​Day 5 | Glacier National Park: Heading Home with Full Hearts

As another STEAM in the PARK week comes to a close, I keep looking around at the people gathered here and thinking how incredibly fortunate we are. Beautiful people. Humble hearts. Kind spirits. The kind of people who notice when someone is carrying too much and quietly step in to help. The kind of people who celebrate one another's successes without needing the spotlight for themselves. The kind of people who remind us that the world is still full of goodness.

This week at Glacier National Park has been one we will carry with us for a very long time. Between the mountains, the lakes, the wildlife, the laughter, the learning, and the friendships that formed around campfires and hiking trails, it has been a reminder of why we continue saying yes to this work year after year. It isn't simply because Glacier is breathtaking—although it certainly is. It's because places like this have a way of bringing out the very best in people.

Every conversation, every shared meal, every trail, every quiet moment by the creek reminded us that education is about so much more than information. It is about relationships. It is about curiosity. It is about kindness. It is about becoming the kind of human being who leaves every place and every person just a little better than you found them.

Today also marks Day 62 of our summer journey. In just a little while, we'll board a plane and fly home for a brief visit before heading back out to finish our final three STEAM in the PARK camps. We are looking forward to sleeping in our own bed for a couple of nights, hugging our family, taking a deep breath, and letting our hearts catch up with the miles we've traveled. Then we'll pack our bags once again and head back out, ready to finish this summer strong.

Behind every journey like ours is a family that sacrifices alongside us. They cheer us on from hundreds or thousands of miles away. They celebrate the victories, pray through the challenges, answer late-night phone calls, and welcome us home without keeping score. They remind us who we are when the miles get long.

As author Lisa Wingate wrote, "Family isn't just an important thing. It's everything." The love and encouragement we receive at home become the strength we carry with us when we serve others. We couldn't do this work without the people who faithfully support us behind the scenes.

There is wisdom in taking time to refill what has been generously poured out. As Anne Morrow Lindbergh wrote, "If one is to keep putting forth, one must have something to put forth." A few days at home aren't a pause in the mission—they are part of it. They remind us that caring for others begins by allowing ourselves to be cared for, too.

So today, we leave Glacier thankful beyond words—for extraordinary campers, remarkable environmental educators, dedicated park rangers, and a place that welcomed us with open arms. This has truly been one of the most meaningful STEAM in the PARK weeks we have ever experienced.

The mountains will remain long after we leave, but the friendships, lessons, laughter, and hope we've shared this week will travel home with us. We can't wait to see the people we love, and after a little rest and rejuvenation, we'll be back on the road to finish these final three camps with the same joy, purpose, and gratitude that have carried us through the first sixty-two days.

​Keep the lights on kids! We are coming home!