Small School Teaching in Haiti

by Jimmy

I was thinking today why I love my job. Teaching at a (very) small school can be quite advantageous.

1. I have the best co-teacher EVER - my wonderful wife!

2. My daughter comes to school with us.

3. The students get individualized attention, support and help.

4. Parent/teacher conferences always involve food, good food, and sometimes swimming.

5. I can farm on the side, and call it a science project.

6. Each student is unique, very, very unique. No generalizations here.

7. Any and every subject is available to teach and learn.

8. The brain can stretch as it tries to comprehend Senior level Physics, while getting asked about what a particular word means, by a 5th grader - who also should be in Senior level English.

9. Flexible time - If we go long on History because the students are still asking questions, we can go long. No bells here.

10. I get to experiment with curriculum. If something doesn't work, I get to change it quickly. If something does work, dances get made up.

Some small school pics...

Small school PE time... Trampoline in the rain.

 Hard at work. Paper snowflakes take a lot of concentration.

 Classmates, friends, brothers, and sisters, all interchangeable.

Noisemaker in training. 

 Dissection 

 Computer class

One of the drawbacks to teaching in Haiti - termites are bookworms as well.

One month to go!

by Jimmy

With exactly one month to go before "THE RUN", I figure I better update better. I ran today for the first time in a week and a half. I contracted some strange skin infection in my left leg, and could barely walk, much less run the past week. Thankfully, we have connections for antibiotics. I only ran half the 10 miles I was scheduled to run, and my legs are complaining, and I am not sure I got anything else accomplished today, BUT I am back running. I cannot say I am excited.

The running had been getting better, and I honestly feel better, and stronger, but I still really dislike running. Especially once it goes into that second hour. I don't even know how it feels going into that third hour. I thought I might be a decently fast runner, but No, I am not.

On the farming front, we had triplets again! Two weeks ago. However, one of the umbilical cords became infected, and between accidentally eating the medicine and the maggots, one died last night. Sad times. I know the Heartline students will be sad to hear it. So we are down to 10 goats.
We have reached full production on the eggs though! I averaged over 14 eggs per day out of 15 chickens last week. Pretty crazy. I will take it though.

Teaching is going very well. So glad our students are learning so much, and still enjoying it. I have a couple ideas running around my head for next semester. Hopefully they will work out in reality as they do in my head.

...And as a dad, awesome! Abbi is incredible. Growing so fast and so smart. She knows how to wave, sign for "more," crawl forwards, say "momma" and "dada", pull herself up, and communicate to a degree. Love, love, love being a dad. That big 'ole smile when I walk in the door sure helps.

Running... one good turn deserves another.

by Jimmy

It has been an adventure the last 24 hours. Yesterday I completed my long run for the week, on Sunday instead of the normal Saturday. Yes, we went to the beach on Saturday and thoroughly enjoyed it. Probably most impressive was running after getting home in the dark. But last night, Sunday night, I ran for an hour (just about 6 miles) with only a half lap walk in the middle. Not easy, but I finished.

On my cool down lap, my wonderful wife asks me when I finish, to turn the generator which had been running our laundry for the day, off. I agreed. As we have not had consistent power, and realizing that we are now out of gasoline, I figured it better to get gasoline rather than take the very real possibility that power will not come on during the night, and have no fans in the middle of the night. So, I walk to get gas. I consider it more cooling down from running.

With the generator moved into fan backup position on the porch, I enter the house hoping to sit, and shower. I am then informed that a stench is emanating from our couch. My wife has a considerably more accurate sniffer than do I, but even I can smell it as I get closer. So we have to literally tear the couch apart to get what we expected, a squashed mouse. The arms to the fouton fold down, and when we did that a few days ago, we smashed our unwanted guest. Great.

So out on the porch the fouton goes, to discharge its now maggot infested former inhabitant, and to air out. Finally I get to sit and drink, and rest, and think about eating. It begins to rain. On our porch.

Quickly, we bring the fouton back inside.

Eventually a shower, and ice cream make things better. I have made up my mind that candy and cokes are no longer off limits, since I am burning more calories running. Probably not the best decision, but… I like sweets.

