When our foster daughter Aileen lived with us as a teenager, we enjoyed family trips to Mount Vernon and it was a place she would go with friends to enjoy history, fresh air and the scenic views. In fact, we had a family joke back then that Mount Vernon was the perfect high-quality “date” excursion, but only with the most high-quality prospective boyfriend. Fast forward a few years, and Aileen met a great young man who met the standard. She recently returned to Mount Vernon to introduce him, and their beautiful baby boy Miguel, to everything she always loved about Mount Vernon. In a place so rich with tradition, Aileen is now keeping the tradition alive in her own growing family. Jennifer Krempin Bridgman, 2019