To Our Daughters (Bahamas 2015)

To Our Daughters, 

What a wonderful week your Daddy and I have had away at the Bahamas relaxing, laughing, talking about life, and dreaming about what is to come!    We had a wonderful time to pause and are writing this letter to you that someday as you read it you will fully grasp what time away with your husband will mean.  

As we were leaving for the trip (this after the day before hysterical tears over leaving Bella) we hugged you each and with tears (Gracie yours were big tears and a tight hug that did not want to let go and Maggie yours were tears that Gracie was crying as you are very logical about the time away and our return) I thought maybe the trip was too long, too hard, guilt over the time away for us and for me.    As I was feeling this I wanted to focus on why we as your parents choose to get away, choose to make time for us as a couple and as individuals and the experiences we bring back to make us even more committed than when we left to our faith, our marriage, you as our daughters, our careers, and on and on.    I know I come back a better wife and mother when I have had time away to refocus.  Lesson:   Make time for your marriage and yourself.   There is value in time individually and as a couple to grow.  

Choosing us sometimes means getting away from it all!  Not a bad place to refresh! 

Choosing us means quiet fun dinners! 

Choosing us means walking around a new place exploring together!  What stunning boats! (and talking about who in the world has enough money that these are just toys? ha)

First morning ready for the water park, beach and pool! 

We choose to take time away for you as much as for us.  We believe very strongly that we have to be refreshed as individuals and as a couple to be the best parents for you that we can be!  To be able to have the energy and focus to lead you, love you, teach you, and at times discipline you.    While we are away we do talk about you often and more than that we dream for you.  We dream, plan and set goals for our family and for each of you.      We spent this time dreaming about your education, how we can partner at an even higher level with your teachers.   We spent time dreaming about how to impart what we have learned about money (giving, saving, spending) to each of you even now so you will be as successful in the management of what God has given you as possible where big or small.   We spent time dreaming (okay, more like trying to delay) the teenage years and what those will look like as we seek wisdom, ideas and hear stories of how other parents have tackled these years!    Lesson:  Dream for yourself, your marriage and your children.   You need a plan to focus! 

Choosing us means pictures together since we have someone to take them for us! 

I LOVE this photo. Someone said "you all are so happy" and my response was "Yes, we are blessed and we work really hard.  Is not easy and we don't get it right all the time but this shows how much the hard work pays off".  

A late night walk down by the aquarium to see the fish! 

Another beautiful day in Paradise! 

We needed the time to relax and unplug.  I am not always good at unplugging as much as I want you each to be really good at it!    I am going to work to set a better example of unplugging!    Being international was what forced it as I did not take my BlackBerry (cell phone for work), my work computer did not work and our cell phone while we added international coverage was limited.   Amazon Prime and NetFlix was limited which eliminated our TV time.   So basically NO electronics.    What a blessing that was to us.   I woke up early one morning and while your Daddy got some extra sleep I snagged my iPhone/ earbuds and sunglasses and walked to the beach to catch the sunrise.  I spent time in the quiet with no “to do list”, no person to fill my time, no electronics other than my phone to play music. There is something healing and refreshing to me to sit with my feet in the sand, worship music playing (that was the purpose of taking my phone), and watching the sun rise ever so slowly but with such beauty against the shoreline.   One morning we were up early and we watched the sunrise together.   This time with no music from the phone but the crashing waves and time to sit together holding hands.    Lesson: UnPlug!

Enjoying a Starbucks (or as Jimmy says "a 5 bucks") while we walk 

Nothing better than toes in the sand.... 

...and a coffee to enjoy the morning.  

The sunrise was stunning! 

A morning to laugh and enjoy the moment before Jimmy headed into conferences and I enjoyed a few hours by the pool to read. 

Perfect! 

Yep....naps by the beach each day! 

Each of us is so blessed by the family we have.  You have wonderful grandparents on both sides.   We love to step away and allow you time with them to share life and make memories.  There is something about your relationships with your grandparents that is priceless and needs time to be fostered.    You are loved beyond measure not just by us as your parents, but by your grandparents!  Grammy took off work to stay with you all and juggle your busy week schedule to allow us time to get away.  We pray that you will give us the same opportunity as you have kids to allow you the time away and us special time with our grandkids (years from now of course).  Aunts, Uncles and Cousins are priceless!   The last part of the week Aunt Katelyn, Uncle Gabe and Ellie spent with you all.  It’s wonderful having them so close and watching you all play.    They at times I think allow you to get away with more than the grandparents do, but that is okay as we do with Ellie!   Lesson:  There is always time to play and make memories.  