Being an urban farmer, I cannot yet grow my own chicken feed. So this morning I was hoping to take a quick trip to the feed store to replenish my chicken’s feed. I am sure they were cursing me out this morning as I moved them and fed them water and some old rolls.

A quick trip between classes, turned into a 2 ½ hour ordeal. Apparently everyone in the city of Port-Au-Prince had errands to run after a 4-day Haitian holiday weekend. I ended up parking the truck, and taking a motorcycle, and I probably should have just left it parked until later. I was stuck coming back, just across the intersection from my house for the majority of that time. Frustrating, knowing that you can walk the distance 20 times over, but you cannot drive. Frustrating, being passed on all sides as vehicles cram into a space two cars can barely get by, just further congesting the intersection.

Such is life in the city, while trying to farm… and teach. School let out early, due to traffic. Kids need to get home at a decent hour. School in Haiti gets interrupted for the strangest reasons!

Training...

        So, I have been "wanting" to work out and be active for oh, the last year and a half. But with life and a baby and such, it just hasn't seemed to happen. Funny thing is, as soon as we committed ourselves to this half marathon on New Year's Day, I started running. There really is nothing that will make you stick to a training plan like having 13 miles looming over your head only 9 weeks away and having absolutely no idea how you are possibly going to accomplish it.
          I'm not sure if we picked the best or worst week to start running in Haiti, since this last week saw 4 days of non-stop rain due to the tropical storm. The "best" part of this is it was amazingly cool here. The "worst" part of this is, well, who wants to go run in the rain and mud. However, like I said, with 13 miles looming over your head, there's just not any making excuses.
         Our first day running didn't exactly go so well. It actually wasn't the running that was so bad. Three miles was a little easier than we expected after being lazy bums for so stinking long. However, since we have a baby Jimmy and I obviously can't go out and run together unless one of us is crazy enough to add the difficulty of carry an extra 25 pounds to this already seemingly impossible task. Turns out, neither of us is that crazy. (Sadly, strollers are not really an option in Haiti) We had driven out to this field to run, and so I stayed in the truck with Abigail while Jimmy ran, and then he was going to stay with her while I ran....except we never made it that far. While Jimmy was handing over his shoes and watch for me to get ready to run, Abigail decided to take a nose dive out of the front seat of the truck.... Thankfully Jimmy saw and caught her when her face was about an inch away from the pavement. Sadly, she had already hit her head and scraped her face on the metal bar for stepping into the truck. By the time I had any idea something had happened, he had already caught her. Although it could have been worse, it was a pretty bad fall. One of those where she couldn't scream for about 30 seconds, but then once she did she screamed loud and hard for a long time (when she wasn't trying to fall asleep that is). One of those where her forehead grew about 3 inches immediately. So, instead of making Jimmy deal with a screaming baby alone while I took my turn running, we decided to head home. (Don't worry, I made up the distance the next day). Although the first hour was a little scary, Abigail was fine. We figure that a baby's first injury has to happen sometime, and after a first run like that subsequent runs can only get better right? At least they only involve pain to ourselves and not our daughter.
          I ran 5 miles last night. I know this is lame, but I actually don't know if I've ever run 5 miles (at least on purpose) before. Actually I only hope that I ran 5 miles last night - I ran for an hour anyways and according to my estimation of distance I think it was about 5 miles. Since we don't have a track to run on, one thing we're both a little afraid of is that we will get to the end of our training and think that we are able to run 13 miles, and get back to the States only to find out that we are super slow runners and we're still not even close to running far enough. :o)
         One really awesome result of our first run is that a couple days later I was drinking out of my water bottle at school and thinking, man this water tastes really nasty! I drank several times before I decided I could not drink such nasty water anymore. And that's when I remembered.... On the way home from running when by daughter had a head injury and was screaming and I had no ice..... I had pulled off my sock and stuck it in the cold water in my water bottle to put on her head. I had done that several times. Then my water bottle had sat at my house for a couple days unused, and I had forgotten all about it.Until that morning I had seen a full water bottle and rather than dumping it out had simply added ice to the water that had been growing my foot grime for 2 days. THAT's why my water tasted nasty! Sick out!
        So that's the beginning of our training. The cool weather is now gone, so we are sweating buckets whenever we run. 13 miles still seems really far away, but we're just gunna take it one step at a time. If Barry can run 315 miles, surely we can do 13. And if the Haitian women can endure the difficulties they do every single day, well then there's no question - we can do this thing.
        If you haven't done it yet, check out the Run For Life website: http://runforlifehaiti.org/
And if you want to contribute to the good cause of me and Jimmy's pain - I mean, to our attempt to help raise money for the women of Haiti, you can support our run at http://www.razoo.com/story/Jimmy-And-Becky-Burton-Fundraising-For-Run-For-Life-Haiti-Join-The-Team?referral_code=share

