Merida

We were so excited to get to Merida and meet up with Mike and his family.  

I can't believe how much these girls have grown.

Mika pulled out a game of checkers and had an intense game with the boys.  

 On New Years eve we headed out to a beach by progresso.  We spent several hours swimming and finding sea shells.  

Mike showed up how to feed the seagulls taco shells in the air.  

Kata made an amazing meal for New Years eve.  We all ate so much we could hardly move when we were done.  

Briggs and Avram were the punching bags for Dianas Nephews.  They called Briggs and Avram the brothers of Mike.  

On New Years Day we went to an Hacienda that was built on top of a Cenote.  

We toured the hacienda before heading to the cenote.  

The water was amazing! (It was too cold for most of the Natives, lol). This is the outer part of the Cenote 

This is the underground part of the Cenote.  It was spectacular.  

Afterward We had some chips and salsa while the kids swam.  

When we left the Cenote we went to a Mayan restaurant.  Avram loved the fish.

We all felt like this by the end of the day.  

Sadly Mike and Dianas flight was changed so they had to leave several days earlier than originally planned.  

We set up this picture again.  Its hard to believe what has happened in the last 10 years.  

His another picture that is shocking.  

Luis bought some fresh Coconut and broke it open for us.  Avram and Mike ate a lot of it.  Unfortunately it ended up making both Mike and Avram very sick for the next couple of days.  

When we said our good byes Avram said good bye to Mika and then he said, "I probably won't ever see you again."  I was shocked by Avrams comment and I said, "What are you talking about?  Of course you are going to see them again."  He said, "Mom, Im going on a mission this summer and then after that I don't know when I will see them.  How often do you see your cousins?"  

I couldn't believe it.  I mean, Im sure Avram will see them again but really the time for the strongest relationships between cousins is gone.  It is really sad to think that he has only seen Mika and Addy a handful of times.  

I feel like my boys were cheated when it comes to time with my family.  

Mom and Dad were working and then on missions for most of their lives, Crystal lived in Idaho so we didn't see her very often, Justin has always lived just far enough away that it wasn't easy to see him, David has never been very involved with family matters, and Mike served his mission and then got married and left for Georgia/Texas.  

Crystal helped out a couple of times to watch my boys, and we tried to see the Adams a couple of times a year but other than that my boys haven't really had much quality time with anyone in my family.  

Now they are teenagers and have their social lives that are top priority for them.  At least we have Mom and Dad and the Adams close by so my boys get to see them somewhat regularly even it it is just in passing.  

c