Home Again

After a fantastic 8 days in the Eastern Caribbean I've returned home with a fantastic tan and a few thoughts. I promise to give you cruise details and pictures in upcoming posts, but for today just some thoughts.

I loved all the ports we visited: St. Thomas, Antigua, Tortola, Nassau, Key West. I saw such beauty and once again realized how vast the Earth is. I realized how much creativity went into the creation of our Earth and was in awe of the amazingness our world encompasses. Personally, I LOVE beaches and the ocean and there was plenty for me to see. It was amazing to be surrounded by such blue water and such greenery and the softest sandy beaches and so many colorful flowers.

As well as all the sights to see there were so many people to meet and talk to and experience. In our singles group we had a variety of occupations and backgrounds. In each port there were our tour guides and taxi drivers and vendors on the streets. I loved being around people in the ports who were the locals. They had a very relaxed way of life. They were so friendly and genuine and wanted to know where we were from and how my life was off their island. In foreign lands I am an exotic creature, so men were constantly calling me beautiful and gorgeous passing by them on the streets. A girl sure loves hearing that!

I went on this cruise with an LDS singles group. It was great to be around so many fun, energetic people. It was a struggle towards the end of the trip when I felt part of a singles ward on a ship. The last few days of the cruise we traveled in a pack. It was as if people suddenly couldn't make decisions on their own unless the entire group was part of what they individually wanted to do. This was tough for me. I have this issue with LDS singles when I'm in Utah, and this is one of the reasons I've stopped attending singles wards. I am a very independent person. I don't need to consult a group before making a choice. If I want to do something, I do it. If I have company for it, right on. If not, I'm not going to pass up on an opportunity to do something or go somewhere I want. So may of my LDS singles would. And that often saddens me.

I also stopped attending single's wards because I was tired of church feeling like a place simply to meet people, or my future spouse. It was very hard being around so many people who think their life is incomplete or not good enough without a spouse. I'm just not that girl. I have an awesome life and amazing friends and family. I know who I am and while I'd like a spouse, I don't place my self worth in the achievement of being married. Whether single or married I'm going to be happy and grateful and know life is GOOD. And I'm gonna have so much fun getting to know people and sharing my love of life that in that enjoyment and genuine gratitude of life I'll bring to me the people that my life needs. And if a husband comes out of all my love and gratitude and happiness, so be it. If not..... I'm gonna rock at being me and loving the life I've got. On this cruise, many women found it necessary to ditch their friends they came with and make sure every moment of their time was spent with the men of our group. This was a struggle to watch and be a part of. I wish the women could have had more love for themselves and their lives and realized how incredible they are and not felt like they needed to cater to the men and be on the cruise for the end goal of finding a spouse.

Getting back to Utah was welcome for me. I had a great vacation!!!! I relaxed, got away from work, got a tan, shopped, ate great food. Basics for a good time. :-) And when it was time to come home, I was ready. I wasn't missing home or dying to come back, but I was ready to get back to my life.

When I walked into the front door of my cute house that I have just always loved I was in awe again. I saw the decor and the paint and in a way it all felt new again. I didn't have the frustration withe wanting to get the carpet changed before the end of the year or hating the out of date kitchen that I am plotting to change. I didn't have the urge to criticize my home, but I was able to walk in the door and totally, completely love it as I had the first week I'd moved in. And the pride of being a homeowner and doing all the work I've done returned to me as I walked in the door and unloaded my bags.

After starting laundry and unpacking I went to get Miss Pili. She'd spent time with a dear coworker who had let me live in her home before buying my home. This woman loves dogs and she and her husband treated Pili as if she was their own while I was gone. When she opened the door Pili jumped up on me and licked my face and was as happy to see me as I was to see her. I'll admit, I may not have been homesick but I was missing my Pili.

We headed for home and Pili could not stop trying to come up front. She rode home perched on the armrest between the 2 front seats with my arm around her neck rubbing her ears and scratching her neck. When we pulled into the garage she was pacing in the back seat and whimpering. As soon as I let her out of the car she ran to the door to the house and pawed at it and nosed it as if to tell me to hurry up and let her inside. It made me giggle. I was glad she was ready to be home too.

I love to travel. I love to see new places. I love to experience life and see all the world has to offer. I'm grateful for my life. I am so blessed. While I don't believe I take how blessed I am for granted I love how much more grateful I feel right now. I love the refreshing reminder of what I have slightly taken for granted and remembering how much I love and appreciate my fantastic life.