Reminiscing about Our Jamaican Vacation

My boyfriend’s parents have been married for over 40 years now and in 2013 his parents celebrated by renewing their vows on the beach in Jamaica for their 40th. I was fortunate to be included in the family’s trip to Jamaica making for a romantic vacation with my boyfriend as well as fun family bonding with his parents and siblings.

I’d like to start with my favorite picture from Jamaica and I did not take this photo. The photo was taken by a photographer that took the photos for my boyfriend’s parents’ vow renewal. I love this photo of me and Dan so much that for our anniversary the year after the trip, I had it framed and gave it to him as a gift. It now hangs in our living room. I think this photo captures our love and the elegance of the photo is astonishing.

There was so much to take in and see while we were in Jamaica. The nature was breathtaking and the architecture was amazingly beautiful. We went on a catamaran boat cruise and I was busy taking photos of all the structurally creative resorts on the beaches. This photo of the blue and white castle was my favorite. I loved the way the setting sun’s rays on the castle played and reflected in a shimmering sort of way. I can only imagine was the inside looked like and I hope it was as nifty and cool as the outside.

There were always boats around and some were named fun and interesting names. Also while on that catamaran boat cruise I saw some funny names for boats. This one in particular gave me a smile since I know that Dan’s dad likes Star Trek and honestly I had been watching and starting to thoroughly enjoy Star Trek as well. I got great amusement out of seeing this boat!

While in Jamaica, I had a fantastic time full of fun and great things to do. Every day on the beach there was different kind of band playing music for all to hear. This picture was from around lunch and they placed up closer to where we ate. It was wonderful to hear the Jamaican music live from very talented musicians. Unfortunately, I was unable to finish watching due to getting sick and I had to go to our room to lie down for a while. Dan took this photo of the band and I am sure glad that he did. I may have missed most of the music, but I will never forget the little bit I got to see and I feel as though I can even hear those notes play as I remember our time in Jamaica. 

There was so much to do and we tried to do as much as we could every day. We kept busy and had a blast. One day while there, we got to go snorkeling. I was nervous at first, but as soon as I got in the water and submerged my head looking at the reef and all the colorful fish I felt all the tension wash away and I was bewitched by the beauty of that underwater world. I was so mesmerized that I wasn’t paying close attention to the rest of the group and I swam away from them getting separated from them by the reef. At first this too was nerve racking, but it was only a brief moment feeling on edge, because the tranquility of the ocean would not allow me to stay nervous. After that experience, I am now intrigued to take it a step further and learn to scuba dive. This is a new dream of mine that hopefully one day will be fulfilled. 

Another thrilling activity I got to participate in was parasailing. Dan’s sister and her husband, plus Dan and I went on a ride parasailing. Dan’s sister took this photo of Dan and I at the beginning of our ride showing thumbs up to let the driver of the boat know we were ready to go. Parasailing was fantastic and as we climbed higher in the sky I could see more and more of the marvelous island. During our ride, the driver slowed the boat which let us drop slowly and as we dipped down toward the water, I began to get scared and I started to say the water as well as asking if we were going to crash. We were dunked into the water about chest deep and they within an instant we were high in the air again. The driver of the boat did this on purpose and what a thrill!

While walking along the beaches in Jamaica, there were vendors everywhere selling handmade items. One of these vendors was selling hand carved wooden figurines. I looked every day for a horse and he never had one. He asked after a few days what it was I was hoping to find and I told him a horse. The next day there it was this horse and it felt as though he made it just for me. I am lucky that Dan’s mom and dad are such nice and generous people. They bought me this horse and forever I will keep it as a praised piece to my horse collection.

The days were full of fun and things to do. We spent hardly any time at all in the room as we wanted to enjoy all the fantastic activities they offered us. When we did go back to the room, there was always a pleasant surprise awaiting us with how they folded and arranged the fresh towels they gave us. One night when we had finally gone back to the room we found this swan designed towel with flower petals. This specific design was a very romantic gesture. I liked each of the designs, but this one was my favorite.

All the photos from Jamaica are valued memories for me. This picture especially is one to remember and cherish. In this photo, I can really see how happy all of us were in the same moment. The photo itself is very creative and artistic. I think the angle was brilliant and I really like how it turned out. I will hold dear these photos of such a magical vacation.

