pictures

remember that one time i said i was going to post a picture and write something on here everyday? then when i moved here, we didn't have internet for a while and then we only had it in the work room at school. i kind of gave up on that idea. but i would like to try to put more pictures on here. so now that i've said it, you have to hold me to it!!!

so here is me trying to do that again. these are 4 of my favorite boys in haiti (witchy, walkem, wood kimley, and widloveson). they came over to our house today for cookies, play-doh, and a video. they are such sweet boys. i want to bring all of them home with me!

Let Miss Cleo tell your fortune...

so i have this kid who walks to school every morning with a woman (don't know if it is his mom or not...she looks really, really young, but that doesn't really factor in here). this woman always has on a "head wrap" of some kind...usually, it's just a scarf wrapped around her head.

well, today, here they come trotting down the street to school and this lady looks like she is wearing a turban. seriously. she has on a HUGE black turban with a rhinestone clasp on the side. i seriously wanted to ask miss cleo to read my fortune.

i wish i could have taken her picture. it was crazy!

what to teach...

I recently taught my kids to say "Awesome!"

I am taking suggestions for what YOU think I should teach them next. Leave a comment and let me know what you think 4-year-old Haitians should learn to say in English!

boredom has struck...

First of all, let me preface this with "Yes, I know I am a dork...and Yes, I know this is probably the reason why I am still single at 27 years old."

As many of you already know, there isn't much to do in Haiti. Sure, we watch movies and some TV shows on DVD, but you can only do that for so long...You have to find something else to do to stop the boredom. We occasionally go on hikes or play games, but I have recently found a new hobby...and it's all because my computer broke last semester. Long story short, I had to get a new computer a couple days before I left America to come back here and will not have my old computer (with all my music and files) until sometime soon. My music selection is limited on my new computer (don't worry, I have plenty of Matt Wertz but not nearly enough Justin Timberlake), so I have been using my iPod to play music in my bedroom instead of my computer.

So, I have been listening to all this fun music and if you know me at all, you know if there is music on, I can't sit still...so I have been dancing around my bedroom for the past 3 or 4 days. And I don't just mean bobbing my head...I mean, I could be in a full music video (Brandy - think Shape of My Heart, Sophomore Year). Seriously, it is getting pretty ridiculous...but it is so addictive. It's like a drug and I just can't stop!

Honestly, any music will do...showtunes, hip-hop, 80's, 90's, anything with a beat...but I realized I had a problem when I started dancing to "Come 'on Ride the Train." After about 15 seconds, my first thought was, "How in the world did this song get on my iPod?" quickly followed by "Am I such a junkie that I will reduce myself to dancing to one of my most-hated songs (only slightly hated less than the Cha-Cha Slide...honestly, if you need the song to tell you how to dance, do you really enjoy dancing enough to actually BE dancing? another post for another day...haha!).

I have tried to introduce my roommates to this new phenomenon, but it just hasn't stuck. Ashley tried it last night, and I think she might be a social dancer...she's not quite a dance-a-holic like I am. If you know Ashley at all, it's shocking, I know...You would think she would have been hooked immediately.

Any suggestions for some fun new dancing songs???

Gratitude -- Nichole Nordeman

Send some rain, would You send some rain?
'Cause the earth is dry and needs to drink again
And the sun is high and we are sinking in the shade
Would You send a cloud, thunder long and loud?
Let the sky grow black and send some mercy down
Surely You can see that we are thirsty and afraid
But maybe not, not today
Maybe You'll provide in other ways
And if that's the case . . .

We'll give thanks to You
With gratitude
For lessons learned in how to thirst for You
How to bless the very sun that warms our face
If You never send us rain

Daily bread, give us daily bread
Bless our bodies, keep our children fed
Fill our cups, then fill them up again tonight
Wrap us up and warm us through
Tucked away beneath our sturdy roofs
Let us slumber safe from danger's view this time
Or maybe not, not today
Maybe You'll provide in other ways
And if that's the case . . .

We'll give thanks to You
With gratitude
A lesson learned to hunger after You
That a starry sky offers a better view
If no roof is overhead
And if we never taste that bread

Oh, the differences that often are between
Everything we want and what we really need

So grant us peace, Jesus, grant us peace
Move our hearts to hear a single beat
Between alibis and enemies tonight
Or maybe not, not today
Peace might be another world away
And if that's the case . . .

We'll give thanks to You
With gratitude
For lessons learned in how to trust in You
That we are blessed beyond what we could ever dream
In abundance or in need
And if You never grant us peace

But Jesus, would You please . . .

I think I'm turning Haitian.

SPOILER ALERT!! Don't read if you plan on watching Season 4 of 24!

When Haitians watch movies, they like to laugh a lot...and very loud! And they like to scream during exciting parts or funny parts. Well, yesterday, our house started a 24 (Season 4) marathon (we are trying to watch as many episodes of 24 as possible before our little Caribbean vacation on Wednesday). It has started getting to an intense part of the season and Jack and Audrey were trying to escape from some terrorists. Jack and Audrey both ran out of ammunition and were "trapped" when out of no where Tony Almeida (my favorite character) shot down all the "bad guys." When this happened, Ashley, Jen, and I all raised our hands in the air and cheered VERY loudly (I think Ashley even kicked her legs!). We were OUT OF CONTROL with excitement. It was actually a little bit embarrassing! hahaha!

I think I'm turning into a Haitian.

New Year, New Semester

It's a new year and a brand new semester at Sonlight Academy. It was so good to be at home for a break (and as much as I wish it had been about 3 more weeks, that would have made it that much harder to come back). Being back, though, has been abnormally comfortable...like this is my home for now.

It is nice to be back in the warm 80 degree weather!!! It doesn't make me sad to be enjoying the Caribbean sun and laying out in January! And while we were laying out (we lay out on the roof of the school where no one can see us) we saw a ship close to Tortuga (The Pirate Island that is right off the coast of Port-de-Paix). There are boats in and out of our area all the time, but the only way to describe this boat is "A Pirate Ship." It looked like something out of Pirates of the Caribbean. I was waiting for Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom to hop out and save the day. Who knows what the boat REALLY was, but for my own sake, I am going to say I saw a real life pirate ship.

And speaking of boats, for those who don't know, our boat came in over Christmas break and I have been bombarded with lots of yummy goodies...oh yeah, and my kids got their Christmas gifts! They were so excited for all the surprises! Thank you so much to everyone who donated toys, clothes, candy, school supplies, snacks, movies, etc. for me and for the kids. It was so nice to have all of that to come back to after the break at home!!!