Grateful Musings on Having Birthed a Good Traveler

I have to take a minute here, in the middle of all these travel recaps, to say just how grateful I am to have a daughter who is willing to hop in the car with me and jet off to see something new. She's six, so I'm not going to say she doesn't have her impatient moments, her cranky times, or her just get me out of this damn car meltdowns. But in general, she's amazing to travel with. A front seat stocked with food/snacks, a big bag of toys and coloring by her side, and a charged kindle on reserve for hour six... this girl is ready to go.

Travel is in my blood. A home base keeps me sane, but regularly leaving that home base and striking out into the unknown makes my heart soar, and keeps my wanderlust in check. I want to see everything there is to see in this country world (but lets start with the states...), and while I'd be fine with doing it on my own, that wouldn't work for my family. Having a kid that's willing to go with me (and hallelujah, a supportive husband!), makes it not only doable, but I'd say more exciting.

Before her seventh birthday, my girl will have crossed 25 states off her list. She'll have driven across the country twice and 3/4 of the way across the country one more times. She'll have hit a national park/monument for every year of her life, with one to grow on.  She'll have spent more time camping then a lot of adults I know! And she loves it. She often asks about the next trip as we're winding the current one down.

I could go on, but lets just say, I'm supremely grateful.