When I was 12, I told myself that I wanted the man I would marry to have known me for 6 years before we were wed. It wasn't until after I had accepted my Sir Michael's proposal that I remembered my promise to myself. I added it up, and by August 10, 2000, Mike & I had known each other for 5 1/2 years. That was pretty darn close to my goal, and just underlined the feeling I already had that he was to be the perfect man for me!
The past 10 years truly have been the best years of my life, by far! Sharing daily joys & sorrows, troubles & wonders, with my best friend. Overcoming humbling challenges of my two years of teaching through his support & love. Riding the waves of morning sickness together, throughout 3 pregnancies. Accepting the "call" to move our little family 2,000 miles away from everyone & everything we knew, only to grow closer & rely more on one another. Gratefully returning to our home state, while sorrowfully leaving behind all our new loved ones. And continually learning new ways to serve & love & guide our children & ourselves toward paths of righteousness/happiness. It has all been marvelous!
I am amazed at the completeness of Mike's love for me. I am so filled with flaws and weaknesses, yet his love for me is undeniable. I can only hope to one day feel as if I have done enough to show my love for him as he has done to show his love for me.
To celebrate this significant anniversary, Mike not only bought me a card & a large package of Peanut M&Ms, but he also took me away to Cancun, Mexico for a week!!! Ahhh, it was delightful! Here are a few of my favorite pics from our trip: (in almost a complete reverse order from the order we did all these things, since I forgot to upload them in reverse order, & I refuse to go through the hassle of rearranging them - just some of my weaknesses coming out)
Mike had a good time hunting fun shells from the public beach.
On our trip to Mercado 28 (which was Mike's favorite part of the whole trip), we bought all our souveniers, saw a bit of a "real" Mexican city (as opposed to the tourist driven resort strip of Cancun), and enjoyed listening as a Mariachi Band sang to us "una cancion alegre!"
I also got my hair braided by a lady who sold her services alongside the street. It was one of the few self-indulgences I had considered from the outset of the trip. While the resort charged over $100 for hair my length, this woman charged us only $15.
These enormous fruit sculptures were just outside the World Cafe Buffet, in which we ate all of our breakfasts and many of our other "all-included" meals. One of the greeters that worked here, Lucia, looked almost exactly like Julia Styles, but Mexican. We came to really like her and gave her a Pass Along card before we left.
Another thing I really wanted to do was to visit some ruins from the possible Book of Mormon lands & people. Thanks to my carelessness in leaving our camcorder in the pouch of the bike I rode in Xel-Ha (the stop before this one), we were afraid we might miss the tour. Somehow, though we left the Xel-Ha park 45 minutes later than the tour bus, we arrived just in time for our group's English Tour to begin. AND, of all the people we shared a bit of the gospel with, thanks to Mike knowing Spanish from serving his mission in Anaheim, CA, I believe the Taxi Driver that took us from Xel-Ha to Tulum was the most prepared to receive it. If he accepts our invitation to listen to the missionaries in his hometown of Veracruz (where my own brother is currently serving!), I believe he will someday be baptized. It was an awesome experience - after all the panic of leaving the camcorder was behind me, that is.
It was at Tulum that Mike heard a man call me "una Guerrita," which means "little white girl." To the man's surprise, Mike answered him in fluent Spanish. As soon as the shock wore off, he said, "Son los Mormones?" (Are you guys Mormons?) Mike said in Spanish, "Yes, how did you know?" To which the man replied (in Spanish, of course), "The only white people who speak Spanish that well are Mormons!" Isn't that great? Speaking Spanish was indeed one of the best aspects of the trip for both of us, but particularly for Mike. He doesn't get to use it as much as he has in previous jobs, and he really misses it. I was surprised at how much of my own limited knowledge & ability came back to me once I was surrounded by it continually. It is truly a beautiful language.
It was at Tulum that Mike heard a man call me "una Guerrita," which means "little white girl." To the man's surprise, Mike answered him in fluent Spanish. As soon as the shock wore off, he said, "Son los Mormones?" (Are you guys Mormons?) Mike said in Spanish, "Yes, how did you know?" To which the man replied (in Spanish, of course), "The only white people who speak Spanish that well are Mormons!" Isn't that great? Speaking Spanish was indeed one of the best aspects of the trip for both of us, but particularly for Mike. He doesn't get to use it as much as he has in previous jobs, and he really misses it. I was surprised at how much of my own limited knowledge & ability came back to me once I was surrounded by it continually. It is truly a beautiful language.
Tulum is a well-preserved, ancient Mayan city. While I was there, I had the distinct thought that it didn't matter if this Mayan civilization was indeed the Nephites, or the Lamanites, or even the Jaredites from the Book of Mormon. Whoever they were, because they were here, on the American continents, we know they were brought here by God. This is the Promised Land. The land that was preserved for those who worshipped Jehovah. (Not that all that were brought here continued to worship Him, but that all who were led to these continents originally came as a result of their faith in Christ.) I am grateful for that testimony born to my heart that day!
So, here we are at Xel-Ha. We rode bikes, without handbrakes (it felt so primitive), through the jungle, to the top of a river overgrown with Mangroves. Then, we floated down the river, under the Mangrove canopy, ending up in an inlet from the ocean, where the warm water & cold water mix (Xel-Ha is a Mayan word that means "mixing waters.")
There were iguanas everywhere. It was so cool to have to watch out for them on the path as we rode the bikes.
Of course, when we went down the river, we didn't have our camera with us, since we didn't want it to get wet. But, I wanted a picture, nonetheless, so after dressing again, we repeated the bike ride to get this picture of complete strangers doing what we did.
The Dreams Cancun Resort: (as seen from it's Tower, which we did not stay in) Our room was on the back side of the Pyramid, which was ideal, since the beach on that side was just a cliff, and therefore not littered with people & their activities.
Our room inspired romance like no other I've ever been in. The next time I am in labor, or experiencing any pains for that matter, it is to this room - in the early morning hours, listening to the gentle waves crash upon the shore & watching the sun rise calmly over the ocean - that I will come in my mind.
To me, hammocks are the physical representation of "without a care in the world!" (The Strawberry Daquiris , "sin alcohol," did much to further this notion.) This trip was truly so relaxing! Knowing that our precious little ones were in such capable & loving hands back at home, we had absolutely no cares in the world for this one week of our lives.
Other ways we enjoyed ourselves:
I joined Mike for Water Volleyball, but I let him play Beach Volleyball on his own while I painted a small ceramic turtle. What a stud!
We tried out all but one of the restaurants at the resort. Mike, who does not typically enjoy fish unless it is fresh trout right from a river, ventured to try "El Pescado del Dia" (the fish of the day). He actually liked it, and even commented that it was the same kind of fish he had seen while snorkeling earlier, right at the resort. My Tilapia was equally delicious!
One of our first nights there, we ate a Caribbean Buffet on the Beach, and watched a Fire & Water Show (But we left before the water part - there was only so much twirling of firesticks & pounding of hand drums that could entertain Mike.) We did meet a few couples that were nice to visit with, & whom we saw a few times over the ensuing days. One couple from Russia, celebrating their 20th Anniversary, were very friendly. We gave them a Pass Along card the night before they left, as well.
I will be forever grateful for this relaxing, romantic experience with my sweet, wonderful husband! It was good to be there, and it is good to be home again with our boys, family, & friends!
I will be forever grateful for this relaxing, romantic experience with my sweet, wonderful husband! It was good to be there, and it is good to be home again with our boys, family, & friends!