Until Next time,
Mamma turned Runner for God's glory

Oh yeah, here's a picture the next day. (We can't display the photo from the night of the inury)

Run for Life!

One man, using his loss to bring gain.

315 miles. 12 days. 

So women in Haiti deliver their babies safely. 

www.runforlifehaiti.org

Most of you probably remember that God graciously allowed me to give birth in Haiti last year at the Maternity Center that is run by the organization we are working for, Heartline Ministries. Our experience there was really incredible. I felt so comfortable with and loved by the staff there. They took the time to talk and share with me, kept careful watch over me and the baby, prayed for me, provided us with everything we needed, and overall just took really great care of me. I always looked forward to my appointments there (as opposed to the few doctors appointments that I had) and could not have asked for a better birthing experience. I share these things, because I am so thankful for the way God used the maternity center to help and encourage and provide for us during our birth. The maternity center does these same things for many Haitian women whose only other option would be receiving no pre-natal care and often dangerously giving birth at home alone. Because of Heartline’s Maternity Center many women are getting to experience Christ’s love in a much needed and practical way. I believe in what Heartline is doing and am very excited that they are planning to build a second maternity center that will be able to serve more women and be better equipped for some of the more difficult medical needs that women face here in Haiti. Beginning a new maternity center is a huge undertaking. RUN FOR LIFE is going to help in this process. We want to invite you to join us in the RUN FOR LIFE journey over the next few months.

Ways you can be involved - Check out the website for details

      1)      PRAY for this event and the construction of the new maternity center.

2)      Donate directly to the Heartline Maternity Center.

3)      Host/participate in a Co-Run or co-event in your area to raise funds and awareness

4)      Stay updated on run details and spread the word!

5)   Lord willing, Jimmy and I will be running in a half-marathon in Allen, Texas on New Year’s Day as a co-run with Run For Life.  You can support Run For Life through our co-run at http://www.razoo.com/story/Jimmy-And-Becky-Burton-Fundraising-For-Run-For-Life-Haiti-Join-The-Team?referral_code=share

Unexpected School Holiday

Apparently, we teachers did not get the memo, that today would be...

BRING YOUR STUFFED ANIMAL TO SCHOOL DAY!

Fruit

Jimmy and I planted some fruit trees in Texas this last year. There's nothing like a big fresh juicy apple or pear. We can't wait to see some fruit on those trees. The only thing is, it will be at least 3-5 years before we do. All fruit trees are like this, they require a long time of tending and growing and waiting before you ever get to see the fruit. I've been thinking some about fruit of the non-edible variety since our return to Haiti. The fruit God produces in our lives tends to grow the same way as physical fruit - slowly!

Some "Fruit" I have been thankful to begin to see lately:

1) Our wonderful daughter! 

This time last year I was sick sick - feeling tired and crummy all the time, and growing as big as a house. Now this year, we are loving the "fruit" of that time of pregnancy, which is our beautiful, super fun and happy girl.

2) A few relationships with Haitian women. 

Last year I knew that although we are spending most of our time teaching and separated from typical Haitian life, I had an opportunity to look for ways to get to know and to love the workers out at the property where we live. With language and cultural barriers, my attempts often felt awkward, and I never really knew how the things I did and said were perceived/received. But nevertheless God gave me opportunities to begin to to know different workers. On one occasion toward the end of the year, I had several of them tell me that they would really like to learn English. So I offered to try and teach them and have been having English class twice a week with 3 women (2 of them pictured below). Seeing God make this happen and continue to grow these relationships has really been a blessing and encouragement to me.

