Doing Brave Things

 Doing Brave Things Part 1:

One of the first things we got to do on this adventure was

REPEL into a Cenote.

So what is a Cenote?

"It is a natural pit, or sinkhole resulting from the collapse of limestone bedrock that exposes groundwater underneath."

Or in other words...

a cave with water!

 The only one of us who had ever done anything like this was Christopher and he made it look easy.

 You can see from this picture the inner tubes below that were waiting for us!

So proud of Katie and Rachel for not being intimidated...

 and loving the adventure!

 Jacob told us there was 

NO WAY

he was going to do it...

but I'm really proud of him for changing his mind.

Once he saw everyone else do it...

he jumped on board.

 Enjoying the cool water of the Cenote...

okay RON loved it,

the kids enjoyed it,

and I just stayed tucked inside my tube trying to stay warm!

 There are TWO ways out of the Cenote...

the adventurous "climb 60 feet" out of the cave up a swinging ladder...

 Me, Christopher, Ron and Katie did this!

or the fun way out...

you let them pull you out!

Jacob and Rachel choose this!

Either way this was so much FUN!

Whenever we ask our kids what their favorite thing they got to do on this trip...

they always say it was the DAY

we spent in the Jungle...

doing brave things!

This was just the beginning of those adventures!

P.S. If you really look at the pictures closely you can see the MANY bats lining the cave walls.  We could "sort of" see them in the cave flying around us but we had no idea until we saw the pictures just how many bats we were actually surrounded by!

If my kids had known about the amount of bats I'm not sure they would have been so BRAVE!

SNORKELING=perfection

Can't believe I've only been home 

ONE

day and my headaches have returned!

I suffer from MIGRAINE headaches

and

they are a constant burden to my every day life...

except when I'm on vacation!

Could it have something to do with the STRESS of everyday life?

I think so!

Just makes me WISH I was back on vacation 

where we spent the day

SNORKELING.

One of the amazing things about

CANCUN

is the many excursions you can choose from and how well of a job they do in making your vacation and your experience

UNFORGETTABLE.

You are picked up from your hotel and driven to your location.

Today it was Puerto Morelos, Mexico.

About 15 minutes from Cancun 

and in the heart of the beautiful

CORAL REEFS

that blanket this area of the Caribbean...

we got to experience this...

Oh yea...it was REALLY that spectacular!

After stopping at TWO different locations along the reef they take you back to the beach for an

AMAZING LUNCH,

VOLLEYBALL,

RESTING IN THE HAMMOCKS,

A GAME OF KEEP AWAY,

NEGOTIATIONS,

AND REST AND RELAXATION.

 HAMMOCKS  are the BEST!

 Rachel and Ron in tight negotiations!

 Coconut Keep AWAY!

We finished with another trip to the reefs before heading home for the night.

Ron had tried to get ALL of us to get scuba certified before we left on this trip...

and we were ALL a little hesitant to do so...

UNTIL NOW!

When we get asked about how we liked our trip, I tell everyone the same thing:

 everything about this trip was pure perfection!

Snorkeling day was just like every other day...
it was perfection!

Family FIRST...

We have just arrived home from our family vacation to

Cancun, Mexico.

I have mentioned several times that this was going to be our family's
DREAM VACATION.

From the moment we arrived at the airport...

and took the escalator to the sky train...

you could tell this was not going to be an 
"ordinary"
vacation.

I will NEVER forget their faces when they first saw the clear, blue ocean and the white sandy beaches...

or the beautiful two-bedroom hotel room

or the view from our hotel room...

all the look on their faces are etched clearly on my mind.

It had...
"exceeded" their expectations!!! 

That first night while swimming together in the ocean I realized why this was going to be my
"dream vacation"!

It was a dream vacation to me because I was able to share it all with my husband and four kids.

I was able to feel their joy and their excitement.

The kids kept telling us how much they felt blessed to be there and we reminded them right then...
right there...
that if they EVER doubted our LOVE for them,
then to remember this moment...
this trip...
this vacation...
this time together!

My family will ALWAYS come first for me...
and this trip
just helped my kids realize it!

p.s. I have so many pictures to share and can't wait to show you the many adventures we had and will try to get them all posted each night this week.

Speed Dating

Several months ago our

PRIESTS AND LAURELS

had an activity

we called

SPEED DATING.

I think Bailey is "really" excited about this activity!

 Each round was 3 minutes long.

We would give each couple a question to answer...

and the date was on.

Then the girls would rotate...

and the next round began...

and so on and so on...

until everyone had a chance to date each other once.

 Christian was a GREAT sport for the camera!

 I loved how each "couple" really enjoyed each date. 

 It's NOT always easy to get a bunch of 

16-year to 18-year old kids

to come to CHURCH

every Tuesday night each week to hang out...

 but these kids aren't like most kids.

These kids have a belief that they are

CHILDREN of GOD.

 That He knows them individually.

Loves them unconditionally.

 It is because of that knowledge they choose to put their

FAITH and TRUST in GOD...

and not in the ways of the world.

 They are the BEST youth.

 And their isn't any other place or position in the church I would

rather be...

than right here...

right now...

with these kids!