7 Quick Takes about Finishing Our Trip, Foolish Resolutions to Make When You Have Kids, and the Sweetest Love Letter I'll Ever Receive

It's 7 Quick Takes Friday! How was your week?

—1—

Phillip and I wrapped up our fantastic Mexico vacation. We drove back to Valladolid to stay for our final two days.

This picture was taken by a helpful passerby after he saw us struggling to DIY a shot that included the whole sign and both of us (see below.)

Failed selfie attempt #1.

Just behind this sign, do you see the building with all the archways? Using that old convent as a projector screen, the city puts on a free light-and-sound show illustrating Valladolid's history every night. 

We first went to the Spanish show and only understood about two words of it, so we went back the next night for the English narration and were relieved that our Spanish wasn't as bad as we thought, it was just hard to hear.

—2—

Earlier this week during our first stay in Valladolid, we'd actually walked by this cenote on the way back to our hotel from church. 

I know it looks from the pictures like it's in the middle of the Garden of Eden, but it's actually just kind of tucked between two city blocks and you could walk past it without even knowing if you weren't paying attention.

For 60 pesos (about $3.50), you can go down and swim in it, so we did. 

It was cold, but beautiful and a lot of fun. Phillip jumped into the water off a really high ledge that you definitely would not have been allowed to do in the U.S.

—3—

On Saturday we packed up and drove back to Cancun, stopping at the beach for a few hours before our flight back home.

Looks just like a postcard.

It was a beautiful beach, but if you ask me truthfully I'll tell you that I enjoy looking at this picture more than I enjoyed actually being there. I've been trying to withhold judgment, but I've visited ocean beaches enough times in my life now that I think it's time to say something out loud: I don't like the ocean. It's windy, the water is too cold, and I don't like the way the salt feels (in the water or in the air.) Lakes are fine, and I don't see what all the fuss is about the ocean. 

In any case, Phillip enjoyed himself and the trip overall had been a fantastic one.

—4—

I ended our vacation feeling well-rested and having seriously convinced myself that I was going to make sleep more of a priority once I got home. There was no reason not to, I just had to commit to a regular early bedtime, that's all! 

We weren't even out of Mexico yet when my 15-year-old called us at the airport to ask if we could pick him up from his friend's house that night at midnight.

So that brought me back to reality in a hurry.

We got home, celebrated a birthday, went to a child's orchestra concert, had a snow day, helped the 2nd grader write a bazillion class Valentines, and tried to catch up on a week's worth of tasks that had been accumulating for us while we were gone. 

I always spend the week after a vacation going, "Ohhhh... so this is why I'm crazy..." so that's where I'm at right now.

—5—

I've been open with my kids about the miscarriages that I've had in the past, and every now and then they will randomly bring them up and ask a question or say something about them.

Out of nowhere one night, my 7-year-old son said, "It's weird that there are people in our family that we don't know."

Since our family believes in heaven, I told him "We'll get to meet them someday." 

"But not for a really long time." Then, hesitating, he added, "Well, not as long for you."

I laughed, thinking Well, that escalated quickly. But my son wasn't done yet.

"Most likely, anyway." He said, "Not for sure, because I could die right now..."

I laughed again, hardly believing that a conversation could go so morbidly sideways in so many unexpected directions in less than 5 seconds.

"...but definitely if we just die of oldness," he finished.

—6—

In other deep thoughts, my 15-year-old asked me "Why do they call a watch a 'watch?' Why don't they call a TV a 'watch'?"

I had no answer for that one.

—7—

I'm a sucker for cute papers that the kids bring home from school but this Valentine's Day love letter from my 2nd grader tops them all. 

He insists on addressing us by our first names in writing, I don't know why. He calls us 'mom' and 'dad' when he talks to us.

I just don't know which is my favorite sentiment: "Thank you for getting all the food I need and most of the food I want" or "thank you for even just giving us birth" or "I would be in big trouble if I did not have you at all in my intire life I every live."

I've read it about 10 times and it's just so cute I can hardly stand it.

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