I started out my week at 5:30am Sunday dogsitting. She is the cutest ever, but a handful!
Caring for 6 kids during the day and dogsitting, it was nice to get out. Monday evening my nephew had his 5th birthday party. I got to meet my cousin and her new baby :)
Such a cute boy, my nephew :)
Tuesday I went with my mom, Zachary, and my niece to Addison Road's CD launch concert. GREAT NIGHT!
Friday I left for southern Indiana for my friends wedding. I helped her finish the last minute details, was her stylist, and photographer lol
I enjoyed taking the photos but also playing around in photoshop after.
After the wedding, Zach and I stayed and took care of Daxten while Jenn and Dee had a little getaway.
He was such a good baby!
Tuesday we headed home and I went to visit my friend in the hospital who had a baby girl, finally after 3 boys. Isn't she adorable!!!
Well that was my week in pictures, well i guess week and a half :)
This is the first time in a week that I have had the chance to write! I agreed to watch my neighbors 2 children, 6 & 3, every other week under the impression that 3 of my boys would be on summer visitation with their mom during those weeks. Wrong! Last week I had 6 children during the day and 4 in the evening Monday and Tuesday AND Andy was gone on business. By bedtime I was one pooped lady! Wednesday, Thursday and Friday I had just Zachary plus 2. That was more like it lol!
I am leading this summers bible study for church, No other Gods by Kelly Minter. I do believe that is what got me through this crazy week. Staying in the word is the only way to get through. It was really eye-opening this week working through the different things that drive our need to turn to 'idols' in our lives. I was able to relate to almost every category- identity, pain, need, and silence. As a woman, I put so much who I am based on what my roles are versus who I am in God. This week in the study, this phrase stuck out to me "Husbands don't seem to solve it. Kids apparently don't do it. Careers fall short. " (minter p 36). When it discussed 'need' as a reason to turn to idols, we looked at Sarah in Genesis. What a story of Gods love and faithfulness even when we choose to take matters into our own hands! Sometimes it's the pain in our lives that drives us the fastest to false gods. On day 3 we saw how through pain we can also turn to God as Hannah did in 1 Samuel. Lastly we looked at times when we feel God has abandoned us. You can look throughout the whole bible to see that God will never leave us, although sometimes we are tested to grow stronger. Look no further than the Israelites to see what happens when you believe that lie, that God has abandoned you. They had seen so many miracles yet when Moses, their link to God, disappeared they went right back to their Egyptian pagan roots. I hope that I am more able to pinpoint my idols before they become disastrous! I cannot wait to dig into next weeks discoveries.
This weekend my best friend got married. I came down Friday to help with last minute stuff and stayed till Tuesday to watch the little one while they got away for a cpl days. It was a small but pretty wedding and I got to practice my photography skills :) I love taking pictures! One day I hope to be able to take a class or 2. My little boogers aren't the best subjects because they won't sit still and could care less about getting them taken.
Yesterday and today I took care of Daxten. He is a very good baby! All except this morning, he refuses to drink his bottle. He loves Zachary and I must say Zachary is quite taken with him too. I think he will make a great big brother some day. Well technically he is but Caleb was already 3 when Andy and I were married. I think this time around he'll make a great baby helper, all except the poopy diapers!
This afternoon I shall make it home and I am so excited to visit with my friend who just had her baby, a girl after 3 wonderful boys!! I will post pictures from this weekend as soon as they are transferred to my Mac.
Today was a long day! We celebrated Father's Day yesterday because the hubby left this morning :( My day started at 5:20 AM, yes that's correct lol, 5:30 in the morning on a weekend during the summer! My girls, who are no longer girls, dropped off their puppy to dog sit. She is absolutely adorable, yet whiny- I think we'll get through. After church we ate lunch and then headed to Lafeyette, just Z and I. The other boys went to M's house for an overnight. I miss them when they're gone but enjoy my time with just 'my' Z :)
In Lafeyette, we met up with a friend that was in town from Ohio. If you would have told me 12 years ago when I first met her that our lives would be so similar now, I wouldn't have believed you! It's crazy how God works that way. Twelve years ago we met at the mall when I mom took her along when she picked me up from the airport. For quite a few years we talked and somewhat stayed on touch. Friendship bloomed, babies were born (1 in my car, yes you heard that correctly) and our paths continued to cross. Now years later and with the greatest distance between us, we are more connected than ever!
