My favorite Chocolate

How do you sum up the life of a dog.  A very short 13 years is a full life, what do they offer other than companionship? Purchasing continuous dog supplies, finding dog sitters. paying vet bills. I have been pondering these thoughts as I am reflecting now on the last 13 years of my life [...]

Destination Cancun Day one, 5/25/19 Over a year ago my husband and I bought a vacation with our sons in mind. At the time we purchased it we had not realized how quickly that day would come. My husband planned, scheduled and arranged the whole trip. We could have chosen a few different destinations, but Cancun seems to be the place we always choose. Nathan was excited about the trip from the beginning, he needed no encouragement and seemed to get more excited by the day. Epoch emotions seemed to fluctuate, after all he would be leaving on vacation a day after high school graduation. Finding himself in this space that makes you feel somehow in the middle of a man and a boy. He is weeks away from college, an apartment and independence in a whole new form. Vacation day 2 Today we woke up in Eloy, an old motel. The kind that makes you check for bedbugs. Across the street from a truck stop. My husband and I snuck away in the early morning for some hot lobby coffee and a short morning walk. The boys sleeping still in the ice cold motel room on a hot Arizona morning. Nathan throws night old burger king chicken nuggets in a microwave, I look the other way while he and my husband nibble them. I don’t do old fast food. Nathan is ready to leave in 10 minutes and we wait for Epoch another 45 minutes. I find myself anxious in waiting for everyone to get ready, I’m not accustomed to rest. I tell myself to relax and enjoy this precious time. I push thoughts of home and work out of my mind. I find peace in the heat of the morning sun. Great relaxing drive, the humor of the boys kept me laughing all the way to SanDiego. Day 3 after waking up early in SanDiego we ubered to the CBX and rushed through the border clutter and flew to Guadalajara at one point I looked over at my sons and husband who were all sitting next to each other on the plane and my heart was blessed. Arriving in Guadalajara I was struck by the beautiful architecture that surrounds the old city. The sky was thick with smog, pollution and the streets were dirty and flooded with vendors. We stayed downtown at an absolutely stunning hotel for 29$ American dollars that was in the middle of the polluted downtown streets. We ate at Gordas, it was a true Mexican restaurant with pollo de mole, Chile relleno. Freshly made corn tortillas and creamy beans. Nathan ordered his first legal Mexican beer with a smile on his face. Nathan drank his Pacifico so fast, he hunched over with a stomach full of Chile relleno and we all had to laugh at his low endurance for alcohol. The boys had a treat of mangoes covered with lime juice and Chile powder. We spent the rest of our time in our fancy hotel. A huge part of me wanted to explore the museums that surrounded us, but I needed rest, mental and physical rest. Day 4 Early to rise but our plane ran late. We arrived in Cancun with some excitement in our steps. As we walked out of the glass doors to exit the airport we felt the humidity hit us with smells of salt water. Palm trees along with jungle vegetation lined the roads. I kept looking at Nathan who I know never saw anything like it. My husband said look for the guy with the pink shirt and a sign. We looked for a while and then Epoch who has a sharp sense for things around him noticed a sign with small words that happened to say Harlan Fry. The guy had a red shirt on, so he was overlooked by us a few times. We got on our transportation to the resort, again I kept looking at Nathan’s reaction to the views around him. The resort Sunset Royal is on the 7 hotel zone, my husband and I stayed at this resort for our honeymoon and had fond memories mainly of the madly beautiful beach. We arrived early but couldn’t check in until 3pm. We got our all inclusive bracelets and I went straight for the pool bar and ordered a pina colada. The taste was refreshing and the boys quickly caught on to the magic of all inclusive. Nathan said I’m going to go look at the beach,” I said “wait, I want to see your reaction!” There it was, the moment I was so excited for, the whole reason I wanted this little resort, for this whole moment. I wanted both the boys to see the most beautiful beach and ocean the have ever seen in their young lives. Nathan said wow and his gaze said it all, he got it. That evening, we had all dressed up for dinner and sat while listening to the saxophone, we had wine, drinks and ordered various meals. We got up and danced, my husband sweet touch makes me melt in his arms. I saw Epoch encouraging Nathan to ask a lady sitting behind me to dance. I grabbed his arm as he walked by and he started to go back and sit down, my husband whispered in my ear, leave him alone. I said “what if she tells him no.” He said “then she tells him no, but at least he asked.” Nathan went and asked the pretty young lady from Columbia to dance. They danced and Nathan looked so handsome. Epoch was curling over the table in laughter, this was just the beginning of his laughter that Nathan would be the source. My husband asked that Mayan coffee be served and the young waiter obliged. The boys were all eyes as the watched the magical fired alcohol fly through the air to make their fancy coffee drinks. The waiters face was brimming with sweat as he worked over the fire. The look on the boys face was that