Baba's gone cruisin'!

For Carolyn!
My mother-in-law (Baba to her grandchildren) is a really amazing woman.  C and I started dating when we were seniors in high school and she made me a part of the family from the beginning.  I have always been able to count on her...for anything. 

This woman has done nothing but work HARD her whole life taking care of her family-husband, children, mother, father, in-laws, sister and now grandchildren.  Like many Moms, she has put herself last on the to-do list...always wanting to make sure everyone she cares about are taken care of first. 
She turned 72 in May and just retired this past summer from her position as Director of Extension for Sarasota County here in FL. 

This woman deserves a BREAK and I am proud to say she knows how to do it...in STYLE!  Right now she is 2 weeks into a 3 and 1/2 month cruise of The World!  Yes...The World.  She is on Holland America's Cruise ship The Amsterdam which is one of their most luxurious. 

She is having the time of her life and I am so over-the-top thrilled for her!

The first Formal Night!

From her emails she is sending, she is very busy.  She walks the decks every morning, has started a total body conditioning class, Tai Chi class, digital workshops to help her improve her camera work, dance lessons, learned to play blackjack, gone to several shows, lots of reading on the days at sea, emailing her family lots and the most exciting thing she said was trying out and making the ships Chorale.  That's right, a chorus of all passengers and they will perform 2 concerts during their journey.  It sounds so completely amazing and I am so, so glad she is taking it all in. 

Sitting at one of the many ports!

The Panama Canal...she said this was just completely amazing!

Where is she now?  ...the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

The kiddos and I are following her along the way with the map she included with her itinerary.  We mark it daily with our Sharpie.  Her next stop is Easter Island then it's on to Tahiti, Bora Bora, The Cook Islands and on and on and on until the end of April! 

We miss her lots around here but we are all so glad she is having the time of her life!  I will continue to follow her journey periodically as this is a big event for our whole family. 

Cheers and Bon Voyage Carolyn!  I am so happy that you did this for yourself and that you are really enjoying it from head to toe, forwards and backwards. You are AWESOME!