How do we begin to tell you....?

Tonight at dinner Noah said, "its just too much... How would I even begin to tell anyone about all of this?"

It's true.  Just about everyday living here in paradise feels surreal.  The beauty and the experiences are unreal. What sparked that thought most recently is that Noah and Poppy went yesterday to see baby sea turtles hatch from their eggs, and got to watch as they skirted out to sea!  They even got to help to a certain degree.  Don't worry, they were with people from a turtle conservancy so it was all monitored and not exploited.  Even to the point that they don't want us to reveal exactly where they were when the turtles hatched.  Suffice it to say, it was a once in a lifetime experience that will likely be burned into their memories because it was so amazing.  Not to mention, it was another beautiful day here in paradise with blue and green water, perfectly blue, cloud-scattered skies, calm seas, and mountain peaks off in the distance.....

We learned that they were Hawksbill turtles, which are one of the most endangered sea turtle species in the world!  And Noah and Poppy got to help release them to the sea!!  I sure hope that their help made a positive difference - there aren't too many nesting sites left in the world, considering how big the world is....  See the attached sites and maps to find out more about the Hawksbill Sea Turtle.

Sy and I had a fun day too because we got to take a field trip to Almirante - the closest town on the mainland, for a science fair with the 2nd and 3rd graders from his school!  The boat ride was fun, the school's presentation went well, and we got to experience more of the local culture!  It was wild because the Science Fair was at a Catholic school, so it started with a prayer, followed by an opening ceremony that consisted of dancing "Disney Characters", and then led to the science demonstrations.... Very interesting.  The schools' displays were pretty awesome - hydroponics, recycled materials, and renewable energy, etc, but my favorite part was seeing all of the different colors of skin!  That is one of my favorite things about living here  - the diversity!!

The diversity is amazing here - so much mixed heritage and culture.  Bocas' history is part of what has led to its diversity.  There are the "Indians" (the local indigenous), the Antilleans, and a whole lot of in-betweens!! It's amazing and so friendly and welcoming!  I have never once gotten the feeling that the "locals" are upset about having "gringos" around.  This island seems to be very accepting of its diversity and foreign visitors/ inhabitants.  Just one more reason to love it here....

Again, this is just a tiny piece of some of the amazing experiences we have had.  Last week we were beach hopping with Aura (needs no explanation if you already know us...), enjoying the calm seas and beautiful sites of the archipelago.

We've recently started keeping gratitude journals that we write in each day.  Here is a snapshot.  LOTS to be grateful for!!