of fascination. It is a beautiful experience to witness. Day 5,6 and whatever This morning came quickly as most nights do when you sleep hard. I nudged my husband and whispered let’s go for a jog on the beach. The boys who said they would come the night before were not budging. We jogged through the deep sand as my feet sunk through the beautiful white sand a few inches with each stride. I couldn’t help but look out at the ocean, the beautiful turquoise water hitting the white sands. This beach has found its way into my heart. I was in heaven, my stress was all but forgotten along with my phone. The rest of the vacation was a blur of delicious fresh fruity alcoholic drinks, tequila shots, walks on the gorgeous beach. Running through the waves in the turquoise ocean. My husband gentle touch on my body. Epoch’s laughter, and Nathan’s exploits. Nathan blew me away when he offered to do a yoga class with me on the marina. We tied ourself in knots and stretched our muscles as Gabriella a beautiful toned and tanned young woman patiently guided us in the ancient poses. My husband fell in love with the catamaran and after Ivan a kind, funny and knowledgeable teacher who had curls of black hair that lined his happy dark face. Taught him the skill, my husband caught on quickly as if he was meant to live on the water. Someday I will get my husband one. One of the nights we splurged and bought tickets for Xplor Freugo, this was a night I will never forget! Zip lines that make you fly through the jungle, swimming through the dark caves as the flowing waters take you through the most amazing journey with glorious stalactites that aged the caves thousands of years. At some points of the underground journey you just can’t help but feel overwhelmed by Gods amazing hand in this ancient Mayan land. The rafting was fun too, my husband kept getting stuck in between the narrow walls of the cave. Somehow I was on point and kept hitting his raft with mine. The rest of the night was filled with good food and a very bumpy ATV ride first with my husband then with my son Epoch who jolted me around so hard my brain hurt. At the resort a moment I really enjoyed was watching Epoch watch the warriors game at the lobby bar, he had a strawberry daiquiri in his hand and an adorable smile that kept killing him as he let little bursts of laughter escape from his mouth as the Chinese gentlemen next to him had entertaining reactions to the NBA playoffs. I couldn’t tell if it was the drink or the gentlemen but I loved his laughter. That was the night we went up to our room to find Nathan passed out in bed after he enjoyed his share of drinks. We all had to laugh as Nathan Llooked humorous laying there looking all wasted buried in the down comforter. The last day my husband rented a car, we found ourselves in Playa Del Carmen which has become one of our favorite places to buy souvenirs and real chocolate coffee drinks. It hasn’t been overly commercialized with large American companies sadly trying to recreate Vegas like in hotel zone Cancun. We will go back to our little piece of heaven. I feel called to the land, to the people. I want to come back not as a tourist but with a mission in my heart and my husband in hand. Spanish is going to be a goal set forth over the next year. I want to share Jesus in a tangible way, I want to live among the native people that walk the beautiful beaches, I will prepare for that time in our future. Our night in the airport waiting in the humid, very hot Cancun airport as our flight was delayed was tough. The AC was not working and it killed me, but I bought 5$ airport water bottles fearful that my family would get dehydrated and sick. Finally we got out of there. It was a rough night of traveling finally we circled Tiajana around 8am. We We laughed so hard as we watched Epoch run across the CBX border. Proud to be American, he missed the USA, all of us did. Some things are precious, like clean water, clean streets. Cars that slow down when they see a pedestrian. We went to charge our Tesla downtown San Diego, I threw my hair in a braid and changed behind the car. I threw a little makeup on my sleepy face and prepared for our reservation at the Rei Del Gado Brazilian Steak house. It was to die for. I thought my 2 sons and husband would certainty get sick. I looked at Nathan as he slowly added another bite of meat to his mouth and a gag response was made. I said “No!” he knew he was done. my husband continued on for a few more helpings and we all walked out 10 pound heavier. My husband is fun and full of surprising adventure. So when Epoch started playing with a scooter that was randomly parked downtown, Eddie decided that we should all just download the (bird & lime ap) we all took of on our scooters. I never laughed or had so much fun. It was crazy how fast those things fly. Later in the evening my husband took Epoch to a Padres game, and Nate and I walked on the harbor. I love San Diego, its full of life, colors and fun. I think its the weather that I appreciated the most. I wish I could have seen California before us white people inhabited the land. I learned a few things from this vacation one is that memories are made when your not on your phone. I saw each of my family members decrease their phone time throughout this trip. I tried really hard to absorb every moment, every smell and taste each bite of food with thoughtfulness. I wanted to make lots of memories and take in the journey. My favorite memories from this trip was the way Nathan loved his brother Epoch.

 

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