After the wedding in which Dan’s parents renewed their vows as well as his brother and his sister renewed their vows with their spouses, we all got together and had pictures taken. These photos were very special to me. I really felt included and part of the family. This picture is of everyone who went to Jamaica together. The men sure do look handsome and the women look very pretty. I like this photo so much, it hangs on my refrigerator that way I can see it every day as a reminder.

Thanks for joining me on this photo journey remembering such a lovely vacation with the most wonderful people. We shared spectacular times while in Jamaica and it was great to have been part of it. 

10 Unforgettable Moments From My Life

#1. The day my daughter was born. Nothing will ever take its place as the most unforgettable and most moving and changing moment of my life. The little person I carried and knew from the inside for nine months had come into the world and being able to see and hold my little girl has been the most powerful and moving moment of my life. I had become a mom and that feeling blew me away; I was in awe.

#2. The day my mom died. It was sudden and shocked me to my core. I had a hard time accepting it and my grief hit me hard. Some days it’s still hard. My mom meant more to me than I think she knew. I love my mom and when I think of her I can see her smiling in my mind. I know and I have faith that she is in a much better place, full of understanding and free of pain. Losing my mom was a tragic life changing moment, but because of it I have come to a realization about a few things and by doing so I have been able to refocus and prioritize what’s truly important in my life.

#3. The day I got my daughter back from when her biological father took and hid with her for two weeks was a day of relief and I was thanking the Lord Above that my daughter had been returned to me. I was lost without her and I worried constantly while she was away. When I had her back, my heart felt as though it had been healed and my mind could finally rest. I now cherish all the wonderful mommy moments even more and I will never forget the way if felt to have her ripped away from me. I want now more than ever to ensure that the time we have is quality time and my daughter knows how much I love her.

#4. The day I graduated from college with my Bachelors of Science in Psychology. I had worked hard the last 3 years of going to college. My first attempts at school I had failed miserably and then my attempts at community college were hindered and very slow progress. I was more determined and I worked harder when I went back for my third attempt, when I returned to Peru State and I succeed in my dreams of being a college graduate. I feel very accomplished and proud of myself.

#5. The day I left a domestic violence situation and moved into a domestic violence shelter with my 1 year old daughter. I felt alone and scared out of my mind. At the time, I wondered if I was making the right choice and what effect this may have on my daughter. What I learned was that I saved my daughter from furthering negative effects and the bond between my daughter and I was strengthened over the course of the next year. Which brings me to…

#6. The day I left to Miami Florida to another domestic violence shelter to get away from my abuser who had begun stalking me and using family to stalk me. I remember the day I left and arrived in Miami so vividly. My mom was the only one who knew I was leaving and she drove me to the airport in Omaha. And I wondered if I would ever be back and thought about everything I was forced to leave behind. I realized in that moment all the times I took the people in my life for granted and how now I may never see any of them again.

#7. The day I decided to come home back to Nebraska. I remember looking out the window at the sky there in West Palm Beach Florida and thinking to myself I wondering what awaits me when I returned. Would people accept me back or would I be hated. I worried about my abuser starting to cause me problems again and I thought could I be making a mistake. I took a leap of faith in believing Nebraska was a better place to raise my now 2 year old daughter. I came home and in the hope that people would give the new me a chance to show how I had changed and was still trying to change into a better person. I learned in returning that I have the strength to face my past and not everyone will forgive and accept that I had changed, but that’s okay. I just keep being the best I can be and that’s enough.

#8. The day Dan looked sweetly into my eyes as though he was looking at my soul and he cupped my face with his hands while telling me he loved me for the very first time. I remember his eyes, the way he smiled and I can still hear his voice. Nothing in the world will take this sweetest of memories away. The way my heart fluttered out of control as all my dreams came true in one small simple gesture. I had been swept off my feet and I had fallen from a height I had never been. But he had caught me.

#9.  The day I got my first job in social work was a very exciting and fulfilling day for me. I felt as though all my hard work had paid off and I was taken seriously as a college graduate. I felt important and valued while working there and I believe I was able to make a different in the lives of others. It is very powerful to feel like you contribute to society and help others in need. Although I no longer work at that first company, I am still doing social work and I find myself being empowered by the difference I make.

