When my husband and I embarked on the great venture of parenthood, like most couples we had no idea. Our five children were all born in the 1970s, and we remained firmly rooted in Pennsylvania, moving from my hometown of Butler to his hometown of Washington, and eventually to our present home in Tyrone. As a teacher and a secretary, we were not exactly rolling in dough, and our family "vacations" were pretty much limited to day visits to nearby state parks. I'm happy to say that this stunted beginning has not kept our children tethered to our side. Rather, they have experienced an endless variety of places called home.

When our oldest, Becki, was just 17, she took her newly minted high-school diploma and headed out for a Rotary-sponsored year in Ecuador. Becki had never flown before, but took off for Miami like a seasoned traveler. From Miami to Quito she was in the company of several exchange students, and they gladly accepted the wine proffered on the flight. Now fluent in Spanish, Becki laughs remembering her attitude that she "knew" Spanish after a few high school courses. Landing in Quito, the contingent of young Rotary emissaries eagerly scanned the faces on the other side of their gate; each person held a lettered sign with the name of the student they sought. Suddenly there was a loud noise! Becki thought it must have been an airport noise and was unperturbed until all of the Ecuadorians at the gate turned on their heels and ran like crazy yelling "temblor! temblor!" As the students paged through their English-Spanish dictionaries for an explanation it dawned on them that they had been welcomed by an earthquake! Her hometown was Ibarra, in the majestic mountains of Ecuador. Beyond seeing a varied countryside, she experienced the full cultural differences too - this accomplished young lady who was permitted and encouraged to set out on her own, whether to shop at the mall or to explore a new country, found that she could not leave the house without a male escort! She attended a Catholic high school (repeating her senior year), replete with uniforms and nuns. Her gracious hosts made sure she enjoyed all that their country had to offer, from the mountains to the seashores, and, of course, the equator.

After college, Becki lived and worked in Connecticut, New Hampshire, and the Baltimore, Maryland area. Visiting her, we have stayed at an old lighthouse, explored the grounds of a rather elite summer school "camp" specializing in remedial schoolwork, and taken in the sights at Fells Point, Fort McHenry, and the Inner Harbor. Becki and her husband Joe continue to travel, visiting both Uruguay and Ecuador in 2006.

Our oldest son Bill lived for five years on Long Island. He was a very quiet businessman who lived simply in a small apartment; he preferred returning to our home in Tipton, and we never had the pleasure of visiting him in New York. His job took him to Monterrey, Mexico, on a few occasions, and he loved the atmosphere and the people there. He also enjoyed traveling to visit his siblings in their homes. Tragically, Bill died in his sleep at the age of 31; his heart had been weakened by the disease acromegaly. We will visit him next in Heaven!

Jason is our next child, and he has settled in Allentown, Pennsylvania. His house is across the street from a candle factory! His work as an environmental specialist with a demolition company has taken him all over the east coast, and to a number of southern states. When we visit Jason, he generally likes to stay at home and cook us a good meal. In touring his area, we learned that the Bethlehem Steel Plant's redevelopment work is affiliated with the Smithsonian Institution in establishing the National Museum of Industrial History. The original site is immense, and plans include technology centers as well as retail and dining establishments. Progress has been slow thus far. One of Jason's favorite Allentown activities is the annual Musikfest, held throughout the downtown area in August. And he enjoys summer vacations fishing at Lady Evelyn Lake in Ontario, Canada. His dad made the trip with him in 2006.

Daugher Rachel left home after high school to attend college in Chicago. Throughout her years there, I enjoyed traveling to visit - usually by train. Although her alma mater, Illilnois Institute of Technology, borders the unsavory Southside of Chicago (home of Bad Bad Leroy Brown), this little country girl from Tipton adapted seamlessly to big-city life. We rode the "el" with ease to any point in the city; special favorite haunts included the John Hancock Tower (slightly shorter but much more scenic than the Sears Tower), Navy Pier, Second City Comedy Club, Water Tower Place, the downtown stores, and several fabulous restaurants. However, our secret favorite dining experience was at the Russian Palace. One year as an alternative spring break trip, Rachel visited a mission in Belize. After graduation - a time when the whole family trekked to Chicago for ceremonies at the historic Chicago Theatre - Rachel and I loaded her possessions into a U-Haul and hit the road for her new home in Arlington, Texas. She has bounced from there to Abilene and back to Fort Worth over the years. The Fort Worth Stockyards provide lots of country fun, and the Cowgirl Museum is also worth the trip. In Abilene, Frontier Texas is a worthy museum. And we also recommend the Sixth Floor Museum in Dallas, detailing President John F. Kennedy's assassination. She also accompanied me on a pilgrimage to the Dr. Pepper Museum in Waco!

Sarah spent part of her college career in Erie, and we found lots of fun and history there. She has now settled in the Brookline section of Pittsburgh, on an authentic (and bone-rattling) brick street. Her old home has genuine stained glass windows. Sarah loves to take advantage of all that the city has to offer, and regularly takes us to museums, the conservatory, the zoo, and other attractions. The city has changed greatly since I visited often as a young woman. Sarah amazes me - as do all of our children - with her ability to navigate new places.

Our children have provided many wonderful opportunities to learn new things together as we traverse our world.