I recently returned from a 17 day trip to northern Michigan. My husband is in medical school and was doing a clinical rotation in Traverse City, so I decided to join him for a couple of weeks to spend time with him and my in-laws and also get away for a bit. Even though I was working remotely, it was nice to get away from home for a bit and experience some of the beauty Michigan has to offer. I was joined by my sister-in-law , Kelsey, who spent about a week up there before flying home.

While in Michigan, it was nice to take things a bit slower. We were less on a regular schedule (except for my husband) which allowed time for strengthen our connections with one another. Kelsey lives about 10 minutes from us, but my mother-in-law lives in northern Michigan, so we get to see her less often. It was great to get to spend time with her and her husband, and they were gracious enough to have us stay at their house (which is gorgeous by the way). All of staying under one roof allowed for deep conversations that fostered deeper connections between us all. There were funny moments, and moments where everyone had tears in their eyes. But that was the beauty of it. You don’t get that kind of connection with one another simply talking on the phone.

Our time spent up there also allowed for greater thinking. For my husband and I, we had conversations about his upcoming residency applications and whether we thought we could call Michigan home. For my sister-in-law, she is currently writing a book and this time allowed her to write a few chapters and she even shared with us what she has already. My in-laws live on a lake in a quiet subdivision (not the kind where you’re right on top of each other), and sitting by (or in) their pool is relaxing and allows for clarity.

One of my favorite days was when Kelsey and I spent the day out together. We went up to Leland with our cameras and enjoyed walking around and taking pictures. We bopped around some little shops, got some delicious ice cream, and enjoyed each other’s company. After that we capped the evening by getting dinner with my husband after he got out of the hospital.

The trip overall was great, and I look forward to the prospect of my husband and I possibly moving to Michigan in the not-so-distant future. My trip also highlighted how important it is to me to foster deep connections with those we love and have around us. Something that people think they achieve with their devices, but they really just serve as a distraction from what really matters.

Please enjoy some pictures from my trip!