Back to reality

We're back from the DR and it was a good trip. We were super busy, almost too busy, but it was good to keep our minds occupied. This was not the time to sit on a beach for 7 days, thinking. I only really broke down once.

It was a good way to spend the holiday- in a foreign country where they don't celebrate it!!

We arrived in Santo Domingo on Saturday afternoon. We were whisked away, along with Big Papi from the Red Sox, to the VIP lounge where R's uncle K was waiting for us. Funny thing is that R and I are not sports fans by any means but R saw this huge guy in first class on the plane and whispers to me "I think that's Big Papi." I shrug and go back to my magazine. As we're getting off the plane I have to go into first class to get my backpack and I'm standing next to him. R is gesturing and pointing for me to check him out. I look at him and shrug back at R. I have no clue; I thought he had dreads! But then we get off the plane and everyone, literally everyone, that walks by him shouts, "Hey Big Papi!!"

We had dinner out in the city and on Sunday Uncle K drove  us up to the north coast of the Samana peninsula. We stayed at a hotel in this little town called Las Terrenas.

It was nice because we have stayed in resorts in the past and this hotel was right in the town. I liked being closer to the locals but it also meant we were subjected to the not so nice parts of the society. There was a lot of trash on the roads that got washed into the ocean when it rained. And there were a lot of stray dogs. R and I decided we should move to the DR where he can open a scooter shop and I will rescue stray dogs and promote trash collection! We spent the days walking along the beach, lounging near the pool, napping, and eating.

My one breakdown was while we were at las Terrenas. I was writing in my book to Owl about my cousin, Vanessa, who had Turner Syndrome and passed away about 5 years ago. She was in her early 30s and it was very sudden but she wasn't supposed to live past childhood. She had a full life for someone with the condition. She was one of the kindest people I ever knew. It all just made me feel sad that life is really so short, whether you live 1 day or 12 days or 30 years or more. It's never enough for the ones you love and who love you.

Anyway, we went back to the city on Wednesday and had a spa afternoon. R got a massage and I had a manicure and pedicure and got my hair cut. I was a little nervous about the haircut because my Spanish is not great but it came out great. I needed that little pick-me-up. Now, how can I go back to Santo Domingo the next time I need a hair cut? That night we had a pseudo-Thanksgiving dinner at Uncle K's house with some family friends.

Thursday R and I roamed around a mall while we waited for Uncle K to be done with work. Then we drove up to the mountains in Jarabacoa. This was by far my favorite place on the island. This is where they did a lot of helicopter shots in Jurassic Park so there are these ancient looking green mountains and rolling hills. I wished I could have hiked more because there are some amazing waterfalls in the area.

 Instead I sat in the heated pool at the house we stayed at, looking out over a valley!

On Friday, R and I went for a tour of a cocoa farm. It was awesome!!! R and I met working at a chocolate company and R still works for them. We both knew how cocoa grows and how it's processed but it is so different when you actually see the cocoa pods, taste the fruits, see the beans drying and being crushed, and taste the freshest chocolate.

Cocoa pods



Yes, those white, slimy seeds become chocolate!



Handmade chocolate ball- so delicious!

Then Saturday we headed back to Santo Domingo for lunch and headed off to the airport.

All in all, it was good. Uncle K was a little annoying. He's a 50-something bachelor and one night he started in with his views on child-rearing. Everyone with means in the DR has a nanny and he started saying how you shouldn't give up your life when you have a child. You shouldn't live for anyone else. You shouldn't depend too much on anyone else. I had to bury my head in my book because I disagree with everything he said and I wasn't about to get into an argument with him! I thought it was very insensitive for him to be bringing up these things when it hasn't even been a year since we lost our child and we rely very heavily on each other for support and he doesn't have a wife, significant other, or children!

Flying wasn't so bad. I got to sit in  the exit row on the way down! I know, I know, I shouldn't have but I wanted the room. On the way back, they caught me and made us change seats. But I got an aisle seat and could at least stretch out a little. Also, I opted out of the body scan. I did a lot of research before we left and I didn't want to go through the x-ray. I mean, I'm not supposed to get x-rayed while pregnant anyway so no matter how little radiation it is, I don't want it. The guy tried to convince me to go through and I refused. But this young girl did the pat down and was chatting the whole time about how her sister-in-law is pregnant and it was very quick.

So here we are, back to reality. It was very good to leave it for a while because I already feel stressed being back! Yesterday it hit me-8 weeks left. That's nothing! We already have everything and I still feel like there isn't enough time for the things I want to do.

And I thought I'd be okay with Christmas coming. I like the lights, and cookies, and giving, and such. But then I saw this Pampers commercial on TV with a bunch of babies sleeping peacefully. I had to change the channel. And all the toy commercials. I hate the commercialization of Christmas. In fact, R and I are going shopping this weekend and intend to finish up all shopping so we can officially check out. I would like to get a small tree just to have something to put Stella's ornaments on. We never go overboard with the tree anyway; it's usually a small, live one we can plant afterwards (after our first Christmas together when I insisted we get a big tree and it kept falling over!). So I am going to try to focus on what I like about Christmas and block out the rest.

And then New Year, I hope we can all toast to moving forward to a better 2011.