Island Life, Here we Come

Our Homeaway Vacation Dream is coming true! We've booked the place and it is beautiful!
We took our passport photos, that I hope to scan into the blog.
We've purchased our tickets for departure in a few short weeks.
I'm taking Kevin's picture to get an online replacement of his dive card.
I'm calling American Airlines to let them know Olive will be on my lap.
I've purchased a Kelty framepack for Oliver to ride in at the airport and on hikes.

I'm researching our itinerary for the island, which will include:
several dive experiences
dolphin encounters for Ana and Elliot
horseback riding
snorkeling
tropical drinks
typical breakfast
oceanfront lounging
star gazing
deep breathing
belly laughing

And on the mainland:
I hope to meet my new 'niece' Crisella
I want to spend time with Tia Marta and Tio Yeto, Tia Thelma, Pamen, Hector Emilio & Maria Marta, Tio Eduardo, Tia Maria Teresa, Tio Rolando...I want to see how much Juan Alfredo, Hansie, Daniel, Rafael, Blanca, Ana Cecilia and Laura have grown.
I want to go to Copan Ruinas. The last time I was there, I was courting Kevin(-;
I want to eat sea bass on Lake Yojoa.
I want to take a day trip to San Antonio del Oriente.
I want to share my beautiful children with our beautiful family. I want them to fall in love with the land, the people, the traditions. I want to start a tradition of these visits...these were such a big part of my growth and development. I can't wait.

Grand Prize Winna

Hi Emmy,

On behalf of HomeAway, CONGRATULATIONS on winning the “Why I Deserve a Getaway from HomeAway” contest. We look forward to helping you find and book the perfect rental home for your next vacation.

In order to facilitate the reservation process, please identify three properties from any of the HomeAway Web sites that you’d potentially like to stay in for your prize vacation, including your preferred travel dates. Searching by availability will help you eliminate any properties that might already be booked during that time. Also, if you’re planning to travel during the “peak season” of a particular destination, we recommend selecting your dates as soon as possible so that you have a greater selection of properties to choose from. The number of guests you can bring with you is dependent on the size of the property you decide to stay in. You can find some great homes within the prize value that will accommodate more than just your immediate family. In fact, having additional space is one of the many benefits of staying in a vacation rental property!

Once you’ve selected your favorite homes, I will work with the property owner to book your reservation.

In the meantime, please do not hesitate to contact EB, Director of Global Public Relations, or me if you have questions.

Once again, congrats!

Sincerely,
JD
******
Two things:
1. Wanna help me look?
2. Who's comin' with me?

Dream Vacation, Part One

The notarized paperwork for our Homeaway vacation is in the mail...

Dream Vacation!

The whole contest through Homeaway has been unbelievable. It all started with our Free! condo during Gustav, courtesy of Georges Georgiou and Vacation Rental By Owner. As if that wasn't enough, my blog post about his kindness led a Homeaway staffer to invite me to join this contest...which led to friends and family rallying behind us to win. It all goes back to Georges. I'm amazed by how kindesses and love can multiply.

So now, we're in the planning stages of this big trip. Because we had so much support, we hope to bring any friends and family with us, just as we did when we married. Of course, $5000 isn't much, but what I'm trying to say is that you're all invited to join us. We'll squeeze in who we can (which right now is Tita, Tito, Tia Ella, and Gigi), and help the rest of our friends find accommodations if the house is too small. We're pretty good at setting boundaries, and by no means are we expecting to descend upon the small town like a tour bus. We expect folks to do their own thing, and if we occasionally intersect, then so be it. If you're a good friend, who's curious enough to ask, please do. Being surrounded by people we love is all quite selfish, anyway.

And so as we look at our choices, this one is topping the list:

This is one of four like it, on Half Moon Key. It's at the end of the strip of dive shops and our favorite restaurants on West End Beach. The truly breathtaking beach is West Bay Beach, but it's lined with resorts and a chain hotel or two. West End=MidCity

West Bay=St. Charles Ave.

We are thinking of leaving the week after Jazz Fest, before the rainy season (and hurricane season), while it's warm enough to dive. We plan on a two week trip, one week on the island with our pals, and a week on the mainland with just family, introducing our children to their immense and colorful family that's only met them through pictures!

Ana's already planning the itinerary with snorkeling, swimming with dolphins, and horse-back riding on the agenda.

If you're bored, peruse the Homeaway site (search Roatan). We're taking suggestions on breath-taking accommodations!

In the name of white sand

Hi friends,

I've entered a blogging contest that I'm hoping you can help me to win. Homeaway is sponsoring a contest that will send us to paradise where we can stay in a vacation home if we get the most votes.

Here's how you can help:

1. Please vote for our family to win a trip to Honduras today! This link will send you to the summary of our post. Once you click the button to view the full entry and vote, you'll be prompted to enter your email address. A follow-up email will be sent to you (to avoid spamming in the contest) that you must respond to.

2. And please send your friends and family too!

Thanks

Send us to Honduras!

Six years ago, when Kevin and I married at sunset on a beach in Roatan, we were surrounded by family and friends. To “send us off,” they’d come with us, by taxi, then airplane, then seaplane, on a journey that connected the unlikeliest sorts of people in ways we couldn’t have anticipated.

I knew this was the case when we were standing in the New Orleans airport, and a college friend who’d traveled from Africa was chatting animatedly with Kevin’s sister-in-law, a country girl from Plaquemine, Louisiana, taking pictures together because they’d both worn black and white to travel.

The auspicious start pervaded the entire event, from the festive atmosphere on the airplane to the narrow strip of hotels and eateries that lined the Caribbean beach, as our loved ones made connections, dinner plans, and scuba dates on the dusty unpaved road.

On the day of the wedding, family flew in from the Honduran mainland and stood next to us, barefooted, voices trembling, as we began this incredible adventure together.

And since that day, so much has happened. We have parented three beautiful children, 5, 3, and 3 months. Our son Elliot was diagnosed with a congenital condition at age 4 months, when we returned from evacuating Hurricane Katrina. Kevin works nights, and shuttles him to speech, occupational, and physical therapies each day, now with our youngest child, Oliver in tow.

My work with a non-profit childcare center started by parents supports families rebuilding our great city. It’s rewarding work that consumes any energy I might have left from juggling three children under 5. That leaves little for my husband and me. With our opposite schedules, sometimes days go by when I feel like I haven’t seen him.

Having never met Elliot, all my family in Honduras knows of our son is that he was born with a disability. They’ve never been put under his spell and don’t yet know we’re the luckiest people alive to have him. I’d love the opportunity to share my beautiful family with them all.



Send us back. Vote today to send us here: