I decided to journal my cruise experience because I have such poor
memory. Really, I forget from one day to the next. Which comes in
handy when your upset, I've forgotton by the next day.

Enjoy\

11/10/06

Well we are finally out of San Antonio. Having woke up at 4 a.m., we
still did not get an early start out. Raul was having major digestive
problems. This has been his way of dealing with anxiety since I've
married him.

Everyone was waiting to wave goodbye but he returned into the house
TWICE!!!

I knew why. He was afraid. He's always been afraid of change. I even
thought last night that he was doing all he could to make himself
sick. I think the whole family was feeling our going away in their
own way. Almost everyone was sick this past week.

Christopher almost fainted when we prayed before leaving. Really.

My problem was I couldn't stop eating. That's the way I deal with
stress. I know when we board the ship all will be fine.

Pitstopped in Seguin, already?

We continued on our way to Houston with many other stops along the
way for personal reasons.

After verbally admitting how nervous he was, Raul began to do much
better. See driving all day is what he's used to. I knew if I could
just get him out of the house he'd be alright.

Five hours later we arrived to our hotel room. Everything we needed
was close by Bank of America and Luby's. The neat thing about this
hotel was you could leave your vehicle parked FREE for staying one
night at their hotel; all week long.

I'm not sure what to expect tomorrow but together we'll both find
out.

11/11/2006

Today, I woke up at 3 a.m.; coughing up my cookies as some people
would say. Remember the boys were sick with the one day stomach
virus. Today was my day of all days!

Hours away to board, I feel tired and my whole body aches. I'm in the
hotel room watching a movie about astronauts. I get to thinking I'm
going on an adventure!

I've got to pull through the aches and pains.

Raul went out to get pancakes. Just the smell of them makes me want
to puke again.

Thank God, he's doing much better. Praise God, we didn't get sick on
the same day.

I'll be honest that I was puking and shedding a tear because I really
didn't think I could do this. If Raul ever said, let's go home. I
wouldn't have hesitated once. But he never did.

I just pray, I can stand the admissions onto the ship. I feel very
weak.

Well, not realizing they hadn't changed the hotel clocks we are out
of the hotel an hour early. We are off to Walmart to grab a few
forgotten items. I'm sitting new outside of an Academy store where
Raul is tryng to find some swimming trunks. He's really looking
forward to the jacuzzi on the ship.

Occasionally, he still grimices but thank God not as often as when we
left San Antonio. I went and bought applesauce, and bananas. Our
first day on the ship and I'm not going to be able to eat their food.
I've eaten some applesauce now and am feeling a tad better; but my
body aches all over.

Hopefully by the time we board I'll be much better. I know everyone
is now at church back home. I've been praying to the Lord all
morning to get us on the ship. We've come this far to turn back would
be ashame. Don't think I didn't think of it several times.

I know God has great things for us both, we just have to do it
afraid!!!

"Oh, my God!" were my words as the taxi approaches the ship. I mean
huge ship!These ships are enormously high. It was amazing to see so
many people from all countries waiting to get checked in. You heard
Spanish, German, Chezch; not to mention English with various
accents. It was as though you entered the United Nations. The entry
to the ship was just like an airport terminal only without all the
shops and frills.

At this point, I'm running fever and perspiring like crazy. I'm not
feeling well and creeping along like an old lady. Not even like an
old lady. Some of those ladies were passing me up.

All I know when I saw the ship something triggerred inside of me to
keep going. I am in pain the whole time. I am walking slow but I was
able to check in. Before boarding there were two men flashing their
cameras. Oh, my, I look horrid. I felt so bad. The escalators took
us upstairs where we enter a tunnel that attaches to the ship. My
heart is excited and now relieved that we passed the admissions
station. I was so worried I didn't do something correct. I must
have been running fever at the time of admission and now I was
feeling much better.

As we entereed the ship they told us lunch was being served on deck
9. Food? Actually, I was getting hungry. We went straight to drop
off our carry on luggage.

Food was awesome. So many choices to pick from. The dining area was
beautiful. Glass windows all over. YOu could eat and see the bay.
Raul so enjoyed looking out. I was afraid to look down. We were
pretty high off the water. After we ate we went to see the pool and
spa area. The spa area was warmer. They had two jacuzzis and an open
area to swim.

There were Pharohs all around and heiroglyphics that decorated the
walls. We laid their on the lawn chairs and I called the boys for the
last time before we lost connection over seas.

We both were feeling sleepy so off to slumber in our cabin. We slept
all through the night. We had planned to go see a show that night but
instead we slept and slept and slept all the way through dinner and
the night.

TO BE CONTINUED....