just some happenings

Good Morning everyone. It is 11:08 am on a Thursday and I am currently sitting in my bed drinking coffee. Its not a vacation day here but because my boss is great I have been given a mandatory day of rest. So happy rest day to me. That should clue you in a little bit as to why its been a while since I have posted. I feel like I say this every blog post but its been hard lately. I will get this part out of the way and just say that I have been struggling and could definitely use your prayers and encouragement. I am so excited about staying an extra month and could not imagine if I actually was leaving on June 21st as planned but I am still feeling a bit burned out. And by a bit I mean a lot. Let's just be real because that is important, especially when you're asking for prayer. I am tired, its really hot which makes all situations feel a bit more dramatic than they might be, I am feeling far from the Lord, even though I know He is nearer than I could imagine, and I ran out of snacks so I'm hangry (hunger leads to anger, hungry + angry= hangry). So that's that. I appreciate your prayers and support. I know this is all one giant process, that Jesus has not left me, that He is active in my day to day life, my heart and my development and growth. I also know that how I feel will not last forever and is key to me becoming more like Him, more pruned and therefore more effective for His kingdom, which ultimately I want all of those things.

Enough of that, lots going on here. We had the wedding 2 weekends ago. I don't really want to talk about that, too overwhelming to relive but I will say, that regardless of who I marry, I love American weddings. This thing was unreal, no offense to Haiti. The ceremony started an hour late which is apparently earlier than expected. (My wedding will start on time, we will lock the doors and you will no be allowed in...) But seriously, it gets better. Not only are there about 5 million people that walk down the aisle but they take a year and a half as they slow dance their way down together. While this is happening, every guest has popped up with their phone or other gadget and is standing in front of the people walking down the aisle trying to film their own video. Its insane. You cant see anything. there are more people in the aisle than there are in chairs. Two hours later, the short ceremony has ended and the reception begins which I really don't want to talk about. But its over so that's that. The picture below is of the reception site on the beach.

 

 

 

(All the brides walking in. It was a mass wedding, 3 couples at one time.)

Last Friday was National Donut Day in America, so in honor of donuts, America and the fatty living inside me, we made donuts and they were heaven.

My new favorite past time thanks to my Canadian friends is now hockey. And let me toot my own horn for a second, I am awesome at it. Which if you know me, coordination, athletic activities such as moving, etc. are not really my forte. But I think I've found my nitch. Only problem, I tend to get quite aggressive which leads to injuries like falling over the wall- twice- having someone land on top of me and with my profound abilities to bruise like a peach have consistently maintained 2 black and blue legs for 3 weeks now. The children are starting to get concerned lol.

I have been on a few excursions lately. The weekend of the wedding we went to a beach nearby called Taino beach. Its nice, good for snorkeling, saw a few cool fish but I'm still terrified of sharks so I didn't make it out too far. Last weekend we went to Croix de Bouquet, a town near Port-au-Prince. Here the livelihood is iron making so its tons of little shops lined up filled with iron pieces, like bowls, wall art, etc. I bought a bowl, the word Joy, and a tree thing. After that we went to the Sugar Cane Factory and had lunch. It is an absolutely beautiful place- had delicious shrimp that I had been craving for weeks- got sick off said shrimp and will now not be eating shrimp for quite a while.

 Taino Beach

 

 

 

 <--- the shrimp

 

                      (my dear Canadian friends)

 

 



The children. Lets talk about them since they are why I am here. um I love them. I just love them. They drive me crazy, are the reason I pull my hair out most days, pee on me, don't even get me started on nap time which we just instituted and has become my project (I mean seriously, don't you want to sleep, aren't you tired? I say to them, Because mama Jessica is tired and she wants to sleep so shut your eyes and go to bed) But in the same breathe I want to squeeze them, eat them, hug them forever and keep them all. We had a mothers day celebration at the end of May because that's when it is celebrated in Haiti. The kids had gotten gifts for their mamas and would come up front and say the mom they wanted to give their gift to and the mom would come up and get the gift. I was shocked when I heard my name, my heart LITERALLY melted. I will forever treasure my weird tear shaped vase filled with water and a fake flower. Oh these kids. I know I'm not a mom, by any means, so if you are a mom or have pushed a baby out of your body and know that agony, I'm not trying to take away any of those moments for you but I think I am getting a glimpse of what its like. I wake up for these kids, go to bed exhausted because of them yet am ready to do it the next day because I cant wait to see them. I would lose my life for them, cant understand why they eat chalk and make the choices they do, let them braid my hair, some days don't want to wake up to see them, but every day love them more. Its chaos and its the best thing that's ever happened to me. Sigh. I miss them today. I mean I am enjoying the quiet and the not feeling like I'm in a fish bowl (exhibit A below) but I miss them.

 

 

 

 

(Sorry they are all sideways! I am not good with the technology stuff)

I think that's all I can think of to say for now. To sum up, I feel a billion different things a day so thank God that He is in charge of my life, is never changing, has my days pre-arranged, and loves me more than I can fathom.

OH and.....so this week was Greta Van Susteren's birthday (you know Greta Home and Academy, that Greta) so the kids and I made a few things for her...you can check them out on her Fox News blog....

1. http://gretawire.foxnewsinsider.com/video/wow-check-out-this-awesome-birthday-present-from-the-children-in-haiti/
2. http://gretawire.foxnewsinsider.com/video/more-birthday-fun-thanks-to-the-children-at-greta-home-academy/
3. http://gretawire.foxnewsinsider.com/video/i-dont-think-anyone-has-ever-ever-ever-gotten-as-great-a-birthday-present-as-this-video-i-so-love-these-kids/

The first is a giant banner we made with all the kids handprints on there. It was so fun painting their hands.

 

The second video is a card I bought (not made, sorry Greta) and wrote for her from the kids. The third is a video I made on my handy dandy phone...and of course its featuring my little one at the end, be still my heart.

So that's my life in a nutshell. Tomorrow is our kindergarten graduation which will be precious and our Samaritans Purse video crew is here this week so I will be posting a link to their videos and pictures soon!

Happy Thursday!