Modern Stargazer Life

This post isn’t really an Airstream travel story. It’s about moving in all its forms—college moves, life transitions, and the way parents are always moving right alongside their kids. Sometimes it’s packing up boxes for a dorm or apartment, sometimes it’s helping them shift into a new chapter. And lately, this kind of moving has even paused our own travels. We’ve been home, not on the road, because we’ve been busy tending to the moves that matter most—our kids’ needs.

This summer has been full of those moves. Tessa is preparing for her senior year, moving into what will be her final college apartment. And just this week, Toby received his first job offer! He’ll begin his career as a software engineer at GE Healthcare. We couldn’t be prouder or more excited for him. These milestones make the shuffle of boxes and bags feel worth it, even as they remind us that empty nesting is coming closer and closer.

The Things We Haul Along

Over the years, we’ve cycled through it all: the chaos of dorm move-in, the novelty of Tessa’s first apartment, the churn of summer sublets, and the excitement of a semester abroad. Then came Chicago internship housing, and now, at last, we’ve landed at her senior-year apartment, her final college home. Each stop along the way has meant hauling out the same set of oversized blue Ikea bags, now softened and frayed from constant use. They’re our family’s unofficial moving gear—familiar, practical, and a little worn around the edges, much like us after all these moves.

And while the bags carry the weight, the challenge is always the same: how to make everything fit. Cramming into a tiny dorm closet, juggling gadgets in a too-small apartment kitchen, or rethinking space in our Airstream—all of it forces us to decide what really matters. It’s been a lesson in progress, not perfection.

We’ve even debated whether the Bartesian cocktail maker is “essential” or whether two pairs of hiking boots is “reasonable.” The answer usually comes down to: we’ll make it work. Humor and creativity tend to save the day whether it’s shuffling bins into a bedroom corner or inventing storage hacks in the trailer.

Of course, not all movement in our family has been about hauling blue bags. Some of it has been quieter, less visible—but just as important.

Two Kinds of Movement

Our kids’ paths could not be more different—at times, they’ve seemed like polar opposites. Yet I feel so fortunate to walk alongside both of them, watching one charge ahead with unstoppable energy and the other quietly chart his own unique course. Each brings their own kind of excitement, and each has taught me that there is no single way to move forward in life. The beauty is in their differences, and the privilege is getting to witness both.

What Small Spaces Teach Us

At the heart of it, all this moving and reshuffling—college to internship, dorm room to apartment, house to Airstream—teaches us the same lesson: growth requires flexibility. Stuff doesn’t always fit neatly, and neither do life’s transitions. We have to adjust, laugh when things topple over, and celebrate the milestones even as our hearts ache a little.

And maybe that’s the gift hidden in the shuffle. Watching Tessa embrace her independence, seeing Toby step into his career, learning to navigate our own version of downsizing, it all reminds me that life keeps moving forward. Yes, I’ll miss this chapter of a full house and family dinners. But I’m also rooting for them (and us) as we all step into what’s next.

Because in the end, whether it’s a dorm room or an Airstream, it’s not about fitting everything in. It’s about making room for joy. And now, with Toby starting his first software engineering job and Tessa beginning her senior year, the shuffle feels different—it’s no longer just about moving stuff, but about moving forward into new chapters with gratitude and excitement.