We went to the zoo then the mall to cool off, the park and then McD's to cool off, yes we are THAT wimpy. The zoo was really nice, including the fact that it was FREE. It wasn't as big as your city zoo, but to me it was just the right size to enjoy in one day with kids. I'd have to say the butterfly area was my favorite.
It was a good day, then we returned to whiny dog. She's not too bad, especially when you look in to her puppy dog eyes. Now Z and I are relaxing to a movie, of his choice, 'Cheaper by the Dozen.'
I wish I could say that we've been crazy busy and that's why I haven't blogged in a while, but honestly I can't think of what we did. Hmmm. Wednesday my niece and nephew spent the night with us. That was a sleepless night! Took me till midnight to get them to bed and then they woke up at 5!! Luckily they laid on the couch for a bit while I attempted to rest. I think after tossing for an hr I succumbed that I was not getting anymore sleep. Thursday was another pool day. Friday I spent the day in K-town and that gets us to the beginning of the story :) See, nothing to mentionable. Till next time :)
I am still not sure if I have fully processed my trip to Haiti. I hope that this feeling never leaves and that the lessons always stick with me. When I get caught up in myself and start to sense some complaining I want to just slap myself silly! When I hear the boys get an ungrateful tone part of me wants to tear in to them and the other to just lay down and cry. We have it so lucky and we don't even realize it. I went to Haiti wanting to help them and it feels like I was the one receiving the help.
Here is a movie I made about our trip. I hope it can share a little of my experiences with you all, although there is no way to put it all to words or pictures in the mind without actually experiencing it yourself.
I think I have finally settled back in to my normal routine~ wake-up, clean-up, referee a little (or a lot), eat, entertain, and sleep. This week the weather has been stormy by night but sunny by day. Luckily we were able to hit the pool on Tuesday. I enjoy relaxing and watching the boys have fun. Plus it is a great opportunity to get some great shots!
Today was Z&C last baseball game for the season. It was bitter sweet. They enjoy playing and although I really enjoy watching them it takes up a lot of family time too. I was very impressed with their growth as a team and individually. Z developed his batting skills and C learned how to be a leader. Tonight I was very exciting to see them work together and make some good plays! Looking forward to the rest of our summer together. I forsee a lot of swimming in the future :)
Our flight landed yesterday around 7 pm in Indy. I was very glad to be home but also sad about the situation I left behind and the fact that I had a nice place to come 'home' to and so many people there did not.
Friday, my last day in Haiti went by very fast! A group from Lebanon, IN got in late Thursday evening. We helped them lay a concrete ceiling/floor the 2nd story of the children's home Tina is having built. It was extremely hot but everyone worked hard and had it finished by lunch time. After lunch and a short nap we went down to the beach for some very exciting events! April Bryant made the decision to be baptized in Haiti. Mackenzie Grinstead had the honor to baptize April. I also was re-baptized. I made the decision when I was almost 6 to dedicate my life to the Lord and was baptized. I remember making the decision but not the actual event of baptism, so I thought what a better time and place to re-dedicate my life to God :)
We left for Port Au Prince very early Sat morning, 4 am to be exact. I was so nervous driving through the mountains in the dark. If you remember my first post about the honking and driving rules, found here, you will understand my uneasiness. We reached our destination safe and sound :) We had to wait outside for an hour and half and then 3 hrs inside before our flight left. Getting through security in PAP was crazy!! We had to go through 3 different checkpoints before we got on the plane. My camera LCD screen got broke going through the first checkpoint :( all the bags were thrown on top of my purse and the camera was inside it. Luckily all the pictures were fine. The flight itself was uneventful.
Once we reached NY, we took showers and then Andy, April, and I headed to Time Square. We had promised April that we would show her around since we had a 21 hr layover and she had never been to NY before. The yummy pizza was worth the exhaustion I felt walking around. Once my head hit the pillow that night I was out, comfy, cozy, air-conditioned sleep.
