Mexico came to me seemingly out of nowhere- but the more I think about it, the more perfect the time, the more perfect the place. Not a coincidence.  Not out of nowhere.  But I'll start with the seemingly "out of nowhere"...

Around New Year's Eve of 2016- heading into 2017, I received a Facebook message from my dear friend, Shannon asking:  "Do you want to go to Mexico with me?"  Well, that is certainly not an everyday offer, and I was definitely intrigued.  So I replied, "Is this for missions or for fun?"[Shannon and I initially met at church when she and her  husband moved to Florida from Michigan.  We became good friends while they were here in Florida.  After a number of years, they moved back to Michigan - and have since moved to Tennessee].

Shannon replied, "Well missions would be good sometime, but this is just for fun".  In the Fall of 2016, Shannon had heard Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds would be performing concerts (specifically acoustic sets) for three consecutive nights on the beach in Mexico in February 2017.  Shannon seized the opportunity and booked a package for 2 people.  The package included all three nights of concerts as well as accommodations.  Shannon and her husband (he did not come on the trip- it was just a girls trip) offered to pay for a significant part of my expenses.  And I got to be the 2nd person on this amazing trip (with a big thanks to my husband for saying "yes" for me to go - and caring for our girls while I was gone- and a thanks to my in-laws as well who came into town to help out while I was away).  Mexico was not on my radar of places to visit.  And Dave Matthews was not on my concert go-to list (though I really enjoy his music and now after seeing him and Tim Reynolds in concert would be up for seeing them again).  But - sometimes the best plans are not the ones we make ourselves.