Barbados - The Preparation

The idea for our first family trip in years began as an idea while sunning in the pool during a hot July day with my mom and sister.  Three days later, it was settled - we would go to Barbados in January!  We made these plans in July. For a vacation in January.  You can tell that I come by it naturally.

It would be perfect timing - my sister, her husband and their daughter would be in town from Shanghai, China (their current residence). My brother would be out of college for Christmas break.  And we (Jeff and I) would have some vacation time available. 

As it turned out, it WAS perfect timing - just not for the exact reasons mentioned above. In September, Jeff was offered a job in Norway (more to come on these details) which he accepted - we would be moving overseas in (you guessed it) January!  In November, my sister's husband was offered a job back in Tulsa, Oklahoma.  They came home for Christmas and bought a house set to close in, yes, January!  My brother ended up having his wisdom teeth pulled in... December.  Close enough.

Though January was booking up quickly, the timing of our Barbados trip could not have been planned better.  We all arrived in the Bridgetown, Barbados airport on January 2 and were able to spend a whole week all together.  It was indeed a nice reprieve from the manic activity that preceded it and that will surely follow...

The whole family!