the beck family: Cancun part 3

May 27, 2010 – Thursday – We were able to relax and sleep in – not being woken up by an alarm is so nice. We woke up around 8:10 a.m. I have been feeling pretty sick so far this morning. I don’t know if it is something that I specifically ate yesterday or if the change of food is catching up with me. While getting ready this morning, I found the smallest – cutest little gecko crawling up the wall next to the bathroom sink. It was probably 3 inches long. We ate breakfast in an outside buffet right next to the golf course. It is called the “Green Break” restaurant. I had one of the best omelets I have ever had before there. It had bacon, mushrooms, tomatoes, cheese and green peppers. I enjoyed watching some people come through and golf while we were eating.

After hanging out in our room for a few hours since both of us weren’t feeling very good, we decided to venture out to Playa del Carmen for one last time. We took the resort’s shuttle bus for about $8. It is really cheap to go that route, but the bus takes so long to get there for some reason. The taxis are so much quicker. We had a few more souvenirs to get for our children.Byron is so good at bartering – we got some great deals. We had fun going through quite a few shops for about 3 hours. I was able to hold two squirrel monkeys and was able to get a picture with them – one being on my head. They were really cute just eating some vegetables. One tried to nibble on my finger, but it really didn’t hurt either. My kids will be so happy to see the picture since they were excited for me to be able to hold a monkey on this trip. Then we decided after spending too much money that it was time to go back. We took a taxi back which cost us $20.

We are both still feeling sick, but I think it is better than earlier today. We will be relaxing the rest of the day and enjoying our room. We watched ” Sahara” and then headed to bed.

What a fun trip this has been! We have both loved every part of it.

May 28, 2010 – Friday – The day of going home finally arrived. We got up around 8 a.m. to pack up. Our suitcases were definitively fuller than when we arrived. Byron is an amazing packer and surprised me that everything fit. We ate breakfast at the hotel’s store. There was a little area where they served different pastries, fruit, and sandwiches. We got a donut, muffin and some fruit.

We checked out at 11 a.m. and then had 2 more hours until our shuttle to the airport. We walked around the resort for one last time enjoying the beautiful place we called home for a week. When 1 p.m. arrived, it was pretty exciting to know that we would be leaving and seeing the kids in about 9 hours. Eight days is too long to be away for me. I loved every minute we had to get away, but missed my kids also. Maybe the children will appreciate Byron & I more after being gone for so long J.

We arrived at the airport and enjoyed relaxing after checking in our luggage and going through security. We enjoyed going into the shops and had some yummy sandwiches. The plane ride home was about 4 hours 15 minutes long. We were able to watch “Letters to Juliet” on our way home. It was a good show, but more than anything it helped pass the time.

Our flight came in a little early – around 7:50 p.m. We had to go through customs and security which ended up taking so much time. We were ready to leave the airport around 8:45 p.m. and then had to take the shuttle to get our truck. As we walked outside of the airport to get the shuttle, it felt so cold outside – nothing like the hot and humidity we were used to for the past 8 days. It felt great to be home, though. The kids were going to meet us at Grandpa & Grandma Beck’s house. As we walked into their house, the kids all ran up to give us hugs. Bradley was one of the first ones to see us. He just stood there staring until Grandma told him to give us a hug. I think he was in a little shock to be away from us for so long. He quickly warmed up again and wouldn’t quit telling us how his week went with Grandma Beck.

I’m sure Sharon was relieved to see us also. After going so long without having children at home and then having 6 all at once, I’m sure that does a number on you. She was so nice to watch them and I’m sure was much nicer than Byron or I would have ever been. Grandma Beck is all about fun and the kids look forward to being with her so much.

We brought back some souvenirs for Sharon - some hot sauce, candy bars and a shell necklace.We waited until we arrived home to get most of what we had bought for the kids out. We got them all t-shirts and then got Camille a sun dress, Tanner a replica of a small alter from the Mayan ruins, Johnathan a replica of the snake from the Mayan ruins, Carter & Parker jackets and Bradley a cool drum. We also got them some candy that was pretty typical for the children in Mexico to eat. The kids definitely didn’t find it good at all – I had a hard time eating it also. We pretty much just threw it away. The kids couldn’t quit telling us about how much fun they had while we were gone. Their last day of school was today and how excited they are to be done and have the summer start.

I will never forget our amazing trip to Cancun. What an amazing experience it was! I don’t think I will ever read the Book of Mormon the same again. We saw so many amazing things that testify to me that the Book of Mormon was really true. It isn’t just a story that we read about, but about actual people who think and feel just like us. I also gained a deep love for the people of Mexico. It was so fun to see Byron communicate with them and hear him speak Spanish like he had been speaking it his whole life. I look forward to returning again someday.