Taking your first vacation without your late partner is like trying to navigate a maze blindfolded—am I right? But guess what? Each time you do it, it gets a little easier. And you know what? Perfection? Who needs it!

I was so overwhelmed planning my first solo adventure with my three daughters without Steve. Picture this: Florida, spring break, three hungry and cranky girls, and yours truly, who while trying to juggle all of the details forgot to make any dinner reservations.

We stumbled into this joint called the Daiquiri Deck with a desperate need for some downtime. And yeah, I totally forgot about the whole “responsible adult” thing for a sec there with the selection of this establishment. But seeing my girls' faces light up as they slurped down their fancy drinks was priceless.

There were many moments when I wanted to pull my hair out from pure exhaustion on that trip, but guess what? We made it to Florida, we were making memories, and most importantly, we were doing it together.

So, that night, I ditched the need for everything to be just right. It was the start of doing vacations a new way, our way, imperfections and all. It felt pretty darn good.

To all you widows out there considering planning your first vacation solo, remember this: it will not be the same, and that is OK. You are finding your way and what works for you.

Here's to embracing the chaos and making memories that'll last a lifetime.