Richie Gomez and Miranda Roldan Describe the pace of life It doesn’t match their carefree mood at the moment.
“Chaos” Richie says calmly.
“Everything is just… chaotic.” Miranda repeats with a bit more detail.
Speaking from their Tampa home, Richie and Miranda sound like they’re still melting in a garden tub of Sandals Royal Bahrain rather than drowning in chaos, and their minds are full of Caribbean influences these days. I reconsidered my outlook on life.So when Richie talks about shuttling between his work obligations in New York and Florida — he’s not even sure he’s doing it now, and doesn’t seem to care — Miranda is surprisingly calm for a self-proclaimed type-A woman well into her third trimester.
Listen carefully: is that the noise of home renovations that you hear in the background?
“Turn your sunroom into a entertaining room” says Richie with playful enthusiasm.
How can they be so content when their lives are moving at the speed of an F1 race? Richie and Miranda say. The mental transformation from “I’m late!” to “What’s the rush?” It happened a few weeks ago. Feeling the pressures of work, travel and soon-to-be parents, the couple came up with the spontaneous idea of a babymoon to Sandals. At first, they dismissed it with the usual excuses: too busy. too tired. too pregnant. Should we do it? Can we do it?
“No, you can’t.” said Richie.
“wait a minute“Yes,” Miranda countered.Let’s stop for a moment.”
Stop the doubts, stop the confusion, stop everything.
Miranda had heard about Sandals Royal Bahamian’s “babymoon package,” and she and Richie had seen photos of powdery sand and soothing ocean, a place where chaos seemed nonexistent, with expectant moms tucked into love lounge chairs by day and melting into sandy dance floors at night.
“If I don’t go now, I won’t go at all.” Miranda said to Richie.Please let me make one phone call..”
She stepped away from the piles of pregnancy books and the chaos of the renovations to make the call. Next she heard: Voice of the Caribbean Angel.
“What do you like to do during your vacation??”
Miranda’s neck and shoulder muscles began to atrophy.relax” she said with a deep sigh.I just want to relax.”
“Of course. Do you have any special requests??”
“If we comeasked Miranda.Can I have a maternity pillow??”
“surely.”
With the appointment of a maternity pillow, the planning was complete.Ritchie and Miranda removed every event from a five-day block on their calendar and replaced it with one: Escape to Sandals Royal Bahamian.
In their excitement, Richie and Miranda were unaware of the changes that were about to take place.
One Responsibility: Showing Up
Richie and Miranda’s disparate lives began to fuse and settle in a Sandals airport lounge in Nassau, Bahamas, when Miranda arrived from Florida and was immediately pampered; Richie arrived 30 minutes later from New York.
“They wanted to take care of me“Miranda said of the Sandals welcoming team.Even though the airport was busy, I forgot all my worries..”
Richie released his tight grip on the responsibility when he saw the car taking them to a luxury all-inclusive resort.
“Rolls Royce” he says.I was in shorts, a T-shirt, flip-flops, and in full vacation mode in my Rolls. But guess what? It didn’t feel wrong..”
He embodied everything that was right about Sandals Babymoon Escape. Casual yet sophisticated. Fun yet five-star. Elegant without being pretentious. “All we had to do was show up.” says Richie.The Sandals team went all out, they really went all out and had a blast..”
Richie and Miranda Continued to flowThe ocean view. The happiness. And the voice of an angel.My name is Chantelle, let me show you to your suite.Chantelle is technically their butler and chosen confidant, and after some initial introductions, she leads Richie and Miranda to a secluded villa with garden views and an outdoor bathtub filled with heated water and flower petals.
“For us?asked Richie.
“of course” said Chantelle.You came here to relax.“
Richie and Miranda got serious. They took two baths on the first day.
“The Sandals staff knew what we wanted better than we did. We didn’t ask for anything. They made it all happen..”
One afternoon, they walked into the villa. Chocolate covered strawberries People who have appeared or left Richie’s favorite bottle of whiskeyAfter another peaceful day at the quiet pool, they Cheese and cracker platter.
“Ah, cheese.” Miranda says, as if she’s still floating on a heart-shaped cloud.I love cheese.”
Again they are beautiful Fresh tropical fruit platter.
“Ah, fruit” says Miranda.I love fruit too. I bet the Sandals staff knows what it’s like to be pregnant and hungry..”
Every time Richie and Miranda overslept and went for a walk to the pool, The chairs prepared for themWith umbrellas and fluffy towels positioned just right, Chantelle asked the expectant mother a simple question: “What is your current lifestyle?Would you like some fresh fruit juice at 4 o’clock??”
“Oh yeah” said Miranda.I want fresh fruit juice at 4 o’clock.”
The bartender was confused. Special MocktailMango and peach. Pineapple and ginger. Miranda savored a little of each of these flavors at the pool bar, on the beach and sometimes in her villa, nestled in the comfort of her Sandals pregnancy pillow.
“Ah, the maternity pillow.” she says, still calmly. “Any pregnant woman will tell you how important a good maternity pillow is. I never felt restless. I slept. And I woke up happy. And I still wake up happy..”
I also enjoyed the free souvenirs from Red Lane Spa. Prenatal Massage The therapist knew all about side-lying positions and finding the right pressure points for women at Miranda’s stage of pregnancy. But she also Timeless comfort.
“She talked to fellow moms about hydration and naps, and that’s one of the changes I’ve made to my daily routine now. I don’t take as much pride in stopping everything to take a nap..”
Life is never the same
Five days in a Caribbean paradise will remind us what to let go of and what to embrace, like the child in the womb.Celebrate the BlessingSandals staff said, and proved it: When Richie and Miranda approached a table at Butch’s Steakhouse one night, they were greeted by wine glasses, white napkins and Bright blue petals in honor of their little son.
“Such a surprise suddenly appears” says Miranda.They made us feel special.”
Then on Sunday, Richie and Miranda took a five-minute boat ride to Sandals’ dreamy private island, I snorkeled in the ocean and took a nap on the beach.When they returned to the villa, Richie Balloons flew in the air and a message was written on the bed It is spelled out in little candles: father.
“I forgot it was Father’s Day” he says.The Sandals team sent me their first Father’s Day message..”
“We’re a family,” Richie and Miranda say, before a reminder of Sandals Babymoon trips and babymoon packages, and perspective. They didn’t know the definition of relaxation..
“This journey changed us” Richie said casually, within earshot of the half-finished entertainment room.
“Still busyMiranda says,But our experience with Sandals helped us to put the chaos aside and focus on ourselves. We now have a new outlook on our family and life..”
And it is A precious gift for the three of us.
Need more inspiration for your own babymoon? Check out the spotlight on Chen and her husband’s dream babymoon at Sandals Grande St. Lucian, where they got married at the resort and then returned to celebrate becoming parents.
