Back to Reality

I must admit that I am a little depressed.  I just came back from an eight day trip to Puerto Vallarta with my hubby, sister, her husband, and six friends from church.  It takes quite a bit for me to be down, but let’s face it.  It’s really tough to go from barefoot on a beautiful, sunny beach and 80 degrees to a messy house, 32 degrees, and snowing.  I am going to try to list all the awful things that happened on the trip to try to lessen the pain of reality.  Here goes:

• When we were lying in our bed in the mornings, ornate ironwork from our private balcony interfered with the view of the ocean as we looked out our patio doors.
• Crazy tourists on a jet ski disturbed the mama and baby humpback whale we saw at the beginning of our 3 hour, 44 mile ocean trip with a marine biologist, so we had to go out farther into the bay to see numerous hump back whale and hear one sing.  Oh yeah – a seagull messed on my sister.
• I got sand in my shorts when I was knocked over by an ocean wave and couldn’t stand up until three more waves hit me because I was laughing so hard. My friends were laughing even harder.
• A hotel guest in his skimpy bathing suit sat at a table directly across from us at the outdoor café and his Grand Canyon plumber’s crack was not the tourist attraction we came to see, but it made it hard to look up and enjoy the view of the bleach.
• The orange, fuchsia pink and purple flowers in the rain forest were so bright that they hurt my eyes.
• I gained three pounds because I indulged in the reasonably-portioned sizes of the delicious, five-course gourmet evening meals – oh – and the free room service cheesecake that was delivered to our balcony. 
• I literally bruised my behind bouncing in the back of the van on the horribly roads we took up the mountain to see El Eden, a breath-taking rainforest waterfall.
• One day was overcast so the temperature only hit the upper 70’s and the ocean waves were much higher.
• I didn’t get to exercise in the hotel gym because I was too busy walking on the beach and exploring several Mexican markets and towns.
• I got multiple stains on my shirts because the fresh papaya, melons, and pineapple were too juicy.
• I cried Sunday as I prayed and praised with the congregation that worships in the church my husband and our church’s construction team built during their mission trips.  I cried again as I witnessed people standing in line to receive free dental, vision, and medical care outside the church during the week.  
• It’s hard to justify the few trinkets and treasure I brought home for souvenirs when I know that the indigenous missionary, his wife, and three children have moved into the heart of Mexico to minister and are surviving on $100 a month.  His wife offered to share their squash, beans, and handmade tortillas they survive on if we visit.

Well, this helped.  It's good to be home.  Who needs the beach.  I've got the gym and the pool.