The Morris Family Fruit: Little travelers

Our recent trip to Chicago made me realize how lucky my kids are! They have each traveled more in their first year (or three) of life than I had done in my first 18. Unlike Peter, who got to travel a lot as a kid, I pretty much stayed in California for family vacations. The only time I traveled outside of California was to go to Texas to visit my dad's family. So, I flew to Texas when I was about one, then drove there when I was about eight and again at 16. So we drove through California, Arizona, New Mexico and A LOT of Texas. Twice. Good times! Since then (really, since meeting Peter) I have been able to check a lot more states off of my list. And luckily my kids have too!

Part of it is that my family, and most of Peter's family live in other states, and have friends in other state. We also live in a state that is within close driving distance of others where we might want to go. This is very different from California, where it's a full day from top to bottom or you can travel 5 hours to get to... the desert! Again... good times! We have had weddings, visited friends and family and just gone to baseball games, all in different states. Nate even got to go on a week long vacation to the north (or is it the Mid-West? That's always confused me) - to three states I had never been to (including two I still haven't visited), with his Nana and Grandpa.

I don't know how other families are, but maybe some of it is just how things have changed in the last 30 years. The world is a smaller place, so why can't the country be? Some of my European friends travel between countries on long weekends. Some of my Southern friends have never been outside of NC, let alone the south! I do not want my kids to think Gastonia, NC is the world. Really.

So, we will all continue to increase our state count - and hopefully, eventually, our country count! Here is where we all stand right now: