Belize

Julie, Allison and I spent three days in the Cayo District of Belize this weekend. (Aunt Ami was in Frisco to take care of Cooper and Katie.)

I have many details to share (some of which will be in my Briefing columns this week). I have hundreds of photos (and if you come to my house, I might force you to look at all of them).

What I want to share now, even though it sounds boastful when I don't mean it to, is this: Steve Damm must be very proud of me.

At the top of El Castillo (with a view of Guatemala behind me)

With Allie and Julie, I covered six miles in a canoe on a very shallow river. I climbed to the top of El Castillo at Xunantunich, a Mayan ruin. I hiked through the jungle to reach the mouth of a hidden cave and then hiked through the cave, braving slick surfaces and spiders and centipedes and bats (both alive and dead). I zip-lined through the jungle, covering 2,700 feet on nine runs.

Julie, Tyra and Allison pause just before a hike through the jungle to reach Actun Chapat. (My hat was originally Steve's. He wore it in California and Florida and all around Frisco.)

I am not usually such an adventurous traveler. I usually stick to museums and beaches. Our ranch trip last summer was my most active vacation until Belize.

What convinced me to seek something different? Well, one was the gentle prodding of my traveling companions. What made me say yes, though, was knowing that Steve would have loved these activities, would have loved exploring a foreign country. He would have hollered his signature "yee haw!" on every zip line. He would have stood at the top of the Mayan pyramid, with his hand on his chest and tears in his eyes, sighing with wonder and contentment.

He would be proud that I tried and that I succeeded (without injury, save a bruise or two). And that gives me a great boost of confidence as I continue taking care of our children and our home and myself.