We came to our hometown this weekend for a few reasons. Whenever possible, we try to combine visits with both families and friends in one trip. This weekend, it was my brother-in-law’s birthday, my sister’s visit home before starting her new job, and a visit with friends we haven’t seen in a couple years. The plan was to spend one evening with my family, one evening with Jon’s brother, and visit friends in the afternoons.

Now that I’ve set the background, we also had an underlying purpose to our visit. After having the dream and plan for the past two years of world travel, we decided it was time to tell our families. While I had already told my boss, and we have told a few random friends, telling our families made it feel more real to me. My family has always been close and I was nervous going into the evening.

Halfway through dinner, I leaned over to Jon and told him that I didn’t know how to bring it up and start the conversation. He reassured me that he had an idea how to broach the subject, so I figured I would wait until he brought it up. Dinner finished, and we left to go to a bar for an after-dinner drink. Sitting at the table, Jon started the conversation. He threw it out there rather briefly, as I sat back nervously awaiting their reactions. My sister, as expected, was the first to comment and share her excitement. My parents didn’t ask much about it or say much about it, and the conversation turned to other topics.

I have to admit, it was a little anti-climatic. I had been expecting some skepticism and many questions, but none were forthcoming. In a way, I am relieved to have it out there, where I can now talk about it freely. In another way, I’m still waiting for the skepticism and questions to come. I know they will as we get closer to our departure; the worries and concerns will be vocalized. However, I also know that this trip is something that will happen no matter what skepticism we face, and I know our families will end up being supportive and encouraging. We are very lucky to have such a strong support network to lean on, and I know it will be a huge asset to us as we travel and face our own doubts and adversity.

Now that the secret is out, so to speak, it’s time to relax and enjoy the rest of our weekend at home. Next up on our agenda, seeing our 3-year old nephew and maybe a little action at Chuck-E-Cheese… Good times ahead!