BELIZE

Belize. I guess I never thought I would visit this little country but here I am in my shorts and a t-shirt with the ocean and palm trees in plain view. Yep. I'm here alright! When I started my blog three years ago, Allen and I were on vacation in Mexico. That was when we received the call from the Philippines with 3 children on the line waiting to say...."Hi, Mom and Dad!" That trip marked the beginning of a remarkable chapter in our lives. In my mind, this trip brings some closure to that chapter. Allen and I have had a lot of time to talk about our journey. We've also had time to think about the next chapter. Mostly, we have had time to just be together and relax. It has been good.

Some of you have asked to see pictures of our trip. As soon as I get home, I'll post some. The name of the resort is called Hamanasi. It is a quiet resort in the southern part of Belize. There is no night life here, no shopping (to speak of), no TV's in the rooms, very spotty cell service, and internet is available only in the lobby area. The restaurant and bar close down at about 10 p.m. and in general, the people here are soft-spoken. It's not for everyone, but it has been a perfect get-away for Allen and me.

We went on a hike in the jungle one day. It was a 2 mile hike with a rather difficult climb to a secret pool and waterfall. It was a fun adventure. The pool was beautiful...something you would see in the movies! The other adventure was a snorkeling trip. As luck would have it, we were the only ones who signed up for that day. A private snorkeling excursion! The ocean was calm and the sun was shining! We saw stingrays, an eel, and many, many beautiful fish! It was also a wonderful experience. The last adventure was a bike ride into the sleepy town of Hopkins. It was so interesting to talk with some of the local people. One woman had a hemp shop in a school bus. She lived in the back of the bus. Her "shop" was in the front. A reminder that we were not in Kansas!

The worst thing here is the presence of sand fleas or "no-see-ums". We try to wear bug spray. Allen has discovered Angry Birds on my phone and has become slightly addicted. It's fun to see him wasting time... The best thing here is time. Time to sit and read, to talk, and to sleep. Tomorrow we go home. I like it here...but I look forward to being at home again too. Hope you enjoy the pictures!