Happy Mother's Day

One of the pleasures of having adult children comes when they move away.  But it's not what you may be thinking.  (Mother love never expires).

When close family members live in another state, I have a good excuse to travel to wherever they are.  And that provides lots of opportunities for new adventures.  Not only do I enjoy activities with children, stepchildren, and grandchildren when visiting their towns, but road trips provide even more opportunities for experiences in places I might not travel to otherwise.

While I'm not the best road warrior (don't put me in a car for more than 10 hours a day--and that's a stretch), I've learned to enjoy the journey as well as the destination.  Every town has something interesting to offer if you just look for it.

For example: We went to the Iowa State Fair when visiting a daughter attending graduate school in Ames.

In Michigan, a favorite spring outing for my grandchildren is the butterfly exhibit at the Dow Gardens in Midland.

My husband is from Oklahoma City, so we've spent time exploring the city and scoping out changes through the years.  And that's just scraping the surface.

Spending time with loved ones may be the motivation for these trips, but don't overlook the enrichment that comes with any kind of travel. Sharing new experiences with family and friends makes the events even more memorable.

Happy Mother's Day, especially if you or family members have traveled to be together.

Photos by Beverly Burmeier