The few days leading up to the trip were very difficult.
Three days before we realized Palmer would need a passport to travel and he
didn’t have one! We were so upset thinking we might have to postpone the trip,
or I would have to go on my own with Jack. After much research, phone calls (and
a few hundred dollars later) we were thankful to have gotten his passport in
time, just 2.5 hours before our plane left on Wednesday morning!
Tuesday night we
drove down to Miami since our plane left from the Ft Lauderdale airport Weds
morning. The kids were awake most of the way, we ended up getting to the hotel
close to midnight and we all got very little sleep that night. Palmer did not do
well on the plane and he didn’t nap as we had hoped . On a good note, the plane ride was only 2
hours which was manageable. We arrived around 4pm exhausted. We weren’t sure
what to expect of the trip, since traveling with kids is usually a lot more work
than a vacation. But we knew it’d be worth it to spend time with my dad.
My dad got there at 7pm that night and he was as happy as
could be. He was so thrilled to see his grandchildren and we just had a great
time that night and the rest of the trip.
The hotel was all inclusive (thank you groupon!), and it was
nice to not have to cook or clean for a week (since the kitchen is where I
spend most of my time at home). Their food was excellent- ranging from Filet
Mignon, to lobster, to paella, etc.
The weather was perfect. It was sunny every day we were
there with a few short afternoon showers. We spent most of our days lounging at the pool
and beach.
The people in the DR are very friendly! Everyone greeted us
with a big smile and dotted on the boys.
And although most of the people staying there were couples they had
plenty of activities for families. They also had a kids club (which we didn’t
take advantage of since the boys are so young) and a babysitter service. Really
could not have been a better run and service driven place.
We didn’t go anywhere outside the hotel. Figured with two kids
and Palmer’s naps it would be easier to stay there. Palmer napped around noon
every day for 2-3 hours, and we’d take turns going up to stay with him.
My dad was happy to watch the boys while Steve and I spent some time on our own at times. We took a lot of walks by the beach (and even got to see a few shooting stars!!), went out to dinner, dancing, and to a bonfire at the beach the hotel put on.
We met a lot of interesting people- all the way from France to Polland. There was one couple we spent a lot of time with because they had a little boy Jack’s age and they played very well.
Mother's day was very special. My dad gave me flowers that morning and a beautiful necklace. Steve's present was taking me on this wonderful trip! And as a treat they took care of the boys so I could have time to myself to read at the beach. The rest of the afternoon spent it with the boys at the pool. Truly was a very special mother's day that I will always remember.
We are truly grateful we got to spend this week with my dad. We only booked the trip in mid April (it was rather last minute). When the new Venezuelan president was elected on April 14th, we were worried that my dad wouldn't be able to leave the country in a few months, so we took the jump to book the trip.
It has been a very busy and at times difficult first half of the year. With Palmer being in the hospital, going through foster training, buying a house, and two week long vacations, it has come with it's challenges . Most of these are good things that have truly been an answer to prayer. We are grateful for them. But cramming them all into less than five months, it leaves little time for routine and simply enjoying the moment without having to rush to the next thing. Prior to going on the trip I had been running on empty. I hadn't had a good quiet time in a while and had missed my Tuesday morning women's bible study for a few weeks. When my relationship with God takes a backseat to anything else, it leaves me feeling empty with a void only God can fill. While our life may seem so picture perfect at times from the outside looking in, it is not perfect by any means. I am a sinful, broken at times, weary mama, that needs to get back to putting God in the center of my everyday life.
Can I just add how much I love blogging? I love the opportunity to be transparent and share more about what's behind each picture. And thank you to my hubby Steve for encouraging me to blog during the times in the past I've wanted to stop. He is always my number one fan in blogging and I'm thankful for how he guides me and our family.
It is way past my bedtime, so I'm heading off to bed. I've closed this post for comments but feel free to email at Carolinabriggs@gmail.com if you'd like to share something. Good night!
