We were lying side by side on the floor in the empty bedroom when Rich whispered, “I want to submit our home study for the baby.”

We had the opportunity this fall to visit the Menominee Indian Reservation in Wisconsin with a group of volunteers. We spent a Saturday cutting firewood for the tribe's senior citizens. As our group processed what it meant to be invited onto the reservation, we were challenged to think of ourselves as bridge builders from one culture group to another, and then further challenged to think of tangible things we could do to build bridges.

We planned our summer vacation for this moment.  2,623 miles.  And I couldn't watch.