Haiti Bound

In just one week I will make my 3rd trip back to Haiti, and what really excites me is that my husband will be joining me for the first time as we lead a mission team together. Joining us will be our dear friends Karen, Kristy, Mark, and Elena.

I can't wait to get back to be hands on with the feeding program and housing project and whatever area they'll have us serve in. I'm excited about worshiping in their small yet amazing church. I'm excited about visiting with my sponsor child Loica (picture above), her family and seeing how much the children of the community that I have gotten to know have grown. I long to be back in a community that teaches me so much about hospitality, humility, gratitude, and respect. Away from all the distractions of my own world it seems that I can hear God speak into me more clearly, I worship more freely, I pray more intently, all my focus is on Him. I am convicted by the servant hearts of the people who so warmly welcomed me, their generosity embarrasses me in a away that I need to be. Looking at what they have or lack there of and what they give compared to what I have and what I give is a wake up call. What a humbling experience it is to go down to serve and to make whatever impact you think you can make, when in reality I find that it is I who has been impacted the most.

Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere, they are in desperate need of relief. Yet with such poverty this country is filled with such beauty, both within the people, their hearts and their land. Riding around in the back of a tap tap(a taxi pick up truck), I get to take in the most amazing views of lush landscape, colorful art, a beautiful caribbean beach, and children playing soccer in every field that isn't being labored in, and with a simple word of "bonjour" I can get a smile from anyone.

So many Haitian friends come to mind as I look forward to my trip, 2 young teens James and Wichnel, funny mischievous boys who make me laugh and who have taught me a few Haitian creole phases. Regi and Gaby, two young but older guys who have always been a huge help to the team members hosting us as our guide and translator when the pastors were busy. And I'm looking forward to seeing Pastor Laflour again, who is an amazing passionate Pastor over Restoration Ministries (the church and ministry we are going down to serve). I can't wait to get back!

If you're planning a trip to Haiti be sure to read this funny, but true blog on the Top 10 Fashion Crimes Commited By Mission Teams and Aid Workers in Haiti , written by a long term missionary in Haiti. I have been guilty of committing a few of these "crimes" myself, but you live and you learn :) and if you would like any information on how you can offer support or relief to the community of Jacmel Haiti, please visit RestoreHaiti.com

No more flies!

As the spring came in I started having trouble with flies, both fruit flies and the common fly. So after researching pinterest (where I do most of my research) I found a couple solutions that actually work! Both were real simple with items I already had around the house. The first is the fruit fly trap (above). Simply place a banana in a jar, create a funnel with a sheet of paper and then be sure to tape the edges. The flies fly in but they can't find their way out.

I was confident in the fruit fly solution but I was skeptical about the common fly trick (picture below). I love sitting on my back porch, but it can be invaded with flies, then I have to sweep away the dead ones, I was willing to try anything, even if it seemed silly. This idea came from pinterest and the pinner said to simply hang up a ziplock bag of water over the door frame. This is suppose to work because a fly has hundreds of eyes so the light reflecting off the bag keeps them away. My back porch has been fly free for 3 weeks now!

Summer Movies

Over the summer the Regal Cinemas in our area have offered free movies every Tuesday and Wednesday morning for G and PG rated movies. This year however they started charging a dollar, but $4 for a movie theater experience for a family of 4 is pretty awesome!In the picture above the kids are holding up their movie passports that get stamped every week that they come in, and once they get 9 stamps the 10th movie is free. I just love this summer tradition! So far we have viewed Journey 2, and Yogi Bear.

Our First Garden (Wordless Wednesday)

Virginia Beach

Last week the kids and I took a trip to visit my sister in Virginia. Mitch would have gone with us, but he had training all week for work. Besides with our upcoming trip to Haiti he can't afford anymore spontaneous vacation time.

We had a blast at my sister's, they live just 15 minutes from the beach, so that's where we spent most of our time. Maddox also got to enjoy welcoming uncle "G.I. Joe", Shane home everyday (he's a marine and would come home everyday in his uniform). I meant to get pictures of them, but it never happened. But here are a few of the kids at the beach and carnival:

Princess Skylar

Skylar came home from a friend's house dressed as an Egyptian princess. My children always find new and creative ways to make me laugh. I just had to take and play around with a few photos.

Father's Day

This Father's day Mitch taught Maddox how to ride his bike without training wheels. He only needed two pushes and he was off, he took right to it. Good job daddy and good job Maddox!

Happy father's day to my amazing husband, Mitch! :)

Summer Bucket List

I love making lists, so I am grateful to have stumble upon this free online app, Cozi that allows me to organize all my lists from to dos, to my grocery list, and now to my summer bucket list! Below is a screen shot I took on my iPad of my summer bucket list. We have a lot planned for this summer and I love it. Today is only day 5 of our summer break and we're already having fun!

Other items that didn't show up in the screenshot:

*Mission trip to Haiti
*Have a "Yes Day"
*Create at Hearts of Clay

Journaling

I have kept a journal since I was 11 years old. Good thing too since my memory is so poor! I have always enjoyed jotting down events of my day, some happy, funny, sad or just plain boring, but all moments that happened to me and capturing those moments on paper has always been therapeutic. 3 years ago I discovered blogging, an online version of a journal that I get to share with others and add pictures too! From there I have continued to enjoy sharing my thoughts on family, life and my faith. I recently took a break from blogging because I felt it took away too much time from my housework (computer time can do that). I have continued to keep up with a bible study journal, currently I am studying the Proverbs 31 woman again, but I missed blogging about life. To me it's a great way and to store memories forever, an online time capsule that could be read by me and my children over and over if we wanted too. I imagine wanting to look back on these precious times when my children were young, so now I'm back, but with a promise to keep it short and sweet, with just snapshots of our days and my thoughts, so that I don't take away from me actually living out these charished moments.