It's that time of year

When all grades in the elementary school put on their annual concert. Originally Scott told me that his costume required no shirt. Woo hoo for me! He was so embarrased. But in the end all he required was a plain blue t-shirt and a grass skirt, which I didn't even have to provide.

Anyway, it was cute. It was funny. Blah blah blah. You all don't care. But what I love about this picture, is Scott, front and center, looking like he's posing. All the other kids dutifully performing the required hand motions. All of them, of course, except Scott.

I love him.

Apparently, I am the BEST MOM EVER!

Or maybe they just wanted to wish me Happy Birthday. But whatever. These were the best presents a mother could ask for. (Well, except the overt reference to my age. But I'll overlook that).

It has been brought to my attention...

that not once do I ever mention our Spring Break destination by name. Not once. Thanks Jeni, for pointing that out.

It was Thailand. The country of recent tsunamis, red-shirt protesters and other news-worthy and book topics (have you read "Half the Sky"?).

Now you know.

Well, it could have been Mexico. Florida. Padre. Or even Galveston. I mean there was sand and surf:

Sunburned faces

shell-seeking

and fruity, red, virginal drinks.

There was some good ole family time

And especially fun for us all, a hormonal, angsty pre-teen.

But there were also elephants, elephants everywhere. At the beach, in the restaurant breezeway, and elephants to ride through the rubber tree plantation.

And there were caves. And rafts. And BATS (which there are no pictures of because we were too busy laughing at Kaylie who was terrified of the bats hanging from stalactites and flying all around.)

So, it wasn't any old place for us. It was a once-in-a-lifetime trip. A chance to see that part of the world we only hear about, where tsunamis, redshirt protesters, and other topics seem to define what you know of a country. But for us and thousands of other European vacationers, it was a most-welcoming, friendly country with lots to offer. I'm so glad we went.