My airport luck did not end in PAP though, my bag was lost at JFK. I had sat it down at the bookstore by Andy, he didn't know so we both walked away. Once I realized neither of us had it, it was gone. Thankfully I received a phone call today from Walgreens in Noblesville, my bag had made it to Miami accidentally because someone mis-took my bag for theirs. SO relieved!
I am sad that my trip is over but glad to be home with my boys. I hope that all that I learned from Haiti never leaves me and that we can return someday soon. There are no words to describe how different life is there. Despite all the poverty and destruction all you see is smiles and willingness to help. If we in America could just have a tenth of their contentment it would be amazing!
Here a cute video of the kids singing. So cute!! Pictures soon to come.
I can't believe tomorrow is my las day in Haiti. Besides wanting s soda pop and a slice of pizza I am not really that ready to go. I have really gotten attached to a couple of the kids here at Tina's house. We leave saturday at 4am
to drive to Port Au Prince, then fly to NY.
Today we finished cleaning the Village of Hope and put on a fresh coat of paint to the kitchen/community bldg. It wasn't 5 minute in to the job and 3 boys came by and grabbed scrubbers and mops and started right in. It was very nice to have the help but more so the conversation and entertainment. They were hilarious! They knew a pretty good amount of English and serenaded us with rap and funky dancing. They turned a hard job into a fun time :)
Yesterday we went with Tina to one of the tent camps in Jacmel. She checks on some of the kids and helps the parents. First we went to a communal area where Jojo and Christna's mom was. Tina had promised to bring pictures. The older people with her insisted we sit down and they gave us their seats. I wasn't expecting that but was custom for them and they were showing respect.
It was so sad because you could tell that Jojo's mom she loved her children but knew it was best. Before the earthquake she wasn't 'rich' but they were making it because her husband had a job. During the earthquake, she lost her husband and everything else she had. Now she is living in a very small tent with 3 of her other children. After we showed her the pictures she insisted we come to her 'home.' She told Tina that it wasn't much, but it was all she had. It was so hot under the canapy and the ground was not just muddy dirt but very rocky and hard. They had just recieved cots to sleep on but had been sleeping on the ground.
The whole time we walked through the camp we were flocked by children just wanting to hold your hand. Some weren't dressed, most were very dirty, and some had lice and gnats biting their sores. It was awful! One little boy was playing with a condom he found on the floor, using it as a balloon.
Before we left we took food to another tent that Tina checks on. A little girl named Kenya lives there that loves Ms. Tina. I held her baby brother that was just a month old. What a way to enter the world. He was so adorable with bright blue eyes! I was ready to leave emotionally but wanted to stay forever to help them. It was a hard day. Especially after we'd spent he morning scrubbing walls, floors, and tiles. Today we will finish up cleaning and paint he walls.
Short update before the day begins Yesterday Tina took April, Megan and I on a tour through downtown Jacmel and through 2 of the camps. I hadn't seen anything until today! I felt bad looking at everyone like they were part of a show or something. The kids just stared at you as you drove by with hopeful smiles. I smiled and waved but inside I felt like crying. It was so crowded with piles of trash laying around. In the states we have so many luxuries, one being privacy, here everything is out in the open for all to see- showering, using the restroom, sleeping- nothing is hidden.
We will go back later this week and help out at the camps. I really felt guilty that we couldn't this time because I know that by being there some of the Haitians were hopeful that that was what we were there to do. I pray for God's strength and wisdom to get through it. Just being a bystander was hard enough today. Children run around without clothes, they use the restroom in buckets by the side of the road, and all the children beg for your help.
Yesterday evening was better. We went to the village of hope and cleaned up the rooms. Tina was able to fix most of them with the money from the next group coming in. They have been out of use since the hurricane. While we were there we saw the biggest tarantula! Of course all of us were screaming and running. One of the men there went in and got it out with a two by four. I am sure he was getting a kick out of us! Of course the evening was not over without a refreshing dip in the ocean :) Its the only thing that really cools you off.
