Having kids rocks your world in so many ways. Six years, two books and three venues later, I’m still finding my footing trying to juggle it all with grace. As you assume new responsibilities, relationships inevitably suffer and are stretched in a variety of ways. But luckily I’ve learned that if you invest in the good relationships, they will last a lifetime.

Case in point –  my friends Gui and Steven (a.k.a. Guiven). I actually never knew that when I met these two tall drinks of water that they’d be lifelong friends. Traveling unites people in intimate ways, especially when traveling internationally.

Gui and Steve escorted me to our friends’ wedding in Brazil. I had just met my now husband Ramsey, but the relationship was too new to drag him to a foreign country.

Because I don’t like missing out on any experiences i had to visit at least one other country in South America if i was flying all that way. So attending a wedding in Brazil turned into me visiting Buenos Aires and Rio before going to Ilheus for the wedding. Gui is also from Brazil so the chance to explore the country with a native was especially enticing.

We stopped in Rio after the wedding and after two days of all the sights, cuisine and experiences Rio had to offer, I was spent. But this wasn’t just exhaustion, it was homesickness

I couldn’t believe I was homesick during a culturally rich and adventure-filled jaunt through Argentina and Brazil – this was the opportunity of a lifetime! I quickly realized these unexplained feelings were there beginning of falling in love with Ramsey.

Now 12 years later, Ramsey and I are happily married and still very good friends with Guiven. As our circumstances have changed immensely, our goofiness and friendship has not. We got to visit Gui and Steve last month in San Diego where they are living and renovating a home. Over brunch in their outdoor kitchen we recounted this story and laughed at how “lovesick” I was.

Rio remains one of my favorite cities to of all time and these three men, as well. As we hugged goodbye, we joked “ We’ll always have Rio…”