On this 4th of July weekend where we are spending some quality family time together, I want to reminisce on one of the best parts of our adoption trip. Looking back, I can appreciate it much more. Matt and I were experiencing some very raw moments and high intensity the whole trip which sometimes blinded us from the absolute awesomeness that was that trip!
Six barefoot, swimsuit wearing, late night fishing, crab hunting, hammock laying, fresh juice drinkin’, sun kissed kiddos — la vida perfecta!
This past November, our family spent a month in Belize finalizing our adoption. We were told it takes about 10 days for documentation so the kids could leave the country, but prepare for the unknown. Yeah sure! Tell these two type A planners to prepare for who knows how long!!! And that’s exactly how it was — each day not knowing how much longer we’d be in Belize, but more on that in another post.
We wanted to take the whole family because we didn’t want anyone to miss out on this huge life event. Yes, they missed school and fall events, but years from now when we look back what are they going to remember? I bet it’ll be the memories we spent for the first time as a family of 8 and not that missed Thanksgiving party at school.
We chose to find Airbnbs verses hotels. I wanted all of us to be together not split up in separate hotel rooms. The point of this time was to bond as a family. Do you know how hard it is to find a house for 8 people in Belize on a weeks notice?! I really had to think outside the box. We stayed in 4 different homes because of booking availability. Yes, it was a pain to pack up and move, but we were able to see some awesome parts of this small, Central American country.
Matt and I decided to build in a “vacation” within the adoption trip. Both of us had visited a small island located about 20 miles from Belize City multiple times on our past mission trips and fell in love with this remote, sand covered, motor-less island in the middle of the Caribbean Sea.
Caye Caulker is a small island accessible only by water taxi and maybe a small plane. Their island motto is, GO SLOW. It is only about 5 miles in length by less than 1 mile wide. Caye Caulker is divided by a narrow channel called the Split separating the developed side from the forest reserve side.
Matt and I had only visited the south side of the island, but when I was looking for a house to fit all of us that was safe and quiet, I found this beautiful, remote hidden gem on the north side of Caye Caulker (Casa Vista). Until about a year ago, the north part of Caye Caulker was off the grid and home to dense mangrove forest and diverse birdlife, protected by a forest reserve. Now they have started to develop parts of it.
We took a water taxi to Caye Caulker and then we were met by our awesome host, Mike and the property owner’s dog, Chaquiste (meaning sand flea in Spanish — probably should have been a hint :). He came and picked us up by boat to travel to the secluded area about 5 minutes away. The first night there we were met with two coconut cocktails and the start of a cool friendship with Mike.
We were warned ahead of time that, although they had running water and the occasional wifi, it was still the rustic, relaxed kind of living. We went without hot water most of the time, were always covered in coconut oil to help prevent sand flea bites and what was wifi? But, y’all, when I say it was perfect, it really was for our family. We had this whole house right on the sea, waking up to the beautiful sunsets over the water, with a pool, crabs, lizards, a boat and fishing right off the dock. It was my dream place. The pool even had a small kiddie pool built onto the front for Mia to play in!!
This is what our days looked like:
We woke up to the beautiful sun coming through the windows. Had breakfast on the middle-level deck over looking the water. Already dressed in our bathing suits, we jumped on the boat to head to the south side. On the south side, we explored the island and grabbed groceries to head back to the house. The kids spent the rest of the day swimming, catching crabs, playing in the sand as I relaxed and watched from a small table covered with a thatched umbrella. Matt loved the freedom to cook, sit on the deck and the occasional swim with the kids.
One day we decided to go half-day snorkeling for less than 36BZ per person…why not?! We have partnered with the same company, French Angel Expedition, for seven years with past groups so we trusted the company and knew how awesome and careful the guides are. The Caye Caulker Marine Reserve has dive sites on the Belize Barrier Reef. This is the second largest barrier reef in the world behind Australia! We spent the morning looking straight through the Caribbean water, feeding tarpons that leaped a foot out of the water, snorkeling (kinda ha!), swimming with sharks and stingrays and eating the most delicious pineapple ever!
I will never forget the fun we had, the friends we met and the bonding that took place on this trip.
Y’all! Travel the world with your family! Take your kids. Sit by the water drinking some Belikin, they will be fine! I know, especially during this time, it is a scary thought, but you won’t be sorry to have the memories and experiences years down the road!