We three are women.......family......and interestingly enough....friends. We are actually three generations: Three first born daughters of first born daughters.......Mother, daughter and grandaughter.
Mother: Barbara. The matriarch of a close knit family, she has been married to her best friend for 55 years. She is the eldest of three girls as well as the eldest of 27 grandchildren. She grew up in a very different way than she raised her children. Attending 26 schools before she finished her 6th grade year, she has spent most of her adult life creating a stable environment for not only her two kids, but also for the hundreds of young people whose lives she has affected as an educator. Her doctorate in education and her years of experience in the classrooms and administrative offices of public schools are just the tip of the iceberg of what she has given to her community. At 75 she has the energy of a woman half her age......teaches college classes, is the president of the local school board, sings in her church choir, keeps the book for the girls basketball team and still has the time and energy to be the anchor of her family. Lucky for us, she is never afraid to voice her opinion, try something new or make a decision.
Daughter: Beverly.....me. Despite the accolades that I have received from my family and friends...I somehow have always felt like I had something to prove in order to make my place in the family and the world. I know my strengths.....as well as my weaknesses.....and sometimes find it difficult to not let the weaknesses outweigh the strengths. My background highlights my "jack of all trades" talent as I've done everything from Recreational Therapist, to running a hotel, to playing poker for a living. Socially, I like to lead...but in a manner more gentle than forceful. I find I feel most comfortable in the role of the peacemaker, the pleaser, the middleman. This should prove to be interesting on long trips......especially when fatique and stress make it difficult for me to try to balance everything.
Grandaughter: Caitlin. Brilliant, funny, opinionated.....Cait will always bring a new perspective to our trips. She loves cultural differences and history. She loves street food and shopping for bargains. What may prove to be a challenge is that she also loves to sleep late and do things her own way!!!! Cait is a wealth of information about endless topics. She has an ear for language and accents and an expert on British history. She has been a fervent reader since she first learned to read and that has helped her stockpile facts about all sorts of things....and she is able to share those facts in ways that make people laugh and enjoy learning. Cait can do anything she wants to do and has proven that over and over, even at her relatively young age. She will definitely make our trips more fun and more interesting.
Our first "documented" adventure starts in one week. Cait is already in Europe....and Mom and I will be flying over to meet her in Spain. Our adventure will take us from Barcelona to Gibraltar to Morocco.....up the coast of Portugal and back into Spain at Santiago, where will will do the Camino Del Santiago. We then go to the UK.....castles, coastlines and stories of Henry the VIII will fill our time there.
We can't wait to share our thoughts....our laughs......our photos....and even our failures with you.
Can't wait to share what WE THREE SEE...........
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