You are my greatest adventure.

Before I became a mother, I felt like I'd lived a life full of adventure.  I've had some pretty incredible experiences in my life and I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't proud of all that I've achieved.  

I've moved abroad, swam in many seas, endured a long distance relationship, jumped out of a plane, and persevered to achieve my dream career which took me around the world a time or two.  I felt like I'd done almost everything that I'd ever aspired to do before I'd even turned 25 years old.  Life was such an adventure, and the thought of "settling down" really didn't interest me much. 

Last year, I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl and my perspective changed entirely. Though I'd always wanted children, I was convinced that my exciting life was over from the moment that I discovered I was pregnant.  I was wrong... so very wrong.

The past year has taught me the true meaning of adventure.  Every milestone my daughter reaches is equivalent to the excitement of landing in a new country.  She has taught me to love more deeply than I ever thought possible and to cherish the little things.  Most importantly, she's taught me to be happy in the present. I enjoyed the nomadic lifestyle, but I always found myself longing for more... for more stamps in my passport, more stories to tell, more journeys to plan.  Life wasn't complete without something on the horizon to count down the days leading up to it.  

These days, my excitement lies in introducing my daughter to new foods, watching her learn and play, and holding her in my arms knowing that before I realize it she'll be grown up and exploring this world herself.  

I've had a lot of adventures in my life, but Aaralee is by far the greatest one of all.  

With all of this being said, it's bittersweet to announce that as my maternity leave comes to an end I've officially resigned from my career as a flight attendant. Maybe one day I'll return to the skies, but for now I'm focusing on an even more exciting role... that of being a wife and mother.  I don't know what opportunities may arise in the future, but what I do know is that the opportunity to watch my baby grow up will only come around once and I'm not about to miss it.   The rest of the world can wait.