3) Development in our students and in ourselves as teachers.

There has been such an abundance of fruit in this area that I can't even begin to share it. We have loved seeing each of our students really blossom and grow. Grow in motivation and a desire/love for learning. Grow in confidence and ability to try/stick to hard things. Grow in independence and learning to work through some things on their own rather than being spoon fed. Grow in character. Grow in knowledge and understanding. And we have certainly been challenged to grow as we've had to learn new subjects in order to teach them and been able to learn specific ways of working with each student that best fits their individual personalities and strengths and weaknesses. On thing I have loved see the fruit of is teaching our youngest students how to read. Before coming to Haiti I had never attempted to teach someone to read, but I really love it. It requires a lot of patience, but is so gratifying to see the fruit begin to bloom as they are putting letters and words together. So exciting to know all the fruit that this one skill will bring throughout their lives.

 

4) A growing community group!
Last year Jimmy and I felt like we really needed to make an effort to connect with and build community with other believers here. (Although there are lots of missionaries in Haiti it is honestly really rare for them to really have community together and know and support one another. Everyone is really busy doing there own thing and life and transportation in Haiti tend to be difficult, so relationships really take an extra effort here.) That being said, we began a small group of sorts last year that ended up truly being a small group - just us and one other family - and met together most weeks to eat and worship and talk about Jesus and life and just hang out and encourage each other. It was pretty difficult to be consistent and stick to it last year, especially since it never really felt like a real "group". This year it has been really fun to be joined by multiple families and single people who are also in need of community and encouragement. We're thankful for this fruit that God produced after much waiting.

5) Literal, physical "fruit" around the farm.
This is a picture of Jimmy's yard that he has spent an innumerable number of hours working on over the last year. (Breaking up and moving rock and concrete, hoeing up the ground, planting seed, trying tons of different ways to water it- watering, watering, and watering some more, trying multiple ways of keeping it cut....) It is still a work in progress, but really is looking good. Way to go Jim! He also has chickens laying lots of eggs, a goat herd of 8 goats, lots of flourishing lettuce, and other crops in progress. He has put a ton of time and energy into all these projects and it is cool to see what they are producing.

6) Growing knowledge of Creole.
I don't know if this actually counts as produced fruit - it is probably more in the category of fruit that we are working towards and hoping for and waiting to see. But thinking back to a year ago, we are definitely further along than we were then and for that we are thankful. Praying for consistency to water this fruit tree and much grace and help from God that it will actually bear fruit.


These are a few of the things that I am so thankful for as I look back over the last year and see what God has done. They encourage me to be obedient to put in the daily watering and tending of the things God brings along today, even when they look like they're going no where, and to trust that our Father, the good gardener, will bring about fruit in season.

Galatians 6:9
Let us not become weary of doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up!

First Haitian Ticket

by Jimmy

So we decided to go hiking with the cool MountainTop Meadows before they join us on the hot, stifling plain in a couple of weeks. Things started early, as we decided to try to beat Petionville Saturday traffic. We shot for 7:15 and left at 7:42. My how having a baby changes timing. Anyway, we made excellent time up to the Meadows, and left promptly at 9:00. Halfway up the mountain, I was flagged by a man in a long sleeve sweater to stop. I was just about to ignore him, when it occurred to me that cops do that. On closer inspection underneath the sweater lay a Haitian National Police uniform. So I stopped.

The police officer of course did not smile, and on my telling him I did not speak Kreyol, he of course asked if I could speak French. That failing, he wrote me a ticket, informing me that out of the 4 existing stickers on the windshield, I did not have one. Apparently I needed five. Of course that was in sign language.

He pointed out the infraction, #31, and the penalty, 1000 HTG, (US $25), and told me to go to the police station up the road to pay the fine, along with a few other things I did not understand. Fortunately he did not insist on me paying him the fine, since I have decided to refuse to pay any kind of bribe. He did however keep my American Drivers License. Had he not kept my license, I would have seriously considered not going to the police headquarters, as it is pretty easy to figure out that they have no way to keep track of that one ticket in my name with an American Drivers License Number. I probably would not have gone, so that is one thing I have to work on... doing the right thing regardless.