It was extremely hot here in Haiti today. I don't think I've ever sweat this much! A group of us went to town and helped distribute milk/formula and rice to mothers. It is a program Tina started to help mothers in need. I have much admiration for Tina because of her continuous sympathy and heart for this community even after all these years yet still has the ability to divide what little she has in the best way possible. It was very hard to see women get turned down because there wasn't the funds to help everyone. I certainly wouldn't want to be the one making those decisions. She had to cut 60 woman last week, turn 150 down today, and added 20 new woman.
At one point I went outside to get more boxes of rice and this Haitian woman approached me with her young child. I couldn't understand what she was saying and although I tried to communicate to her that I didn't speak creole, she still insisted on getting my attention to fill her need. As I walked away while she was pushing her baby girl towards me, my heart was breaking.
After suffering through the heat for the afternoon, a dip in the ocean felt wonderful! I have to say the view of the coast from Haiti is amazing!!
We ended the night with our group devotion and a round of euchre. I have to say I am exhasuted! Not sure what tomorrow will hold but I know there will be another lesson hidden for me.
Well we made it safely to Haiti. There aren't many words for yesterday. I am still trying process everything. The flight here was uneventful alhough I was pretty nervous. We made it through the airport and customs without any issues at all, which was great. Then we rode a bus for about 4 hrs from Port Au Prince to Cyvadier, Jacmel. It was absolutely devasting driving through Port Au Prince. Not all of the damage was from the earthquake either I had just never seen the condition of Haiti first hand before. There were piles of trash everywhere and not small piles either! It is really hard to put it into words. It was really hard seeing all the tent communities. I almost felt bad looking at them because I felt like it was degrading to them in some way, like driving by a car accident and staring the whole time. I don't think I saw one building that was standing without damage. Rubble was everywhere and the roads were a mess. I completely lost it when a couple of little boys came to the window begging for money. When we drove away one of them chased us and banged on the side. All I could think of was how awful it would be if my boys had to do that. It took everything in me not to tell the bus driver to turn around.
We drove through the city and then the mountians to reach Tina's house. Riding through the mountains was very interesting to say the least. Apparently it is customary that if you want to pass someone to just simply honk your horn repeatedly and go around them. There were quite a few times that I was sure we were going to collide with another car! The rule was true for people as well. When we drove through areas where market day was in swing, the bus driver just honked and shooed people out of his way, not slowing down a bit!
It was a relief to finally reach Tina's house so we could unload and eat. The food was waiting for us and FABULOUS! I cannot wait dor tonights meal :) She currently has 15 orphans living with her and they quickly capture your heart! I am slowly trying to learn Creole so that I can ask them questions. Last night I was able to ask their names and ages. Despite the language barrier I was to find ways to communicate with them. As I was coloring with a cpl girls, the little one lifted up her picture for me to see so I put on a big smile and said "oh pretty!" It wasn't long after that before the other girls wanted to show me theirs. They may not have understood what I said but they understood that I cared.
Most of the evening was spent with kids and relaxing which was nice. I was very surprised at how easily I slept. At one point I even covered up with a thin blanket I got from the airplane!
Today we had the opportunity to go to church. That was an experience! I recorded the congregation singing a couple of the songs with my phone. I didn't understand the words or know what song it was, but I could tell from their expressions that they loved the Lord! We had all 15 kiddos with us and some more joined us when we got there. Even Andy had a couple on his lap that wandered over. It was so cute! I was shocked at how well they behaved. They wiggled and smiled but knew not to say a word lol! I wish my kids could learn that technique. Of course there were many aspects the same, like the little boys playing air guitar and air drums :)
We are right on the Carribean Coast and it is beautiful!! It is definitley a relief from the heat! Tomorrow starts our work week here in Haiti. So far I know we are helping with the roof at the family home, electrical work, and cleaning at the Village of Hope. I honestly don't care what I do as long as I am helping.
Well I will leave you with a few pictures I took with my phone. Most are on my camera so I'll have to update those later.
We have landed in NY. We are here until morning and then we fly out to Port a Prince. We have already had an eventful day so hopefully all our troubles are behind us. The leader of our group was up all night sick and another member of the group didn't have the credit card that was used to purchase the ticket. With a new ticket in hand and some medicine in tummy we boarded our plane. Satan will not interfere with God's plan for this trip! Looking forward to Time Square tonight.
