden back into shape. Hopefully, there will also be some visits from “the kids” during the winter. Florida has a way of making a pretty good destination when the temperatures up north begin to fall!

Until then, I’ll enjoy the memories of this long family visit and look forward to whatever the next season brings.

Sometimes coming home is simply the beginning of looking forward to the next time we are all together.

And that is something worth waiting for. ❤️