Behind the Beads: Why We’re Visiting All 48 States + Every National Park
What does the life behind Meristic actually look like?
Why choose homeschooling?
Why live this way?
And why would anyone decide to visit all 48 states and every national park?
These are questions I’m often asked — by customers, friends, and people who come across our little world of handmade beads, intention, and travel.
The answer is simple.
I try to follow what matters most.
Right now, that means presence, freedom, growth, and spending meaningful time with my daughter Aurora while she’s still young enough to share these experiences with me.
So in 2026, we’re setting out to visit all 48 lower states and every national park within them. The outlying parks will come later. There’s no rush — just a direction that feels right.
This is how that decision came to life.
How This Idea Was Born
The plan didn’t come from a big dramatic moment. It unfolded quietly — through years of choosing experiences over things.
I’ve always felt drawn to nature, movement, and learning through real life. National parks reflect what I value most: presence, simplicity, perspective, and growth.
Aurora learns by seeing, touching, exploring, and asking questions.
Travel opens her world in ways that feel meaningful for us.
Over time, the idea formed naturally:
If we had the opportunity, why wouldn’t we?
Why I Choose This Lifestyle
People sometimes assume this life must be easy or effortless.
It isn’t.
It requires ongoing decisions, trade-offs, discipline, and trust. Financially, it isn’t always comfortable. Life rarely looks polished behind the scenes. But I continue choosing this path because it aligns with what feels most important to me.
We spend very little outside of necessities.
We save intentionally.
We try to stay focused on what feels meaningful right now.
Travel isn’t a luxury for us — it’s simply what we choose to prioritize.
Homeschooling, Our Way
Homeschooling gives me the freedom to shape Aurora’s education around curiosity and real-world learning.
There are no school bells.
No rushed mornings.
No rigid structure.
One of my favorite daily rituals is gently waking her and reminding her to take her time. She wakes slowly, listens to her body, and we begin the day with calm instead of urgency.
Learning happens everywhere — in national parks, museums, conversations, books, nature, and everyday life.
I simply try to follow her lead.
The Reality Behind the Magic
If you imagine a perfectly curated creative life — that’s not our reality.
Our art room gets crowded. When Aurora’s bead station moved in, the space became tight almost overnight. Beads rolled across the floor. Supplies piled up. We had to learn patience, organization, and how to share space.
Some days we bead while listening to Audible or watching a movie.
Some days we sit quietly, completely focused.
Some days everything feels messy.
And that’s real life — not polished, not perfect, just meaningful.
Those small moments — creating side by side, learning patience, sharing space — have become some of the most valuable parts of this journey.
How Customers Shape What I Create
One of the most meaningful parts of this work is the people I meet.
Customers share their stories openly — heartbreak, healing, stress at work, health challenges, emotional struggles, and personal growth. I hear about grief, hope, protection, strength, and new beginnings.
I’m continually moved by the trust people share with me. Their experiences often inspire the intentional sayings and paper beads I create.
Meristic isn’t just about what I make.
It’s about connection, meaning, and shared human experience.
I feel incredibly grateful that the pieces I create can become part of someone’s personal journey.
Why National Parks
Nature has a way of resetting everything.
It teaches patience.
It offers perspective.
It reminds us what truly matters.
National parks provide a kind of learning and grounding that can’t be manufactured. They bring stillness, clarity, and awe — qualities I hope to weave into both our lives and the pieces I create.
This journey is simply an extension of how we try to live: intentionally, simply, and with gratitude.
The Heart of It All
This life isn’t perfect.
It’s sometimes uncertain.
It’s often messy.
But it’s deeply meaningful to us.
Meristic exists because of the support of people who value handmade work, intention, and mindful living. Every order, message, and kind interaction makes it possible for me to continue this path — and I carry that gratitude with me every day.
The pieces I create are reflections of that same energy: presence, growth, and living with purpose.
Follow the Journey
If you’d like to see where this journey takes us — the places, the lessons, the creations, and the quiet moments in between — I’d love to share it with you.
✨ Follow our daily travel life at @themommydaughterduo
✨ Shop our limited 2026 creations on Etsy (coming soon)
✨ Explore healing services at meristicdesigns.com
Thank you for being here and for supporting handmade work, intentional living, and the life behind the beads.
♥ Merilee & Aurora