Ever since we married in 2003, Kim and I have been firm believers that a strong family is built on a strong marriage. That idea isn’t new; it’s been confirmed by many studies and by our personal experience raising and homeschooling five extremely active kids. We love our kids. But wow. There is a lot of talking in this house :-).

So we’ve prioritized getting away together as often as we can. With five kids between 8 and 12 years old, it isn’t always easy to arrange childcare. Fortunately, we have been surrounded by family and friends who have taken a real interest in our kids and made it possible for us to escape for a few days on our anniversary and one or two other weekends each year. We cannot say thanks enough for these folks! So if one of you is reading, know that you are loved and appreciated!

Our most frequent getaway destination is Ocean City, MD, about 150 miles east of us on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. We bought an oceanfront condominium there in 2014 that we rent to vacationers most of the year and use for ourselves whenever we can sneak away. While owning a rental property comes with challenges, having a place only three hours from home where we can getaway on a moment’s notice has been wonderful.

Since we’re just getting Packing for Seven off the ground, we haven’t yet written about some of the more exciting trips we’ve taken as a couple: to Las Vegas in 2002, Aruba in 2007, Scotland in 2008, and Antigua in 2013. But we’ve got lots of pictures to share and over the next few months we’ll be getting our “Packing for Two” section going!

Thanks for reading, and if you want to keep up with our travels, come back often and follow our adventure on Facebook.