A Caribbean Trip To Remember

On New Year’s Eve, the four of us boarded an airplane from Philadelphia for Nassau, the Bahamas. It was a long-awaited trip—it had been quite some time since all four of us flew on an airplane together. We met up with Jason’s family from the West Coast there for one night, and the next day flew to San Salvador, a remote Bahamas island.

Yes, a whole week with my husband’s family. Some of you may cringe at the idea of spending a vacation with your spouse’s family. You should reconsider this. Our trip was a success and thoroughly enjoyable—not just because of the beautiful weather, water and island beauty.

The girls and I got a chance to get to know his family better (since they are on the West Coast, we do not see them often). We all took plenty of pictures and have memories to look back on.

The girls have taken many trips to Long Beach Island but have never experienced a beach like San Salvador. Now that they are older, they have the ability to absorb such a trip. The waves were not rough most days, so we got them in the water and they loved it. When they were not in the water, they were usually running on the sand.

Another advantage of traveling with family is that you can split the cost of the time-share or house, car rental and food. Traveling with a few kids is expensive. Do the math. If you travel as a group, your vacation expense might be half of what you would spend if you traveled alone as a family.

It’s good to have a buddy system as well if you are on a remote island. Jason’s cousin has a place in San Salvador, so she transported us around the island of only 500 inhabitants. There are no street signs on San Salvador so it is difficult for many tourists to get around and not get lost. One way to figure out your location is to follow the telephone poles. There is no hospital on the island so if you had a medical emergency, it would be a problem.

Before I got married, every year I traveled with a girlfriend or two out of the country. The travel bug hit me again on this trip, and I hope we can take many vacations out of the country with the kids in years to come.

If you’re on the fence about taking a trip out of the country with young kids, consider going as an extended family—either with your side or your spouse’s. There are cost advantages but most importantly, the chance to spend quality time with family you don’t see often.

I have my eye on traveling again next January to a warm but less primitive location—the perfect time to get away if you live in the Northeast.

Today Kaitlyn asked me, “When are we going back to the Bahamas” I laughed and said, “It’s going to be awhile.” Happy she had this experience to remember.

A Small Gesture of Kindness

Yesterday, outside of Whole Foods a man was selling a newspaper to help the homeless. I gave him the suggested donation of a dollar and got the newspaper One Step Away, a local paper produced by the homeless for the community. One of the articles was on a film company offering second chances to those in recovery from homelessness. This paper is a fantastic resource more people should support.

I have seen one homeless woman at my local church for more than a year now. Every Saturday I take the girls to my local Catholic church; it has been part of our routine since they were babies. I often spot this homeless woman in a back pew. It breaks my heart whenever I see her.

Yesterday, I walked past her to get some bulletins for the kids to draw on–I gave her a five-dollar bill and an unopened water bottle. She tried to push the money away but I left it next to her.

As I sat through the service, I glanced back once or twice to see her. She had her head down and coughed off and on. I remember the last time I spotted her—it was a cold day and I was pushing Kaitlyn in the stroller. She was walking north on Broad Street with a chair in tow.

So at church yesterday, I passed by the woman again to take the girls to the bathroom. I handed her two granola bars I had packed for the girls. This time, she did not push my hand away and gave me the biggest smile, a grateful smile.

The weekly mass is part of her routine, as it is mine. We have spoken briefly in the past. I say to her, “You take care of yourself.” She has said to me, “Don’t give up.” When I do not see her for a month or two, I have wondered how she was doing. Was she safe? Was she cold or hungry? Was she mentally ill?

As I drove home last night with the girls, I spotted her eating the granola bar, waiting for the light to turn green to cross the street. I do not know where she was headed, but I hoped she would be safe and warm.

Next week, when I see her in church I will bring more granola bars and water. Sometimes even a small kind gesture can make a difference in someone’s life.