I did go to the headquarters, and met two very helpful American UN police officers. One felt that my DL should not have been kept, and had the original officer bring it back up to me. He also said that the ticket would be taken care of, that I did not have to travel to another department to pay the fine. Just to get the sticker.

All in all, I fared much better than some of the other Hatian Police stories I have heard. About an hour took care of the ticket, which could have ended up a whole day affair. We were a little late in starting our hike, but the cool mountain air stayed with us all day. I highly recommend Kenscoff and Wynne Farms, as an awesome place to get away from the city. Just be sure to have all the stickers you need.

Futher adventures of Urban Third World TeacherFarmerDad

by Jimmy

The garden is begun. Compost is composting. Seeds are sprouting, and the rain is falling. We have even gotten our first crop of lettuce. Thinnings, but it still tastes good on tacos.


With "Take 3" of the garden going, I have decided to do another take on the Goat Front. The lawnmower idea did not pan out so well. Buying goats just before the rainy season, and finding out that goats are picky eaters, did not work with my idea of a nice cut lawn for the school. After working so hard to first break up and haul off concrete, spade it up, plant grass, and water, with only marginal results, I came back to Haiti, expecting the worst. The grass has grown in most areas of the yard, but is still a little thin too. I did come back with a now-favorite tool, however --- my Scythe.

And it works! Now I can cut the grass, quickly and easily, without expensive lawn mowers needing gas, and use the cuttings for mulch, compost, even hay for the goats. I like it.

Of course I did get a lot of ribbing from my father, and wife. But they accept my idiosyncracies, and love me anyway.

So back to the goats. The herd of three has increased to a herd of eight! How does that happen? Triplets and twins is how. The babies are doing great. Now I just have to figure out what to do with them. And while I contemplate that issue, I am now shopping for more goats - milk goats. I am probably doing this whole goat thing wrong, but you live and learn. I have just appealed for help from an expert, and will find out more this week. Maybe I should have done that in the first place.

With milk at about $10 - $12 per gallon, and tasting TERRIBLE, I figure I could save quite a bit on milk, if I could raise it on my own. I have managed to succeed with eggs, so why not milk. (Plus, I love my French Toast. If I could only figure out how to raise a good crop of wheat, I would be set.)

On to other topics - Teacher



It is such a joy to teach in a small school. Getting to thoroughly know the kids is so much fun. Funny things these last couple weeks -
   Issac - as always learning so many new vocabulary words and using them correctly now. He is keeping a journal of all the funny things Abbi does. Or in Livesay lingo - all that "Abi-baby-gail" does.

Here she is sitting on the teachers desk, playing with, and losing a marker.

   Lydia - as documented already by Tara, has a little sibling rivalry going on with her slightly older sister. When Phoebe mentioned that she disliked stretching during PE, Lydia exclaims, "I LOVE stretching." I knew she was going to say that.
   Jackson (age 3) spontaneously getting up to give a presentation like all the other kids. "Uhmm, uhmm, uhmm, baseball, uhmm, my dad, uhmm, uhmm..." Adorable and Awesome! Got a video of it as well!

Phoebe took the cake this last week however.

She wandered a little bit going in between rooms in the school, and somehow managed to find herself outside. Paige saw her out in the front of the school. She asked her what she was doing out there and she calmly replied, "I want to kill a chicken with a rock." Wow! Was not expecting that.

And the following day at lunch, Phoebe finishes eating and is running around playing. She slips and falls, and scraps her knee. Being just a bit of a drama queen, she bursts out hysterically crying. Becky, trying to calm her down, tells her that she is fine, and to settle down, asks her what happened. Through her loud sobs, and wanting a bandaid, she practically shouts, "I was chasing a chicken and just want to kill one with a rock!"

I have always heard, (and have always been told myself) that you have to watch out for the quiet ones. You never know what they are thinking. Case in point. Why she hates chickens, we do not know. I suppose them lounging under the trampoline is a capital offense.

