Even though we don't always realize it, relationships take work. Many times this "work" really doesn't feel much like work at all, but sometimes we become so busy that we separate from our loved ones enough that it does take a conscious effort to reconnect. It is really easy in our society to become overwhelmed with the day-to-day, running from place-to-place, falling into a comfortable pattern in which we no longer
really see each other. It is during those times that it is extremely valuable to have an awareness of the distance that could be forming between you and those around you. It is only then that you can then work to reconnect with those you love. It can be as easy as picking up the phone to call a friend, taking the time to really listen to your family, and doing those little things that show your family how much you love them.
Every few years, Gage and I take a "adults only" vacation to really force us to focus on each other and really reconnect. No other distractions, no excuses... we are able to take off our parenting hats and just focus on ourselves. By taking ourselves outside of our "norm" for a length of time, we are able to recharge our souls, renew our love for each other, and focus on an inner peace.
This was our year! We went on a week-long cruise in the eastern Caribbean with another couple (good friends, who are really more like family to us), and it was, for lack of a better term, WONDERFUL! Our first few days were "at-sea", which forced us to simply relax and fully let go of our usual lives. It is actually more difficult than one might think to do this, at least for me. The first night (we stayed in Miami the night before getting on the ship), I was having to remind myself to slow down... my brain is still running a million miles a minute, sorting through what I might have forgotten and trying to troubleshoot what I may encounter before getting on the ship.... all organizational stuff that REALLY isn't necessary at this point. Even once on the ship, a baby cries or a child sounds like one of my kids, and for a split second I'll fall back into mommy mode, my brain tricked into thinking one of my kids needs me! At times my body was equally tricked, and my muscles would tighten, ready to respond before I was reminded that my children are thousands of miles away. I could feel it all began to melt away while enjoying a quiet breakfast on our private balcony during the first morning on the ship, the stress sinking to the sea below.
The ship, Royal Caribbean's Liberty of the Seas, is currently one of the largest ships currently sailing the Caribbean. I say "one of" because there are 3 or 4 ships, owned and run by Royal Caribbean, in the "Freedom Class"... all of which are the same size... HUGE! This ship holds up to 4000 passengers and over 1500 crew. It is a floating city... literally! It had a Promenade area, that had shops and eateries (more like a mall), a library in a quiet corner of the ship, several bars/lounges, an ice rink (yes, ice skating in the Caribbean!), 3 pools, a large activities area with adventures like rock climbing, surfing, basketball, put-put golf, and many others. I could almost write an entire blog on what was contained on this ship... but I can already see this blog is rather long, so I'll let you see some of the ship for yourself in the Hymas Photos section.... a picture is worth a 1000 words!!
By the third day into the cruise, we stopped at our first port in St. Maartin... an island once in an identity crisis, and still somewhat divided. Half French and half Dutch, there are distinct differences between the two. The Dutch side, from what we could tell, is much more poverty stricken, litter lining the roads, cars that haven't run in decades decaying in dirt yards. The French side has well-kept estates, and well-known beaches (primarily because on the French side, as in the country itself, nudity is permitted). We laid in the sun and enjoyed the surf at Orient Beach (on the French side, but no, we did not experience any nudity) and devoured BBQ chicken and ribs for lunch, with some rum punch to wash it down.
The next day we were in picturesque San Juan, Puerto Rico. Being as the coastline is basically rock, we spent our time wandering the streets of old San Juan, awe struck by the beautiful historic colonial architecture. The stucco painted with vibrant colors. As we walked, an old fort (Castillo de Cristobal) emerged... inviting us to come and explore what was within its walls. It was beautiful and very well maintained. The views of San Juan from the lookouts were, I'm sure, the best on the island and well worth the $3/person charge to get in. As we walked back to the main part of old town, a tropical downpour began to soak our shirts and cool our bodies. A welcome feeling! The closest refuge was a gazebo that was clearly owned by hundreds of pigeons. They tolerated our presence as we cautiously positioned ourselves in a small place where none could perch above. Unfortunately we were not in San Juan as long as we were at the other ports, and all felt there was so much more to see. Another trip, perhaps?
The last port we visited was a small portion of Haiti owned by the cruise line which they named Labadee. From what we were told, this area was heavily guarded by tall, barb-wire-lined fences and walls, as well as military personnel. Haiti is still a rather hostile country, and from what I understand, very poverty stricken. In the private oasis, you'd never know it. It was a beautiful tropical paradise on this war-stricken island. On the other islands, we were exposed to the local culture, here we were protected from it.
While relaxing in Labadee, one can do as much or as little as they like. There was snorkling, a zipline (claiming to be the longest zipline over water), food and drink, a flea market, jet skis, a beach geared towards kids with large, air-filled toys, viewpoints, trails to explore. Of course several of those activities cost extra. Upon arriving, we perused the various beaches to decide where "home base" would be. After learning the cost of the zipline ($80/person) and the jetskis ($100 for the driver & $30 for a passenger), we decided to just get some floating mats ($12/person) and relax. I definitely feel that we got our money's worth out of the mats as we spent much of our time on Labadee just floating in the water, rising and falling with the rolling waves, our now tan bodies soaking up the warmth of the sun.
As our trip came to an end, we felt refreshed and reconnected... success! We were ready to return to our normal lives and missed the boys greatly. We are especially thankful for our families. The boys stayed primarily with my folks (Papa Thom & Grandma Dar; a.k.a. Thom and Dar), who gave up living in their "bus house" home to stay at our house with them. They also spent some time with Gage's folks (Papa & Grammie; a.k.a. Pops & Graham Cracker). It is because we know they were well loved and cared for that allowed us to take full advantage of this opportunity. Thank you just doesn't say enough... we are very blessed and forever grateful!
Check out the pictures in our Hymas Photos section. This is a rather small collection given that we took over 500 pictures between the 4 of us, but is a good representation of our travels!!
