When Gabriella was about 2 we attended a week long conference in New Hampshire. Meals were served in a university dining hall and we often sat with other people. Gabriella had recently attended her first parade several weeks earlier and it loomed large for her. She was also beginning to pick up the idea that there were certain patterns of conversation with new acquaintances (such as how was morning session?) and she was eager to show off what she had learned. I'll never forget the intense look she gave me when she scrambled up onto her chair across the table from me looked me in the eye and said "So, how's the parade going?"

We thought it was so funny at the time but upon reflection I have come to realize that it can symbolize all of our family's journey as parents learning from and alongside our children and as children learning to navigate the world around them in a supportive environment facilitated by the adults who love them.