When Christine and I began talking to the girls about traveling a few months ago they were excited to dream about all the places they wanted to go. I’ve always been fascinated by maps and atlases, starting from when I was a kid. Many years ago we were rambling around the west and I made a special stop to a book store in Walnut Creek, CA so I could search through their collection of US road atlases. I had to find just the right one so a gas station’s limited slection wouldn’t do. Amanda was the one who took an early interest in that atlas and we’ve tried to cultivate map reading skills ever since.
A while back we hung this map in our hallway.
Each of us picked a color and marked places we’ve been.
Dreaming isn’t a waste of time in our household. Rather, it’s a skill to be learned and cultivated. We added a sheet of paper to our refrigerator so we could keep a running list of places to go. No one needs a reason to go there or something specific to see when logging a location. They just write it and the dream gets bigger.

Author: Justin
Co-character in this adventure.