back from the keys

With a view like that you can imagine how hard it was for us to leave! Andrew's family allowed us to stay at their home in the Keys for the weekend and it was the perfect get away! We had an awesome time with our friends!

The first night we were there we all cooked dinner together. Julie and I played it safe and followed a recipe for stuffed peppers that was D-to-the-licious. The boys on the other hand decided to play Bobby Flay and worked up their own concoction for their chicken. It all worked out splendidly and we ate to our hearts content and had left overs.






We also caught the sunset that night and it was beautiful! The sun literally set right in front of us on our own private beach. Incredible!









Friday morning we got up and headed south. We stopped at Bahia Honda State Park and did a little sight seeing and snorkeling. I am pretty certain Julie and I are the only individuals on the entire planet who could make friends with fish and become emotionally attached to them; therefore, it was entirely perfect that we were together making friends with our fish while the boys snorkeled into deeper waters that we were certain were shark infested deep waters. {At one point a family nearby saw a blue crab and started yelling to each other about it. Julie and I nearly had cardiac arrest because we thought they were yelling about a shark sighting and the guys were two little dots somewhere along the horizon. Oh my!}

After a morning at Bahia Honda, we headed down to Key West. I had never been and was so excited to go and see what the hype was all about. We had plans to spend all afternoon and into the night there. However, we had not accounted for the heat index spiking to over 100 degrees! We walked around quite a bit. Ate lunch. Checked out Peter Lik's art gallery. I got a picture at the Southern Most Point of the Continental U.S.A. {Something I've always wanted to do.} Ate some frozen chocolate covered key lime pie. Sweated more than I ever have in my life. Then called it a day because we were all so darn hot and uncomfortable. Next time we will go back down there in the Fall or Winter so that we can enjoy it more.



That night we enjoyed a Leo movie. Julie and I share a "love" for Leo that goes all the way back to his Growing Pains days. {Thank you to our dear sweet husbands who are confident in our love for them and allow us to watch our Leo and talk about him. We appreciate that. And we love you for it.}

The next day we just hung out on our beach and in the water for the entire day and it was wonderful!



Andrew deserved and needed this, and I was happy to look over and see him relaxing.







Vic and Andrew had a lot of time for catching up and talking while Julie and I had a lot of time for girl talk and getting to know each other better.



There was a lot of this over the weekend...






On our last night we played some Taboo and Scategories. Guys vs. the Girls. We shook on it and the playful competitive banter commenced. The guys won Taboo, but we totally creamed them in Scategories so we are even.



We had a great time and we made some great memories! Lyn Family, thank you for opening your home to us and allowing us to have such a good time in such a beautiful place. We can't express how much we appreciate it!

some things can only begin to heal with sun and friends

This morning Andrew and I drove Sonia, Al, and Lisa to the airport.


{Please excuse the lack of make-up here. Just focus on the cute baby.}









They will be taking her back to God’s Littlest Angels, the orphanage that she came from 3 months ago. They will stay with her for a few days to help her transition. The morning was fun. Andrew, Al, Lisa, and I joked around and talked quite a bit, while Sonia babbled, cooed, and smiled. We helped them to the boarding pass/luggage-check line. It seemed like a really long trek from the parking lot to the terminal. As we walked Sonia was all smiles and coos in my arms. I had trouble walking because I couldn’t take my eyes from hers. Somewhere along the way she fell asleep in my arms and I am so thankful she did. I think it made it so much easier to say goodbye. Al, Lisa, Sonia, and all their luggage got in line. We all hugged. I kissed the sleeping babe’s perfectly beautiful cheek. I turned around and practically sped through the crowd because I am not one of the lucky few who manage to cry pretty and the tears were coming quick and relentless.


I can’t wait to see the pictures and videos they bring back so that I can see what Sonia’s life is like in Haiti. I know the staff at the orphanage loves her and will take very good care of her; that is a huge comfort to me. I feel like crying constantly, but I keep talking myself out of it. I need to keep busy.

It just so happens that Andrew managed to work out a weekend get away with some of our best friends. It couldn’t have come at a more necessary time! We leave in a couple of hours and I am so excited. Vic and Andrew have been friends for years. {Most would say they are B.F.F., but guys don’t say that sort of thing.} Vic married Julie a year ago in Aruba and we were there to celebrate with them (pictured below). Julie is fabulous and I told Vic he had to marry her after sitting down with her for the first 5 minutes of our friendship several years ago.




 

Isn’t her dress amazing!? Just stunning. Vic, you done good.



I feel very blessed to call them friends and I love them both dearly. We have talked about going on a vacation together for some time now, and this weekend we finally get to do it!



I need a distraction from Sonia's departure. I am sure I will still have my moments when we get down to the Keys, but I think friends, sun, and some good old-fashioned fun and laughter will certainly help to begin to mend my heart.

absences and updates

I have not been blogging much lately because I have been playing with these two…








Cutie Pie and Little Man are down for a few weeks and we have been busy, busy, busy!!!

I have not taken nearly enough pictures, but rest assured I will still post several.

In other news, Sonia is out of the hospital and doing so much better. We have had picnics in the park, Starbucks dates, and hang out time.











She is healing well and has grown up quite a bit since she first arrived. She is a lot stronger, cutting her first tooth, and waving hello and bye-bye. I had the honor of caring for her during the church service last Sunday and I was on cloud nine. I love that baby girl! She has to go back to Haiti in 2 weeks and I am so sad about it. Keep her in your prayers! Pray for her continued progress with her health. Pray for her safety and protection. Pray for her future. Pray for her adoption and for her adoptive family. I know God is taking care of her. It’s very evident that His plans for her are based upon His timing and His resources for her good and His glory. I trust that she will be adopted into a loving home that is perfect for her and that was planned for long ago. My heart will still ache when she is gone and I stop and wonder often how I came to love her so knowing she’d go back. The thought crosses my mind…maybe I should have guarded my heart a bit more. But I know that’s just the part of me that doesn’t like to hurt. Caring for her and loving her was exactly what she needed and doing so has taught me a few things about life, babies, and myself.