how to be brave

Today I was featured over at Specs & Wings when my dearest Molly asked me to share something that makes me feel brave, and to include a photograph of myself wearing glasses or sunglasses to go along with her Brave Specs Series she's been working on.
After the chaos of moving AND having a sick child this week, my original plan of coming up with something new and cute for a photo was squashed. So I had to rummage through my old photographs not only to find a photo of me in some specs, but also an image that captured me being "brave".

This is what I finally decided on and sent her way to be used in the post. I'm looking at a map of the streets of Florence, Italy in May 2007, on one of the very best days of my life. Here's what I wrote...

This photo takes me back to a very special and unique time in my life. I had just graduated college AND was in a foreign country for the very first time. This photo was taken when my friend & I separated from the group to explore Florence ourselves. The next day I was there on my own for 7 hours while the rest of the group went to see Pisa (I had rather spend my time in the Uffizi). I remember the liberation & fearlessness I felt that day, as I walked the streets in a dream come true. I got to thinking about it, and I'm pretty sure any time I'm in someplace new I experience the same rush of bravery. There's something about seeing the world that really pulls down the walls.

Now, of course, I've got the travel bug all over again.

Something else that makes me brave? Doing this mom thing. It's a game of trial, error, and a whole lotta prayer!

last summer at the pool