Jamaica

 

This fall Stephen and I celebrated our 40th birthdays and our 15 year anniversary by heading to an all inclusive resort in Ochos Rios, Jamaica with our friends Heidi and Chad.  

We were so excited just to get to Jamaica and enjoy being husband and wife instead of mommy and daddy.

 

About to try paddle boarding for the first time!

 

We started out safe on our knees but got the hang of it soon enough.

 

That is our resort behind me.

 

Yay!  We did it!

 

Stephen blowing on the conch shell he bought from a local guy. 

 He was VERY excited about this souvenir  for Amelia because you have to blow on it like a trumpet to play it.

 

Heidi and I with our coconuts.  I crack myself up.

 

We headed to Dolphin Cove on one of our excursions to fulfill my lifelong dream of swimming with dolphins.

 

 

They also had all these Macaws, which were so beautiful but I was also slightly terrified they were going to rip my ear off.

 

And iguanas!!

 

And then it was time for our Dolphin swim and I could barely contain my excitement!

 

Stephen getting pulled tummy to tummy by a dolphin.  He is so cute!

 

Kisses!

 

Dancing!

 

The dolphins were very enthusiastic kissers and were squishing my cheeks together.  

 

 

So my dream since I was a little girl was to be pulled by dolphins in the water and to have them lift me out of the water.  I couldn't believe I was finally doing it!  It was just so exhilarating, I couldn't stop laughing.

 

And then it was time for the biggie.  The others in my group didn't do the Dolphin push, just me, so the pressure was on.  

The Jamaican man told me to swim out and lay on my stomach with my arms up and feet flexed.  "Yeah mon", he said.  I of course had a million questions, what if they miss?  What if I immediately fall?  Do I get another chance?  "No mon, one chance."   But this is my dream!!!

So out I swam and he sent the dolphins to me but I couldn't see them because they are so fast and they were deep under water.  

And all of a sudden...bam!  They were each simultaneously pushing the bottom of my feet and I just stood on up!

 

See how excited?

 

I was traveling on top of the water up to my shins!   It was unbelievable! 

Absolutely one of the best experiences of my life...except of course my wedding day and the birth of my children, blah blah blah.

Loved it!!

 

The dolphins just got to hang out with me for so long because I think Jamaican rules might be a little more loose than in America.  Look at this guy, he kept swimming up to me so I would pet him some more and he would close his eyes and just relax.  So sweet.  

So thankful to my husband and Heidi and Chad that they traveled all the way to Jamaica to fulfill this wish of mine.  I will never forget it.

 

This was the first time we stayed at an all inclusive and man did we take full advantage.  We ate and drank everything we could get our hands on.  It was delicious!

 

Pretty Jamaica.

 

We also headed on an excursion to Dunns River Falls and hiked up this huge waterfall.  It was pretty awesome!

 

The water was freezing!

 

Such a fun trip with fun friends, we laughed and drank and ate and it was perfect.

 

Love this guy!

 

We will miss you Jamaica!