Life, Family, and Finding Joy on the Open Road
There’s just something about a great road trip that’s always spoken to me. The open road, a good drink, the right company, and of course—the tunes. That combination has shaped so many seasons of my life, and honestly, not much has changed over the years.
When I first moved from California to Illinois, it was just me, my 1982 Toyota Corolla, a case of Dr Pepper riding shotgun, and everything I owned stuffed into the backseat and trunk. It was simple and chaotic and freeing all at once. I had no fancy plan—just miles of highway, a heart full of hope, and music turned up loud enough to drown out the nerves. Because let’s be honest… what is a road trip without the soundtrack?
Fast-forward to our honeymoon. This time, I wasn’t alone. It was me, my sweet Toyota Celica, and my even sweeter bride beside me. We set off for St. Charles ready to start our life together. There weren’t many tunes on that ride—just hours of talking, dreaming, laughing, and reading the cards people wrote us. That trip didn’t need a playlist. We were writing the first track of our own.
Then came kids… which meant one thing:
The minivan era.
Oh, the miles we put on that thing. Countless trips with movies playing in the background (not that it ever stopped me from sneaking in some music too). But one movie was absolutely banned: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Too many high-pitched singing birds for safe driving. My ears still ring just thinking about it.
As the kids got older, road trips changed again. Some were all together, stuffed in the car like old times. Some were just me and one of them—like last week, when Rebekah and I spent Veterans Day together, just an hour from home but full of great conversation. Now we have regular drives to college, cheering on our youngest, grabbing dinner, catching a game, and making adult-kid memories we’ll treasure forever.
And now?
Now the road trips look a little different.
It’s often just my wife and me—two decades of adventures behind us, coffee in hand, and a day of thrifting or Christmas shopping ahead. Nothing fancy. Just windshield time, quiet towns, good conversation, and a reminder that we still love being on the road together.
Life gets chaotic this time of year. Schedules fill up fast. Responsibilities stack higher than we’d like. But slipping away on a weekday for a little road trip? That’s the recharge we didn’t know we needed.
Sometimes slowing down is exactly what brings us back to what matters most.
Time together.
Memories made without planning.
A reminder of what this season is really about.
And as long as there’s an open road in front of us, we’ll always be up for the next adventure.
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A heartfelt reflection on the road trips that shaped my life—from moving cross-country with nothing but a Toyota Corolla and Dr Pepper, to honeymoon drives, minivan adventures with the kids, college visits, and quiet thrift-store getaways with my wife. A reminder to slow down, enjoy the journey, and cherish the moments that matter.
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