The girls request before Grammy left was Waffle House breakfast!  Of course she said "yes"

Love this girl! 

These 3...... all happy and love to be together! 

I love the girls have wonderful family to love them!  

Do you think they missed her?  

Yep...we went from below freezing to 60 degrees while we were gone.  

Hot stuff!

Nothing better than an afternoon outside on the porch. 

Outside playing time! 

Someone is tied from a week at The Ark

I pray you choose your in-laws well.  When you marry they come with your husband and they become critical to life!   Your Grammy and Papa have been so supportive of not just your Daddy but me and I know your Daddy would say the same about Gjysh and KK.    This week (and when you go to Ohio over spring break) was a great reminder to me of how blessed I am.    As I listened to some ladies complain about their in-laws and what they do they don’t like or wish they did different, I was sad.   Sad they were so negative and failed to see the value they added and sad how that felt to their husband.   Lesson:  Always speak well of your in-laws.  

As we enjoyed the Bahamas complete with massive palm trees, the ocean, the dolphins, and the sunrise and contrasted that to this time last year when the view was beyond stunning as we looked at the Grand Canyon creation is amazing.   As you take in each part of the earth that God put his fingerprint on, including each of you we pray that you pause in wonder at the work of His hands!   Lesson:  Creation gives testimony to God! 

Yep..this was our weather at its worst! 

...what we were missing!

Creation.... 

Palm trees! 

I love the opportunity to attend this trip for so many reasons.  Not just the nice beach trip, the expenses paid, the fun we have with the other couples, more than anything I love the time to celebrate a year’s accomplishments of your Daddy.  This trip is an awards trip for his work and recognition of what he has done in his career and to provide for us as his family.   He works hard to excel in his career and challenge himself, but it is never at the cost of us as his family, his wife and you two as his beautiful daughters.      I am one blessed wife to be able to stand by your Daddy and share life him!   Lesson:   Celebrate success both in your careers, relationships and milestones you set. 

So proud of Jimmy! 

This was parked at the harbor all week.  We all chuckled given this was a rewards trip...

These trips provide me time to either meet new friends or connect with friends that we don’t connect with often.  Your Daddy works with some wonderful people and the time to laugh with them and their spouses is fun.   We enjoyed the water park for hours upon hours with many of them laughing!  Out of that came what we determined was the quote of the week “it is not easy on a float”.  Ha.  We were on these floats going through the rapids having the best time (and occasionally being thrown out by the waves and current).  Lesson:  Friendships are valuable.  Laughter is immeasurable.    Some days it’s just fun to be a kid! 

My hope is you always find a few favorite things everywhere you go.   I do not mean “stuff”, but rather things to do, things to see, things to enjoy.    Your Daddy and I are always challenging each other “what was your favorite thing?”.  Everyone is different and we celebrate those differences!  I had a long list this week:  Naps by the beach/ pool, reading a few books, sitting in silence and yet time to talk for hours with your Daddy, and fresh drinks (Pineapple, Mango and coconut blended with coconut water simple syrup and ice was FABULOUS).  Lesson:   Find your favorites and explore new things! 

Yummy!  Mango, Pineapple and Coconut fresh!   Worth the walk each day to get this! 

So a little sketching given they use a sword to cut the coconut and do so on a wooden board that looks like its been outside for years BUT it was worth the risk.   Its part of the culture right?  

The final lesson I have to laugh about, but it’s fitting.   We are so blessed to live where we do and have the opportunities we are given each day; including a trip like this that we took.    I said several times during the week “a week in flip flops sure hurts your feet”.     Lesson:  This is a First World problem!    Be grateful for what you have and always aware of your blessings both big and small.  

Gracie and Maggie, we love you beyond measure!   Hugs and Kisses- 

Mommy (and Daddy too) 

~ A big thank you to my mother in law, Sister in Law and Brother who helped juggle the girls this week for school, activities, school cancelations and the weekend fun in the sun so we could have this opportunity.  I know they missed us, but they immediately starting talking about how great their week was!   

Its always good to be home!