Today is my 39th birthday. More significantly for my readers perhaps is the fact that tomorrow, June 16th will mark the one-year anniversary of this blog. I started The Mother of All Trips for several reasons: to take the sting out of the many rejections of my book manuscript by publishing something, even if I had to do it myself; to share the story of our family trips last summer to Paris and Vermont; to offer some advice to other parents; and to bring some discipline to my writing life (I’ve always been someone who did better with a deadline).
Although at times I’ve been overwhelmed by my own ambition – I certainly have had enough ideas to post every day, if not the stamina or time to do so routinely – creating this blog has been a labor of love of which I have enjoyed pretty much every second.
But when I look at the reasons I started blogging they seem a little selfish. That’s because I was unaware at the time what a wonderful and varied community I was joining by becoming a family-travel blogger. I thank these friends and fellow travelers for all of the good examples, support, and wise advice they have offered me. Interacting with them here, on their blogs, on Twitter and Facebook, I have come to realize that they are a rare group of individuals. Fearless and fun, creative and curious, they care about the world in all of its splendor and chaos and seek to share it with their children and their readers. I can only hope that their passion and insight have worn off on me. And as I’ve read their blogs and written my own posts over this past year, I have come to realize that the real reason I blog about travel, in fact the real reason I travel with my children, is because I want us all to be aware of the variety and the beauty and the potential that this planet holds and of our connectedness to every other place and person.
So now that I’ve marked these milestones, what lies ahead? It seems logical that as I enter my 40th year on this earth, I am dreaming of trips not yet taken. These include:
A junket to the Pacific Northwest. I’d like to take at least a month and start in San Francisco (which it seems inconceivable to me that I haven’t visited) working our way through northern California to Portland, Seattle, and maybe even eventually Vancouver. Along the way we’d pay visits to many blogger friends – there must be something in the water out there, because there are so many who live in that neck of the woods.
A voyage to Australia (ideally via Hawaii) where I’m proud to say I now have several dear friends thanks to the beauty of the Internet. I would like to meet these people in person and see everything from the beaches to the wine country.
A return to Paris, which I think must have been my home in a previous life, it feels so comfortable and natural for me to spend time there. One of my great joys is that my children share that sentiment.
A number of places I’ve dreamed of before and a few new ones: Japan, South Africa, Bali, the Alps (Swiss and Italian), Spain, Provence, India, Norway, the Amalfi Coast, Rome, Florence, Thailand…the list goes on and on.
And finally, the journey into becoming a full-time writer. This week marks a new beginning for me, as I left my part-time job as an editor (and as wonderful a group of coworkers as anyone could hope to have) and will now be dedicating myself to freelance writing. I would be lying if I didn’t say that this was a little scary. Although I have a degree in creative writing, I’ve always had a hard time replying with the words “I’m a writer” when someone asks me what I do. Now, for better or worse, I won’t have any excuse to offer a different response. I’m especially looking forward to telling people this is what I do when I attend the BlogHer Conference in Chicago in July – and I can’t wait to meet many of my online friends there as well.
And of course, I’ll keep blogging about it all, hopefully a bit more often than I have been able to in the past. I invite you all to travel with me. And if you choose, feel free to share your own Monday dreams below.
Oh, and two more things – the photos are a couple I like from France. For no reason other than that it’s my birthday and France makes me happy. And about that travel blogging community – you might want to visit some of their blogs using the list on the right-hand side of my blog. It will be time well-spent, I promise.
Mara, I’m so excited for you and I think you’re in for so many interesting discoveries ahead. Good for you for taking this step! And the doors are open in Melbourne any-darn-time y’all can make it down here.
Congrautations on both birthdays. I find it hard to believe your blog’s only a year old–it’s an old trusted friend to me.
Enjoy your day!
Linda’s last blog post..Toilet Art, Part Deux
YOU ARE A WRITER!
Go, girl.
Write. Travel. Live.
Be happy.
Happy Birthday for both you and The Mother of All Trips blog!!!
What a great plan for your future trips! I am so happy to have found your blog in the sea of million blogs out here. And I am looking forward to reading more of your trips in the future.
