Feeding the dolphins in Cozumel, Mexico

It had been awhile since I had a God Wink.  A few weeks ago we were on a cruise with another couple who are good friends.  In the port of Cozumel we just decided to go to the beach and relax for the day since we all had been to this port many times.  We headed to a public beach and found us some chairs but no palapa to get under for shade.  I got hot and decided to get into the beautiful turquoise water to cool off.  I was swimming and floating in the water and ended up close to a father and his early teenage daughter who were snorkeling and bringing up seashells.  Me, being friendly and prone to talk to most anyone, struck up a conversation with the duo.  We talked about where they were from, Alabama, what ship they were on, Carnival Dream, what their ports were and so on.  We had chatted for about 15 minutes when the Mom came out to swim.  She came right up to the daughter to ask her a question…she said “Lauren…(blah, blah, blah,….)”….I don’t know what the question was because I didn’t get past “Lauren.”  When they finished talking I asked the girl her name again.  She said Lauren….and I said “I thought that was what I had heard.”  I told her how much I loved the name and that I had a Lauren too, I told them some about my Lauren and showed them my tattoo.  Of all the  names in the world that the daughter could have been…Ashley, Mary, Jessica, Shelby, Jennifer, Rebecca, Melanie and thousands more….it was Lauren.   She and Taylor had been to the beaches of Cozumel several times with us on family cruises…it was my sign…my God Wink.

After I got out of the water and walked up to our spot…Bryan, Pam and Hayden had been offered shade under a palapa by a large group of Vietnamese Americans.  We enjoyed visiting with Duc, who was a Doctor from Austin, and his children and grandchildren, from all over Texas, who were enjoying a multi-generational family cruise vacation.  We learned their family history and he talked about how important family was and to be there for each other and take care of each other.  It was a memorable day for more than one reason.

Taylor, Bryan & Lauren
Cozumel, Mexico in 2004

July 2002 in
Cozumel, Mexico