America 2014

In early June, we took the pilgrimage back across the Pacific and set our feet on American soil for three weeks. It was a full and challenging trip for us and one that I'm not sure we will be doing again any time soon.  It was a big trip!  We stopped in Michigan, Austin and North Carolonia and all got sick along the way.  We celebrated Adi's 1st Birthday, Father's Day, Allison's High School Graduation and Eric's Birthday.  We spent time with Jamie and Brian in Austin and Aunt Jo, Inayat and Alasdair in North Carolina. We also caught up with Christie, Jay and Maura and Jeb and Andera in Michigan.  It was a packed trip.  Travel was tough with Adalyn being mobile and taking her first steps at Aunt Sandy's.  We also all caught the "Asian Plague" and passed it to 14 of 16 people who were in contact with us in the first 72 hours we were in the states.  Being sick is no fun, but being sick while traveling with jet leg and a 12 month old, just sucks.  Here are a few pictures of our time in the States.  Enjoy.

We had a quick overnight stay in Hong Kong.  I hope to visit for longer soon

Noodles with a view! 

Our time in Michigan

Adalyn and Maura

Our old college hangout, Dominick's... 

Adalyn's 1st Birthday in Michigan

Three Generations. Adalyn, her momma and Great Grandma

Allison, the new graduate!

Adi and her Grandpa

Grandma got her wish to rock Adi to sleep.  Poor thing was so sick!

Our Quick Trip to Texas:

We were literally on the ground less than 72 hours!  It was a quick one but glad we could see my sister and Brian!

Adi loving her first Amy's Ice Cream in the airport

North Carolina:

Asheville  - We spent three lovely days relaxing in a gorgeous mountain house with Aunt Jo, Inayat and Alasdair.  It was a great few days and we all wished we had more time to chill here.  We spent some time exploring Asheville and participated in the weekly drum circle.  Adi loved it! We also celebrated Eric's 32nd birthday.  We went on a brewery tour, which was awesome and ate Mexican food for dinner.  We also got some hiking in and Adi broke in her new backpack.  It was a great time.

Our little drummer and walker!

Drum Circle

Look at all those taps!  Someone was in beer heaven!

After Asheville, we drove to Raleigh to collect the rest of our stuff and have one last day shopping.  It was a quick trip and visit but we were glad that we stopped.

And after a long 25 hours of travel, we made it back to Penang!  6 suitcases, 2 strollers and a baby backpack later we were home! 

The Perhintians, Take Three

Over Raya, we took a trip to our favorite Malaysian Islands, the Perhintians.  This was actually my third, Eric's second and Adi's first time hanging out in the Perhintians.  We spent five lovely days on this beautiful island, relaxing, enjoying the gentle waves, soft sand and very laid back island life.  Most days were spent playing in the sand, snorkeling and swimming in the calm, clear and peaceful ocean.  Adalyn had a good time learning to play (not eat) in the sand and earned her sea legs on our last day.  Eric and I enjoyed amazing snorkeling, seeing thousands of fish, sting rays, sea turtles and reef sharks all off of the beach in the picture above.  It was awesome!  Although, I had planned to dive, I decided it wasn't the best choice two weeks after having surgery. The snorkeling took care of my deep water cravings but really it was so nice to spend time with my two favorite people in the world.  It was a nice family getaway.  Enjoy a few pictures and Adi's videos at the end!

The windblown look

Our oceanfront room..not too bad

Family Selfie

Sand is for playing, not eating...

And she's off into the gentle waves

Sand and coral is for eating right?

Beach Baby!

She found her sea legs!  

Adi Loved the boat ride to/from the island

Fast asleep on the speed boat back to the mainland.  She's one well traveled kid

Adalyn: 14 Months

This month seemed to go by fast, just like Adi.  Since she figured out how to walk last month, there's been no stopping her.  She is excited with her new found mobility and into exploring everything.  Its been a lot of fun to watch her become more confident and mobile.  I can also say that I was ready for her to walk and it came at a perfect time.  This month, Adalyn's vocabulary has grown and she can almost say small sentences.  She still loves cats and loves to meow whenever possible.  She has popped two more teeth this month and I can see more on the way very soon.  The highlight of this month was watching her get her "sea legs" in the Perhintian Islands.  We captured it on a video.  Here are a few of our favorite pictures from Adi's 14th month!

