Our family took a ‘time out’ to travel the world

Our family took a ‘time out’ to travel the world

By Shannon(ˈSHanən) E. Wall(wôl)

My husband and three kids play in the Mediterranean(ˌmedətəˈrānēən) below(bəˈlō), splashing(splaSH) and diving(dīv) and floating(ˈflōtiNG) in the picture(ˈpikCHər)-perfect sea. It is ridiculously(riˈdikyələslē) beautiful(ˈbyo͞otəfəl) here in Majorca(məˈyôrkə), Spain(spān). The way the sun dances(dans) across the turquoise(ˈtərˌk(w)oiz) water, making patterns in the sand, as tropical(ˈträpəkəl) fish swim by. The sapphire(ˈsafˌī(ə)r) horizon(həˈrīzən), dotted(dät) with storybook sailboats(ˈsālˌbōt). The rocky(ˈräkē) caves(kāv), carved(kärv) into a backdrop of jagged(ˈjagid) mountains(ˈmountn). I almost can’t believe my eyes(ī).

How did the five of us end up here, on this little piece of paradise(ˈparəˌdīs), many kilometres from our home in Victoria(vikˈtôrēə)?

For as long as I can remember, my husband and I dreamed about taking our kids on a trip around the world. It was something we always wanted to do “one day,” before our three boys came into the world. It was one of the things we talked at length about, on long flights to Tokyo and Tuscany(ˈtəskənē), when we imagined(iˈmajən) our life with the children we hoped we would have.

The dream was simple. We would pack(pak) a few things, hop on a flight across the Atlantic(at-,ətˈlantik) and just follow the sun, our whims((h)wim) and inclinations(inkləˈnāSHən). The rollout(ˈrōlˌout), however, was a little more complicated(ˈkämpləˌkātid).

In the blink of the eye and 14 years later, we have three delightful(dəˈlītfəl) boys who are growing up faster by the day. It was time to make good on those plans.

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