Well I am officially ready and packed for my trip to Haiti. What a relief! In a lot of ways I wish we were leaving now, I'm all ready to go and I am not the most patient person :) It feels like this big cloud hanging over me and I don't see it going away until we are there safe and sound.
AT&T has been amazing as well. For customers who are traveling to Haiti for a missions trip they have a discounted World rate. Instead of $2.50 a min for calls it is only $0.25. Can you believe it! Knowing I can talk to my babies before bed is such a relief to me. The best part is that all incoming text/picture messages are FREE! Well athey will come out of whatever domestic plan you have but mine is already unlimited. To send a text or MMS it is only $0.10. I was in shock when I asked the representative. Lastly, it is only $0.50 a MB for data. So I get to keep all of you fairly updated. How great is that?!?! Hence the reason for this post, figuring out exactly how many KB is used to post. So for your viewing pleasure and my investigation of usage, here are some random pictures in my iPhone library. Enjoy! I will keep you all as updated as possible. We have a LONG layover in NY tomorrow, 14 hrs to be exact, so I am sure I will post one more time before we hit Haiti about our fun time in Time Square!
Caleb at school, we re-took this picture so the students could see how they'd grown. He's so big!!
Okay I am officially freaking out! At this time in 3 days I will be in Haiti, already through customs, immigration and the long car ride to Cyvadier. I am trying to imagine what I will feel and see when I get there but my thoughts are all over the place. For some goofey reason, I keep feeling guilty for leaving my doggie, worried that she will think I have abandoned her. My mind must be choosing to stress about that so that I won't worry about everything else.
I am hoping that Haiti will rock my world! I know that this trip will be an amazing experience for Andy and I to share together and I cannot wait to see my how God will use it to shape and strengthen us together and individually. I have been trying to prepare myself spiritually so that I will glean everything God intends during my trip to Haiti but I am not completely sure how. How do you prepare yourself for such devastation and poverty, yet such strong faith in the midst of it all? I mean sure I can tell myself all day long that I will rely on God no matter what my circumstances are but I haven't been dealt a horrible hand either. Sure, I have fallen into some pits in my life and felt as if was the end of the world and I'd never get out but in reality I haven't had a 10th of the struggle as the people of Haiti. I spoil myself with Starbucks, have all my loved ones surrounding me, food to eat, and I roof over my head. I have more than I deserve, yet how often do I get upset with God when things don't go the way I want? More times than I'd like to admit. Who am I to think that God should do what I say? The Haitians have lost everything- their homes, loved ones, and security yet they are still praising the God of the universe. I realize this is not true of all Haitians, but I am talking about the christian population of Haiti. We claim to be a Christian nation but I wonder if we would hold up during situations like that. Christianity isn't just about proclaiming your belief, it is living it out when the going gets tough.
Not only do I hope for my faith to be strengthened but I hope that my children grow from this as well. I want them to understand what it means to follow Christ. That it isn't just about going to church on Sundays and doing devotions but loving like Jesus and putting others needs above our own. I am going to miss them and I worry about how they will fare being away from Andy and I but in the end I know that the life lessons will far out way the little bit of sadness. I know that my thoughts have been all over the place but I did warn you. Goodnight all!
As the sun scorched us, we sat and watched one of the boys last games of the season. Seems it has flown by! Andy and I will miss the next couple of games while we are in Haiti, so I took the oportunity to get some good shots. Their team as a whole has improved a lot this year. I am very proud of their team work and focus. Today marked another win by the Dodgers and the boys were beaming.
Zachary received the 'game ball' tonight! He has made a
big improvement in his skills and confidence. SO proud!
Gum, so much better than dip :) It seemed to keep him focused better too.
I was impressed with how focused they both were this game,
baseball ready instead of dreamy head-y!
Collin once again had some GREAT hits! He is one awesome baseball player :)
I a trigger happy, picture taking, camera fanatic. I don't want to miss any of life's moments so I capture them all on film. My goal is to use this passion to capture other people's special moments & memories so that they can be treasured forever.