Amy @ The Q Family (Dreaming of: Cruising)’s last blog post..Dreaming of: Amsterdam with Kids
Hi Maura,
Love this post! Happy Birthday. Hope you have a delightful day.
I’m not putting a dreaming blog up today because I need to do a little life leading :). Still, I am dreaming of plenty of adventures and will try to share one next week.
Bridget Smith’s last blog post..State Park Sunday: Emerald Bay State Park, Lake Tahoe California
I’ve been reading here for a while, and we have a lot in common! I, too, quit other jobs to be a freelance writer, have a book (although mine is a novel) seeking publication, and have a hard time saying simply, “I’m a writer” when asked what I do. I for one would have bought a book on 13 months of travel with a toddler, so please keep trying. The publishing industry is simply such a hard thing to break into.
Amy’s last blog post..Jetterz Kids Club
This post is wonderful! I absolutely agree wholeheartedly with so much of what you said and like some of the other commenters, we have lots in common! I have just recently quit my job (last week to be exact!) to stay at home with my children. While at home, I hope to pursue some of my hobbies and see what can happen with them as well (writing, photography). Like you, I have a hard time saying “I am a writer/photographer” to people when they ask. For now, I will probably still be a SAHM!
You have some awesome adventures planned both in travel and in your career, I wish you all the best with all of them. And congratulations on your blog anniversary, looking forward to reading all about your adventures in the future.
Carolina’s last blog post..Strawberry Fields
Happy Birthday(s)! And Congratulations on making the great leap. I enjoy reading your posts so much, that I know you will be enormously successful.
Vera Marie Badertscher’s last blog post..Struggle in Iran, Again
Happy happy birthday, Mara! And our home in Perth and our beach house in wine country is wide open to you and yours anytime you can brave the trip. We’re very experienced in showing people around our fantastic region. We’d love to have the chance to show you the best that we have!
Mara,congratulations on two fabulous milestones. I was deeply touched by this post.
I have been inspired by several bloggers, including you, and have recently launced my own traveling-with-kids site. I hope, in one year, to continue to be as inspired by writing as you still are. But back to your point on connectedness… as you sit at your computer you may not feel the impact that your words have reached. I am probably one among many who have been inspired and motivated to share my own stories due in part to your enthusiasm. For quite a while I have wanted to tell you thanks. I guess now is as good an occasion as any. Cheers to continued beginnings.
Lora – this is such a lovely comment, and I’m truly touched. I hope everyone checks out your site – http://www.trippingwithkids.com – lots of great info about Southern California day trips!
Hi Mara! I’m a week late on linking to your Monday Dreaming posts, but alas, summer caught me off guard! Great to see that you are already making headway on your slowcation! Here is my contribution to Mondays are for Dreaming, thanks for stirring up those creative travel juices – it was a fun post to write:
http://keepsmesmiling.blogspot.com/2009/06/nova-scotia-here-we-come.html
Happy 39th & wishing you many happy travels ahead! –Lorraine (Keeps Me Smiling)
Lorraine Akemann’s last blog post..Nova Scotia Here We Come?
Hi there,
I just wanted to say thank you for stopping by my (soon to be closed) blog recently.
I read this post with interest – before I started blogging I didn’t really understand it but now I too have met so many wonderful and inspiring people via this medium. It never ceases to amaze me how may people are out there doing fabulous things and they are people with whom I might never have connected with otherwise.
As for the ‘I’m a writer’ thingy – gosh I so know what you mean!!!! I too struggle with what to say when people ask me what I do. Why is that?! Good luck with your ventures into the freelance world – i’m sure you will do absolutely fine!
For us, our 18 month European road trip is now drawing to a close as we prepare to head back to the UK for a base and a place from which we can hopefully now plan trips further afield. Now our daughter is growing, we feel that it won’t be too long before she will really benefit from destinations that are so wildly different to what she is used to. So, hence the reason my blog is closing – but I will still be blogging (link via my website) in a new corner of the web on all manner of everyday life. I hope that you will stop by some time!
I love this place here by the way, so wonderfully designed and filled with fabulous info!
Stay in touch, Alice