Spending Christmas on a beach in Zanzibar is altogether different than the Christmases I knew in Indiana. I traded a snowy white Christmas for a white sand beach and Christmas cookies for fresh coconut juice, but it was no less of a holiday.

We met Eric's parents in Zanzibar after spending a couple days in historic Stone Town, and we headed to Matemwe beach - an idyllic beach with warm, turquoise water, soft, white sand, and fisherman patroling the coast in their dhows to bring in fresh seafood. We quickly got into a relaxation rhythm of reading our books in the sun, walking on the beach, and playing in the ocean with Leo. We were truly on vacation, leaving all our responsibilities and cares behind for a week, and my only solace in leaving was hoping that we would be back one day.