Nirvana

I would first like to thank those who have made this entry possible...

1. To my parents for being gracious and generous enough to want to take 9 people to the Bahamas!

2. To Daniel for making my parents feel sentimental as he prepares to leave for a 2 year mission

3. To Sesame Street for their "Elmos' World - BEACH" episode that made Shannon determined to go to the beach.

4. To Shannon for making my parents feel guilty as they prepared to go to the Dominican Republic in January. When Shannon realized they were going to the beach, she got giddy and started telling Papa how they were going to swim and make sand castles together. When she ran off to get her bathing suit, my parents looked at each other and knew their next trip would be a family affair at the beach.

5. And finally to Steve and his associates who bargained and bartered so that Steve could attend his 1st Gruwell family vacation, have his first Hodgen family vacation since Shannon was born (we won't count the debacle night we spent in Atlanta a few years ago), and experience his first plane ride with Shannon (I've already been on 5).

Second, Life has too few PERFECT MOMENTS... the moments when you take a deep breath and hold it, afraid if you exhale the moment will have passed. Those perfect moments were plentiful as we traveled to Columbus Isle Bahamas this past week.

• Laughing during a late dinner with the entire family seated together
  
• Early morning walks with Shannon as we played bubbles on my toes in the surf
  
• Holding hands with Steve while snorkeling above a shipwreck


• Reading a book/sleeping while lounging under and umbrella on the beach




• Watching Shannon's eyelids flutter as she drank her 8th banana daiquiri and experienced toddler nirvana
  
• Shannon and Steve picking coconuts outside our door


• Dancing on the beach with my sisters
  
• Watching my dad steal kisses from my mom
  
• Seeing Steve FINALLY get a vacation and not be able to use his cellphone!

Third, there was never a dull moment. I couldn't get enough of the pink tinted sand and turquoise blue water. By the way, February is the PERFECT month to travel...not too hot, not too cold. While snorkeling we saw a shipwreck, sharks, stingrays, etc. Dad learned to sail and was an excellent captain (I just couldn't stop singing the Gilligan's Island song in my head though). Melanie and I took the kayak out over several reefs. A tour of the Island led us to the spot where Christopher Columbus first landed in the Americas. Our family had archery competitions and Daniel smoked us all. Shannon loved the magician that visited our table most meals.

Fourth, just after graduating high school, my family went to a Club Med in Eleuthera, Bahamas. I've wondered over the years if I'd idealized my Club Med experience because it was my first real resort/beach experience. You know, like when you go out to eat and have something that is amazing, then go back later and it just wasn't as good as you'd remembered? Anyways, I now realize that I hadn't put Club Med on a pedestal...it really was and is that amazing. I don't fully endorse many things, but I LOVE CLUB MED. Examples...

• Upon our arrival to the San Salvador airport we were greeted with cold water, a cold/damp wash cloth, and whisked away to the resort where our luggage was delivered to our rooms after we were given a fruity beverage and tour of the resort.
  
• The bucket and shovel waiting for us in our room that we later used to build sand castles.


• Beach towel service - if your towel gets wet or sandy, just go to the little hut and exchange it for a fresh one
  
• Someone brought you fresh fruit while you lounged on the beach
  
• The view from our balcony



• Always at least 3 huge water bottles in your room, replaced daily
  
• I'd noticed someone flying a kite, one call to reception and we were flying a kite on the beach within 20 minutes
  
• The FOOD! I tried escargot, frogs legs, conch fritters, ate pineapple at every meal and even learned to make their famous white chocolate bread at one of their many workshops. One day we had a grill out on the beach, another day we went to the seafood restaurant and had lobster, another day to the Brazilian one and had meat cut off the skewers.



• Open bar...and for our family that meant sipping unlimited pina colada, mango, strawberry, and banana daiquiris on the beach.


• A nurse on site to help Shannon with her constipation, Steve with his plugged up ears, and Lindsey with her allergic reaction to sunscreen.
  
• Aubrey dropped a room key through the deck planks...no problem, no charge.
• A live band to greet you as you entered dinner


• The sand was combed every morning (can't have bumps in my sand), and seaweed removed and bagged


• We checked in for our return flight and checked baggage AT the resort (while Shannon sipped her last daiquari)

Needless to say the word Heaven floated through my mind a million times a day.

So thank you Mom and Dad for memories of a lifetime, and even better, a family forever.