On a hopefully unrelated side note of strange happenings - Paige and I were outside working on Physics, and Paige noticed a chicken head just lying on the ground close by. No body, just a decapitated head. Weird. Such strange things can happen in Haiti.

Let the adventures continue...

First Week of School

by Jimmy

Our first week of school has started. Being that we live in Haiti, we do not necessarily observe Labor Day. Seeing as the kids are so excited to start school, they would be sorely disappointed if their first day of school were postponed.

So here they are...

Our students starting School Year 2012.

With their teachers.

Starting class time.

Notice the socks and bare feet. We were blessed with new tile just in time for school to start. It rained the night before, so we all had to take off our shoes so that we would not track mud everywhere. They all did very well.

It is such a joy and privilege to teach these kids. The difference that we are able be a part of is stark. Going from 30 students per class period in the public school system, to 4 to 6 at a time here, makes us very grateful. Even throwing in a hot, fussy baby, still does not close the gap. 

Abbi has been a little needy over the first couple days of school. I personally had it in mind that she would just sleep and play on the rugs or in her crib, and we could teach as normal. With it being so hot and humid, her naps are limited, and she wants one of us to be right there. I think we will get into a routine, but it may take a little doing. We just have to figure things out. 

This is our second time through this curriculum, so we hit the ground running. The younger ones have their older siblings to help them, and we now know what we need to do from the beginning. Staying on top of things will be so much easier from the get go. I am very excited about this new year.

Back to Haiti

by Jimmy
We are back in Haiti! Our internet is back and we are just waiting on EDH our city power. We weathered the storm, Isaac pretty well. Here on the property we just had a few large branches come down, and part of a neighbor’s roof come over the wall. Nothing too major. I probably freaked Troy out a little when I texted him that a branch fell on the truck.

Looks pretty bad, but it had hung up and was barely sitting on the truck. I drove out from under it, and we pulled it down.

Returning to Haiti, we did not really know what to expect. We were kind of expecting the worst - flooded house, bugs, mold, dead batteries... SOMETHING. There really could be anything. We arrived last Tuesday to a clean house, EDH, and ice in the freezer. Very, very nice. Thank you Jr. for taking care of all that. We slept quite soundly and have since. It is so nice to be home and not have to worry about packing and unpacking.

We did have a very good summer, just too much traveling. We loved seeing family and friends. God blesses us too much.

I immediately started working on the garden. Unfortunately, the tomatoes I had left as seedlings had grown and died. I had such luck with tomatoes in the states. Not so much here. All that survived was basil, which grows like a weed, and one good onion. Well, here goes Take 3 on the garden. I have high hopes after the compost I was able to make through the summer was added.

We have two new baby goats, for a total of eight now, and after I finish the second coop, their pen will be next. 16 Leghorn chickens are ready to start laying (fingers crossed) soon, so I am almost back to my farming self. I even went out scything this morning, and it worked better than I could have hoped.

The school has new tile on the floor, and lesson plans, well today have not gone so well, but up to today, very well. We are excited to start this next school year.

Abbi update: Adjusting well to the change. Both flights she started crying just as the plane left the terminal, and we thought "Oh, no." But she soon settled down and flew like a champ. Hopefully she will get into some kind of sleeping/eating schedule. Something she has yet to know.

Here she is eating bananas, sitting up like a big girl at the dinner table. 

She has yet to find a food she does not like.

First Sunday back, looking so pretty in one of her many outfits.

This was just wrong I know, but she was fussy.

She loves crinkly plastic, and she doesn't know what rock candy is yet.

Ready for bed with dad. I cannot believe how big she is. Love it.

Of Fathers and Daughters

There's not much more important in the life of a child, daughter or son, than their father. And sadly in this day and age, there is often nothing much more absent either. Thankfully my father was not. As an adult child I now have 2 wonderful Dads to celebrate on Father's Day. 

First, my own Daddy, Harry Blackmon, who has for my whole life believed in me more than anyone else. I have often felt somewhat invincible, like I really could do anything in the world, and I know this confidence came from my Dad's confidence in me. At church this Sunday, our pastor mentioned 3 things that make a good Father. Being present, being loving, and being generous. My Dad has always been all 3 of these. Thanks Dad for reflecting our heavenly Father in these ways - I am blessed. I now get the double blessing of my children experiencing all of these from you as grandpa.

