how to appreciate

...annnd we're back! you know that feeling of needing another vacation just to recover from the vacation you just had? you just need to wind down and rest? yeah, well i don't feel one ounce of that. if anything, i feel like grabbing life by its horns and hauling a**! our time spent in puerto rico was centered on replenishing our bodies, nourishing our souls, and healing from the everyday battles that tend to exhaust our well being.

prior to traveling to puerto rico, i was a little worried that g and i would have high expectations. i feared that we would compare our time in costa rica, last year, to this current trip. would the beaches be as breathtaking, the fruit as sweet, the memories as lasting? thankfully, i left those worries stateside and embraced puerto rico 2013 for exactly what it was. and it was heavenly. 

g and i stayed in a puerto rican woman's guesthouse, set on the outskirts of the rainforest, with the bright blue sea in clear sight. we felt like we were visiting family. mornings were spent eating breakfast outside, listening to our host share stories of the natives and their traditions. we practiced yoga in the patio, as the warm, albeit humid, breeze wisped by. beach after beautiful beach was laid upon, downpour after fleeting downpour was embraced. g and i let the days guide us, our bodies dictate the level of activity. and for the most part, it was just being. 

coming home, g and i contemplated a shared thought - that traveling is essential to not only color our lives, but to, more importantly, allow us to appreciate the things we have so easily accessible. like kale and greek yogurt. or honest-to-good bakeries. i'm excited to wear dry underwear instead of a damp swimsuit. and running! thank the Lord above for less-than-80% humidity. my days will be enjoyed NOT reapplying sunscreen over and over again. afternoon walks to the park with chase - let's do this! 

none of this is to say i didn't enjoy my time or that i wish things had been different. no, that's not the point of traveling. for some time, g and i vacated the routine and the hustle, submerged ourselves in another land, learned and grew and loved, and now we're back home to embrace the simplicity to which we refer to as life. i feel so thankful.