So I’ve alluded some here on the blog, a bit on Instagram, and hinted around a bit on Facebook, but I haven’t been too specific about our plans yet, simply because they’re still etched in lightweight pencil with an eraser nearby. But enough of you have asked, and it’s not a secret, so I figured I’d go ahead and tell you:

Next year, my family and I will be traveling around the world.

We’ve wanted to do this for a very, very long time, so this isn’t a rash decision. Ever since we moved back from Turkey three years ago (has it really been three years already?), we knew we wanted to get back “out there” and explore. So the concrete is still very mushy on our plans (in fact, you could say we’re still mixing it), but we’re planning on traveling for the 2014-15 school year. So, a bit over a year from now.

I’ll be writing about our plans a bit more this next year, as we learn about places, glean advice from friends doing the same thing, and make global connections, but today, I thought I’d address one of the bigger questions I get. It’s this one:

Why?

(There’s also How? and Where?, but those are separate posts for another day.)

So, here’s why.

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Last week, Kyle and I celebrated ten years of marriage in the same place where we honeymooned—Martha’s Vineyard. So this week on Babble, I’m sharing a few of our favorite places and activities on the idyllic island. From the post:

“As a Texan (me) and a Pacific Northwesterner (him), we didn’t know much about New England when we were engaged, but we did know one thing: it’s supposedly beautiful in the fall. So when booked the date for our fall wedding, we thought it fitting to celebrate our marriage in the quintessential destination for colored leaves and maple candy.

Martha’s Vineyard is like no other island. Resting south of the Cape Cod mainland and east of Nantucket, it’s a popular summer destination for much of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Founded in the early 1600s, it’s one of the earliest settlements in the entire country, and many of the buildings still hail from the 18th and 19th centuries.

There are no stoplights on the Vineyard, and the fastest speed limit is 40 miles per hour. There are no neon or backlit signs on any stores or restaurants: it’s all classic painted signs with a simple spotlight shining in the evening.

…We spent our days walking, talking, reading out loud, sleeping in, and eating more than we should have. A near-perfect vacation, in other words. Oh, and we completed sentences without interruption. I know every parent reading this appreciates our enthusiasm for this oft-missed activity.”

Ever wanted to visit? Head here to read all eight of my recommendations.