Caribbean Adventure Begins

We are off and running . . . jaunt #1 successful . . . easily checked into our overnight stay at the Fairfield Inn in Kansas City, MO. MUCH improvement over my "go-to" motel for the night before a flight - - - I won't embarrass any particular motel chain by naming names - - - but there are NO GNATS in this motel - - - I think we definitely must upgrade to here for future Texas trips!
 
Clay was given this trip by his employer and a chemical company - we are two of 600 very thankful people! We leave at 7 a.m. tomorrow to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic for five days in the Caribbean. So blessed . . .

My bucket list includes St. Thomas or St. Lucia in the Virgin Islands?? The bluest of waters, etc. and it's amazing how those "bucket list" items can come our way unexpectedly!

Forgive me if tonight I sound excited - - - it has been slow in coming - - - unfortunately, I have spent most of January and early Feb. getting through and over and over and over the influenza bug, cold, cough, and then topped it off with ten days of a toothache. As of yesterday - - - all of the above has healed!! Getting things finished up at work was the next thing on my mind - - - and so now that it is here - we are feeling excited!

I might add that this trip in particular is why I chose "travel" as one of my focuses for 2014. Traveling through airports can be tiring - challenging - exhausting - - - but of course a great way to stay close with family. I want to focus on traveling smarter, more efficiently, and enjoying it!  Plus - I want to look at ways to save a little extra money each month for the trips! So - - - my first postings about travel will begin right now!

I will post some of the details from each day - but for now - it's off to bed for a 3:30 a.m. wake-up call and some more "firsts" tomorrow - - - praying that hubs' artificial leg that sets off all alarms in airports everywhere - doesn't get him arrested in a foreign country!!

Feel free to pray also!