If you’ve landed here, chances are adoption has tugged on your heart, and if so, welcome to one of the most life-altering journeys you’ll ever walk. International adoption is layered with paperwork, delays, emotional highs and lows, and plenty of unknowns. But it’s also lined with indescribable joy, fierce love, and a deep sense of purpose. Whether you're just beginning to explore adoption or deep in the trenches, I want to offer not just encouragement, but help based on our personal experience navigating international adoption in South Africa during a global pandemic and a surprise pregnancy. I’ve been in your shoes… overwhelmed, confused, and wondering what comes next. So here’s our story, step-by-step, along with insights I hope will guide you.

Cappadocia (or Kapadokya) was the crown jewel of our 11-day Turkey itinerary—which also included Istanbul, the Turkish Riviera, and the thermal pools of Pamukkale. But this magical region, with its whimsical landscapes and warm hospitality, absolutely stole our hearts. While many people think of Cappadocia as a single town, it's actually a large region filled with charming villages, each with its own unique views and personality. To explore it properly, we rented a car—highly recommend if you're comfortable driving abroad! (It was one of our easiest self-drive experiences to date.)

Let’s be honest… traveling with car seats is not for the faint of heart. Between wrangling luggage, chasing toddlers, and navigating airports, lugging around a bulky seat is enough to make you second-guess your travel plans. Enter the WAYB Pico car seat: our family’s go-to solution for safe, compact, and stress-free travel. This review isn’t sponsored. We paid full price for two of these seats and haven’t looked back. If you travel often with young kids, keep reading. This seat is worth every penny.

Cusco isn’t just a stopover en route to Machu Picchu, it’s a destination in its own right. For many travelers, including our family, Cusco quickly became a highlight of our Peru adventure. With its rich Incan history, vibrant markets, breathtaking views, and unforgettable food, this city deserves time on both ends of your Machu Picchu experience.

Tired of travel selfies and blurry shots from strangers on the street? Same. After two years of globetrotting as newlyweds, I realized we had tons of incredible memories, but barely any frame-worthy photos of the two of us together. That’s when I discovered Flytographer, and it’s changed how we document our adventures abroad ever since.

After visiting Jordan & Egypt in 2017, we were eager to return to the region and Turkey was #1 on our list for our next big trip. I fell in love with the idea of witnessing the dreaminess of hundreds of hot air balloons in Cappadocia, the charm & history of Istanbul, and the raw Turkish coastline that I heard was like Greece back in the 90's before it was overrun by tourists. In this blog, we’ll share our handcrafted 11-day itinerary that takes you through some of Turkey’s most iconic destinations. But first, let’s dive into what makes this country so magical, and why you should start planning your own Turkish adventure!