Sometimes the places that stay with us weren’t part of the plan at all. On the fourth morning of our 2016 trip to Puerto Rico, my son woke me a little after six. I could hear him upstairs playing with Paco, my parents’ dog, so I dragged myself out of bed and joined everyone. For … Read more
Sometimes the destination isn’t the part of a trip you remember most. When my son and I visited Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico, the plan that afternoon was to see Los Morrillos Lighthouse. Playa Sucia was simply part of the journey—a beautiful beach sitting below the cliffs we were actually there to explore. At least, that’s … Read more
May 8 – June 8, 2016 Some trips are remembered for the places you visit. Others are remembered for the people you share them with. This one became both. What began as a Mother’s Day visit to my parents in Puerto Rico turned into one of the most meaningful journeys I’ve ever taken. My son … Read more
Some field trips teach you something new. Others quietly change the direction of your life. When I decided to homeschool my son, one of the things I looked forward to most was getting out of the classroom. Instead of simply reading about history and science, we could experience them together. That’s exactly how trips like … Read more
There are some places you visit because they’re famous. There are others you visit because you feel like you should. The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum fell into that second category for me. It was our final full day in Washington, D.C. The next morning, my son and I would leave the nation’s capital behind … Read more
There are some places you plan carefully for. And then there are the places that seem determined to make you work for them. Fort Matanzas fell firmly into the second category. A few months before this visit, my son and I were heading north on our Washington D.C. road trip. Fort Matanzas was supposed to … Read more
Some places in Washington, D.C. feel loud with history. The National Mall is one of them. But the Tidal Basin? The Tidal Basin whispers. Earlier in the day, as we explored the war memorials surrounding the National Mall, I watched my son carry himself differently. Even before we reached the memorials surrounding the water, the … Read more
Some places feel larger than themselves. Not because of their size, but because of the weight they carry. The National Mall in Washington, D.C. is one of those places. When most people picture it, they imagine the postcard version: marble monuments, waving flags, and wide green lawns stretching between some of the most recognizable landmarks … Read more