Sooooo…that was the longest break from blogging in the history of blogging. Ok, maybe not, but still. I did not intend on taking such a long hiatus. 2016 turned out to be the busiest time of our lives. The Mr. and I both wrapped up another hugely hectic year in our respective careers and somehow managed to find time to travel. A lot. For those who spend their lives traipsing the globe this won’t seem like much. For those of us who devote most of our time to corporate America, I’m not sure how we did it. In five months we traveled to Italy, New York, London, and Chile. It seemed like as soon as we got back home we were out the door again. Packing and unpacking, planning outfits, arranging pet care, etc. By the time we hosted a small gathering of friends and family for New Year’s Eve, we were exhausted. And we loved every minute of it. I wouldn’t have it any other way, actually. I dream of a life where we can basically be gone all the time, exploring new countries and falling back in love with those we’ve been to time and again. But alas, these excursions cost some dough so hi-ho, hi-ho it’s off to…you get the picture.

There were many times on our trips that I remember looking around and thinking, wow we are so incredibly fortunate to be able to do this. My first thought when my husband and I de-plane in a new place is that I actually can’t believe I’m where I am. I picture a giant globe in my head and I see this little pin placed on the map where we are and how far from home we have traveled. It still amazes me that we can wake up in one city and go to bed in another on the complete opposite side of the world. The funny thing is that the more we travel the less far from home I feel. Home for me is wherever we are when we’re together. Whether it’s sipping an Aperol spritz on a terrace in Milan, noshing on a completo streetside in Santiago, or simply reading a book on our patio, I feel most at home when surrounded by those I love.

So that brings me to this post. It’s now February and 2017 is already flying by. I don’t set resolutions because I hate the notion of them. I think simply being mindful throughout the year is healthier for me. I’ve taken steps to eat better and exercise more, as one typically does at the start of a new year. But mostly I want to remember to live in the moment. To relish the time we have while we are here and to appreciate and reflect on it. We have another busy year ahead and more travel coming up. I’m looking forward to gathering my thoughts and sharing our recent adventures as well as those we are oh so anxiously awaiting (hello, Greece!). Thanks for being so patient and I’m glad to be back!

Living in the moment and other goals for 2017 first appeared on Cathedrals & Cafes.