Each year Wonder Boy and I try to take one big trip and we do our best to always come back with a souvenir that can be for both of us – something that sits somewhere in our home and reminds us, “Wow! Look where you went!”That’s not exactly true. We aim to come back with a ton of things and usually bring along an extra duffel bag that’s so large we could both fit inside it and have room left over. Despite these lofty goals, we’re lucky if we return home with one small thing.

Around our home now are some very large things (framed prints) and very small things (scooter statue made from recycled soda cans and a little wind charm of Vietnamese hats) that represent countries around the world. My favorite of all of our souvenirs is the smallest. Hanging on our kitchen door is a small pair of stockings. It was given to us free somewhere while we were traveling in Ecuador in 2006. I am sure they are knitted from yarn from Llama hair, only because that’s what is plentiful in Ecuador. I know little else about them.

Stockings from Ecuador.

But when I see those tiny stockings, I’m reminded of the first international trip Wonder Boy and I took together – his first ever. I was so nervous he wouldn’t enjoy my fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants travel style and I think he was a little concerned about the lack if itinerary in a place where we didn’t speak the language. We did so little there but we had such a good time doing it.

Wonder Boy and I in Ecuador in 2006.
This post originally appeared on Kate’s Point of View. © Kate. All rights reserved.