Home family travel Photo Fave: Travels with Grandma, reaching new heights in Costa Rica

Photo Fave: Travels with Grandma, reaching new heights in Costa Rica

by Shelly Rivoli
Family on sky tram in Costa Rica

Zip-lining in Costa Rica with 3 young children in tow? Just add Grandma. (Thanks, Mom!)

Those of you who have read the Acknowledgments in Travels with Baby know that my mother was the A #1 reason I was able to finish all of the research and writing that went into the 300+ page book at a time when you might have thought I didn’t stand a snowflake’s chance in a sweatlodge of completing the task I’d undertaken. With a 1-year-old and 3-year-old in the house, often starting my writing at 4 a.m. and rarely showering more than once a week through the toughest stretches, she’s the one who made certain we all stayed safe, well-fed, and that nothing too creative made it into the toaster oven.

As time marches along, I’ve continued to reap the benefits from those long days put in and I’d like to take this chance to thank my mother for giving so much of her time, her energy, and her love so that I could have this and so many other chances in my life to excel–and even soar at times. She has told me very simply that’s just what mothers–and grandmas–do, and she’s glad she could do it. (I realize this means I’ll have a heck of a lot of “paying it forward” to do with three kids of my own!)

As I looked through some photos recently, I found this from our 2-week road trip in Costa Rica, where my mother accompanied us on the journey. Here we are, riding the Sky Tram up the mountain near Arenal, where she and the kids would watch us begin our descent by zip line on a course of 8 runs with distances up to 2,460 feet (750 meters) on a single line. I think we were all a little nervous anticipating the adventure at the time this photo was taken, but not nearly as nervous as I felt setting out solo on the first run where I couldn’t even see the ending point! I can only imagine how the four of them must have felt riding back down the mountain without us in the gondola, as my mom assured the kids they WOULD see us again at the bottom!

travels with baby book coverThanks for being there then, and so many other times, Mom. And to all of the moms reading this, and to the moms who’ve helped you take flight, happy Mother’s Day!

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Safe journeys,

Shelly Rivoli, author of the award-winning Travels with Baby and Take-Along Travels with Baby

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