Ride'm Cowgirl!

Her second 4th of July!

And she LOVES to make a mess!

Ring Ring, she loves the phone!

And Adi learning to love the beach!

Beached!

Two days ago marked our 3rd anniversary in Penang.  Three years, already!?!?!  We signed up for two, and that went too fast, and there has been no slowing down with year three.  So much has happened in the last three years, it's hard to summarize, share and reflect upon.  It's been life changing, expanding, challenging, fun and the most amazing time of our lives.  As I sit here, I am full of gratitude for this experience, for the island of Penang, for the people who have come and gone, who have been my teachers, my friends and family, but most of all how I am forever changed by my time here.

The changes from this experience became evident to me during a recent trip to Thailand, where a very special day that I spent weeks planning went not so according to plan.  Here is the universe's reminder to me that best laid plans, are just plans and sometimes shit happens.

In March, my 75 year old Grandma visited us from the US for three weeks.  During her time in SE Asia, we took her to Phuket, to spend some time on a nice beach and cruise the beautiful Phagna Bay.  I hired a private boat that was able to accommodate all of our needs and keep us away from the hordes of tourists, while showing us the splendor of the Thai waters.    The days started off as planned, a nice gentle cruise through the mangroves, complete with kayaking and a gourmet lunch.

Eric took grandma on her first kayak ride and Adalyn and I hung out on the boat, drinking coconuts and snacking on fruit.  Once we were all back on board, we headed to a "deserted" beach that very few boats could go to because of the shallow coral reef surrounding the island.  Our captain assured us that with his flat bottom boat and years of sailing experience, he knew all the best spots around Phuket, so we went.  The beach didn't disappoint and it was very gratifying to give my Grandmother the experience of being on a deserted beach in Thailand.  We all hopped into the crystal blue water and enjoyed the waves and powdery sand.

We were in the water about five minutes before the captain hurried us out of the water as the tide was changing quickly and we needed to move, so we quickly boarded the boat.  Not long after we all made it back on board, we scraped a piece of coral, then we hit another, then Eric jumped out of the boat to help the captain and his girlfriend push, and then the inevitable happened...  we stopped.

We were stuck, stranded, beached.
Beached on coral, on a private boat, in Thailand.
Beached with my 75 year old grandmother.
Beached with my 11 month old daughter.
Beached until the tides shifted and the ocean came back to our boat.
Beached.

If this had happened three years ago:
I would have freaked out.
I would have yelled, screamed, swore, cried and ripped our captain a new one.
We would have been rescued.
I would have written a nasty review on every travel site and told every one I knew to never book a trip with this company.
I would have demanded and received a full refund.
I would have been a complete bitch.
I would have ruined everyone's day.

Instead this happened:

Adalyn slept

I breathed

Eric explored

We laughed

I showed the captain grace, and let his Thai girlfriend take care of the rest...

I made a memory with my Grandma that none of us will ever forget

And I did what my Mom always wanted me to do, I danced!

And you know what happened, the tide it came back, it lifted our boat and let us sail again.  We may have been beached but it was only temporary.  A short, in hindsight, six hours of my life, where I realized how much I have grown, change and shifted.

The best part of the whole day was the unobstructed sunset that we were lucky enough to see.  We were alone in the big bay, sailing back to the dock watching the sun set on a day I will remember for the rest of my life.

Adalyn: 13 Months

We spent most of Adalyn's 13th month in the United States, visiting family and friends.  This was a big month for Adi, not only did you take 11 flights, through 12 time zones, she started WALKING!  We officially have a mobile toddler.  She took her first steps at her Aunt Sandy's in Michigan and there's been no stopping her since.  She was a great traveler and really did well despite having her first ever flu/Asian plague.  She played with her grandparents, cousins, great grandma and aunts and uncles in Michigan.  Hung out with her aunt Jamie and uncle Brian in Texas and played with her auntie Jo Jo, uncle Al and Inayat in North Carolina.  It was a big month for our sweet girl.  Here are a few pictures and some videos.  Enjoy!

Look at all those teeth!

With her Great Grand and Momma

Adi's new daddy seat!

As you can see, she is very comfortable

Here she comes!

and she is so proud of herself!