Bantayan

We decided that we had to do one last beach trip before my sister, Kaitlyn, left back to Canada. A close, inexpensive place was an island we've been to once before just north of Cebu Island. The trip is a little longer but no shorter then any other decent place. We started by driving an hour north along the coast line to a town named Cadiz. From there we took a boat for a 4 hour ride to Bantayan town were we headed to look for a place to spend the next couple of nights.
It's a small island lined with a white beach and resorts. We stayed 2 nights in a decent bungalow just off the beach and finished our last night in a big hut on the beach.

The weather was great, rained all night but the sun was out and shinning all day long. We toured a bit of the island on the two motorbikes that we rented for the weekend. Ryan drove one with Kait and the kids and I drove the other.
We were met on the north part of the island by a group of kids who followed us, taking the kids hands and leading them along the beach and helping them along a pier. We also met a young Canadian couple were just finishing up a 6 month tour of Southeast Asia and shared the extra company for dinner one night.

You're Gonna Miss This

Have you ever listened to a song and have it touch you!? Last night while Kait was babysitting for us Ryan and I went out for a date. After sharing a dessert after Sydney’s birthday cake we went for a quick ride around town on the motorbike. I had my earphones in listening to some music and I was touched by the words of a Trace Adkins song “You’re Gonna Miss This.”
Some days here in the Philippines I just can’t wait to get out of here, finish what we set out to do and come home… then other days I think I could stay here forever. As we were driving around last night I was watching some kids running after some bike tires chasing them down the street and laughing, watching the daddies dance with their babies to keep them from crying and watching people gather on the side of the roads to chat with their friends. Every now and then you drive through a cloud of smoke that smells of mouth watering Chicken BBQ and then the smell from the bakeries that line the street. I was looking at how green and beautiful the city can be with the tropical palm trees, mango trees and beautiful dark faces smiling up at us with shock from seeing us white folks speeding by. As I’m listening to this song and seeing these things it hit me how much this is apart of who we are now and who are kids will become and how much whenever it is that we come home, we’re really going to miss this and wish it didn’t go by so fast and some days want it back. Realizing how quickly our kids are growing, one becoming quite the handsome little man and the other a delightful handful who believes she runs the show. Thinking of all our family who is missing this and hoping that they understand why this is the right thing for us right now. The song helped me to stop and think for moment of how wonderful things are, even on those days that are especially difficult and how I need to slow down and take in those beautiful kids of mine. How quickly the beauty of the lush green tropics becomes ordinary…
I’m extremely thankful for the time that we have over here. I know that it’s an opportunity few get and I can see the great changes it has had in our lives and how much we’ve grown since we’ve been out here. Our kids are learning how unimportant it is to be different; sometimes I actually think they believe they too have brown skin and black hair. I know they are young and won’t remember a lot of it but I know that the influence of these young years is so important and I know that they are learning that will prepare them to great leaders and friends. Unjudmental of peoples differences and filled with empathy and a desire to serve. They will be able to relate to minorities in a way that many people cannot and I hope that things will benefit them in the future.

I’ve added this song “You’re Gonna Miss This” to the MP3 player on the sidebar and I invite you all to have a listen!.

How Quickly 2 Years Can Go

Sydney is now officially 2 years old, no matter where in the world you are! I can’t believe it. She is now the same age Brayden was when we first moved out here to the Philippines and she was just a chubby baby girl. Now she’s a little girl (or “Inday” as we say here) filled with attitude and personality, walking with a bounce in her step as her little ringlets bob up and down and you can see the giggle in her rich dark eyes.
We didn’t do too much for her birthday. We had mango crepes and whip cream for breakfast and cake after dinner but other then that it was an ordinary day other then the fact that Brayden kept saying “happy birthday Sydney!” Such a good big brother!! Helping her open her presents but only until it was open enough for her to finish the job, haha.
Well happy birthday Sydney!!!