Puerto Rico

So for our fifth anniversary, I thought it might be fun to get away for a long weekend. When I discovered I could cash in my travel miles and get two free flights to Puerto Rico, I jumped on it. Coupled with the fact that I could get a room at a four star hotel on the beach (with a casino!!!!) for just over $100 a night, I was sold.

So last Thursday we took off bright and early for PR. It was our first long(ish) trip without Riley. We have done a couple of overnights without him but this was going to be five days and five (which should have been four but there was a flight screwup that bumped our return flight by 4 hours) nights of just Missy and I.

In short, we had a wonderful time. We slept in - all the way until 7:30! We had meals together, whether they be at a local bagel place or by the beach. We toured Old San Juan which was beautiful and OLD. We took LOTS of self-taken pictures - you know the ones where you see two people, some sort of background and then part of a person's arm reaching out towards the camera. Looking back, we should have hired someone to take our picture. My arm is still tired. We watched a salsa band perform and watched locals salsa dance to their music. That was an incredible experience. You could see on everyones' faces - both the musicians and the dancers - that they truly loved what they were doing. I did not understand one single word that was sung but still bought a CD. We hit the casino a few nights. I was up $100 in blackjack until the last night but they brought in a closer who cleaned me out of $40 faster than I could say "pina colada". We drank pina coladas and Coronas too.

I think the highlight for me, other than spending five pure uninterupted days with Missy of course, was going to the rainforest east of San Juan. We rented a car - like we were on the Amazing Race - and drove 45 minutes to El Yunque National Park. We drove up 13 miles of 45 degree inclines and hairpin turns. However, once we parked, we trekked through a beautiful, lush rainforest complete with waterfalls, breathtaking views and, of course, rain. While heading down the trail after reaching the highest lookout tower, Missy and I were having an intellectual conversation about how we felt like we were on the Island on "Lost". All of a suddent the skies opened up and it began to rain. Like the kind of rain you would imagine being in while in a rainforest. Sudden, strong and loud. However, with the canopy above us, we didn't really get that wet. We sought refuge under a large leaf and took a few pictures. It was the perfect setting with the perfect person. I couldn't have described a better moment.

Looking back, I was excited to have a few days where I could wake on my own as opposed to be awoken by a baby monitor. I was excited to have meals that didn't involve cleaning up messes on the floor (unless Missy made one but that's another story) or wiping off dirty hands in between bites of my own food. I knew I would miss Riley. But what I didn't expect was how much.

Every child we saw brought up thoughts of Riley. We would just sit and smile at every kid we came across. We would look at his picture on our phones. We would tell anyone who would listen that we had an 18 month old at home. The sounds of Puerto Rico were wonderful. The ocean. The breeze. The rain. The Spanish. But the sound I missed was that of scampering. Like just about every small boy, Riley has only one way to get from point A to point B. And that is to run. I missed that sound.

So needless to say, we had a wonderful time. It was time that Missy and I absolutely needed. I would go back to PR again. But it's good to be home. Waking up to the ocean is nice but waking up to a little boy laughing is better.