#10. Today and every day! I make moments to remember every day! It is the best way to live. I try my best to make the most out of each day. I try to keep in mind that each moment and every situation can be different. It is up to me and how I choose to act and think that will shape how my day will progress. I can make any day good or bad by my choices. Today I choose to be happy and I choose to spend this day with my children and family. Tonight we will be going to a children’s haunted house at a sorority of a local university. It will be moments to remember! 

My List of 10 Fears

Here are 10 things I am fearful of. I am sure you will agree a few and maybe you will not. Either way I hope you enjoy reading the list and if you have a question or comment, feel free to leave it for me in the comments and I will get back to you as soon as I can.

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(Not in any specific order)

• I am terrified of spiders. I am worried about getting bit by a spider. I think they are creepy looking with their fuzz and multiple eyes. I hate that everytime I walk out onto my porch there’s a new spider web and I seem to always walk right into it. I then turn into the best martial artist there is with my Kung Fu kicks and Karate chops when I try to get the webs off of me.

• I am afraid of being alone at night. I get jumpy and on edge. I am constantly looking over my shoulder and around each corner as if something would jump out and scare me at any moment. Something about the dark makes me feel uneasy and all the shadows make it harder to see what’s really there or not really there. The dark makes the eyes play tricks on me and I tend to see things differently because of the dark.

• I am petrified of drowning. I think this would be the most painful and frightening way of dying. I love to swim and drowning doesn’t worry me while swimming. Ice fishing scares me because I worry about falling through the ice and getting trapped under a sheet of ice where I would drown. People drown and die from asphyxiation which means they die from lack of oxygen.

• I am intimated by social situations where I become the center of attention in a crowd. I get nervous when the attention is on me and I tend to begin to start stumbling over my words or make simple mistakes that feel embarrassing. I used to be afraid of any and all social situations and I constantly worried that other people were being critical of me. I have overcome those thoughts and now I am working on being the center of attention at times. For example, telling a joke to a group of friends or coworkers.

• I am scared to death of my daughter getting severely hurt. I think it’s only natural that moms have this fear. No one wants to see their child get hurt. I want to keep my daughter safe and prevent any major injury from happening. Fortunately, my daughter has not broken a bone or has ever had an injury requiring stitches. I have kept a close watchful eye on her and have always been right there to catch her when she falls. Only once was I not close enough and she got hurt. She bit right through her lower lip. I took her to the ER and they said they can’t give her stitches for that and it healed perfectly with very little scarring. I know I can’t always be right there, but while I can I try to be.

• I am disgusted and anxious of cockroaches. They are vile and creepy bugs that are nearly indestructible. Did you know that cockroaches can live when you smash them or cut their heads off? YUCK! Can you imagine walking into a home with an infestation and hearing all that small scratching sounds coming from inside the walls? It’s gross to think about how they can squeeze into tight spaces making it easier for them to get into food products. They give me shivers just to think about.

• I am horrified by the idea of being diagnosed with a degenerative illness. It would be a terrible experience to see yourself falling apart and pieces of yourself dying or not working anymore, but you’re still alive and have your mind with you able to realize the awful truth of the situation. Diseases like muscular dystrophy and others in which the body starts to break down.  

• I am scared of confrontation. I tend to avoid conflicts due to how uncomfortable they make me feel. It’s not that I can’t handle myself during a conflict or that I can’t resolve conflicts. It’s more that conflicts are unpleasant situations that raise my stress level and put me on edge. If I can I try my best to avoid conflict, but not at all cost. If I must, I will face the conflict head on, but that doesn’t mean I will enjoy it.

• I am spooked by the idea of aliens visiting earth. I believe there could be life on other planets and possibly intelligent life. I worry about these intelligent creatures coming to visit earth. I wonder what would be the purpose of visiting earth and would they eat people or take slaves. I wonder if they would truly come in peace or would they try to conquer earth?

• I am fearful of horror movies. I don’t mind the blood and guts of scary movies, but every time I watch a movie that is suspenseful or scary I hate it, because when something jumps out at you from nowhere, I tend to scream or jump out of my seat. I always jump out of my seat numerous times throughout these kinds of movies. The feeling of jumping and getting scared is not a comfortable or thrilling feeling for me. In fact, it is almost painful and makes me uneasy for the rest of the night. I will even have a nightmare after watching a movie that is very scary.