Secondly, my husband, Jimmy Burton, who is now the Father of our Daughter. We just celebrated our 1 year anniversary, and every day I am more and more thankful to be married to this man. What a blessing to get to share life with him. He has loved me so well since day 1 and now lavishes that same love on our daughter. I know she will one day be thankful for the same things about you, Jimmy, that I am thankful for about my Dad.

I love you both - Happy Fathers' Day!

 The girls and Daddy at the Rangers game.

 Abigail and her Daddy.

 Abigail and her Grandpa.

Back to America... with a baby.

by Jimmy

 Our incredible, sweet, chill, traveler.

Our baby surprised the Haitian immigration officer as he checked our passports. He was surprised to see a white Haitian, and pleased as well I think. You just do not see that too often. Birthplace: Haiti, in a US passport. Even when we are out in Port-Au-Prince, she attracts quite a crowd. People lean over for a better look at our "ti blan, bebe."

Abbi, travels incredibly well. We keep hearing over and over how unusual and surprising that is. Everyone asks how she is, and she is chill. She was chill from minute one. We are very blessed and very thankful for her chillness. (Daddy especially, when he gets a taste of what could be, when mom leaves with Nana to get diapers, and she decides she is hungry and will not be pacified.) She is becoming a little more vocal, but overall she is the absolute joy of her father.

Even this morning when she fusses more than usual, I was asking her where her smiles were, and she immediately spits out the pacifier and gives her only big grin of the day. Her great big smile lights up her face, and her daddy's world. My how a little one changes everything.

We have traveled quite a bit since being back. We have been back a week and a half, visited both sets of grandparents of course, and gone to Alabama and back to visit the great-grand parents. She must think that "Texas" means a long trip!

Some reflections on returning to America... The roads are as nice as I remember. Everything is so clean and neat, and spread out. There have definitely been Haiti habits flash through your mind here. Pausing before you put your toothbrush under the faucet, knowing how to pull out in front of someone in a traffic jam and not feel at all bad about it, walking down the sidewalk seeing an animal, and thinking that if I wanted to throw a rock at it, like I throw rocks at roosters, I couldn't even find a rock.

America... the land of unending and cheap sugar, free refills, really fast food, really nice places to stop and rest on long trips, unlocked cars, fast reliable internet, expensive phones and phone service, libraries, and beauty all around.

I am really looking forward to this next school year, where we will be going back to Haiti. Our school year went so well, and I really want to become a better teacher. I have been reading quite a bit and will have extended time here to read. There is so much I want to try. I am a thinker and a piddler, and thank goodness I have an incredibly capable wife, to help steer some of those distractions to profitable use.

 First taste of chocolate Frosty - one of dad's favorites.

 Gorgeous! Great smile. Love her.

Time with GG in Alabama. 

Hanging with Dad.

Posing with mom.

Last Week Fun

Today was officially our last day of the school year. What a great year it has been! We enjoyed "Spirit Week" all week as a fun way to close out the year. Although I missed most of the week due to illness, my husband did an excellent job finishing things up for the year and having a good time of it (while taking care of me and Abigail). So thankful for all the blessings this year has brought our way. Looking forward to summer in Texas with family and preparing to come back and do it again in the fall!

Superhero Day

Royalty Day

Presenting their science project

Western Day

Easter Happenings

During the "Passion Week" we tried to find activities to do at school each day to help teach about Christ's Death and Resurrection. These included hiding and finding different items that are referenced in the scripture and help tell the Easter story, dying Easter eggs and talking about new life in Christ, drawing pictures of the Easter story, and making "Resurrection Rolls" (an edible example of the empty tomb).
Our family was privileged to enjoy a sunrise Easter service with our church at a beautiful point overlooking Port-Au-Prince as well as a tasty lunch and time of fellowship at the McHoul's house Easter afternoon. Abigail got her first ever Easter basket from "Grandma" Beth. Daddy was excited about helping her out with it. :o) We enjoyed our first Easter together as a family as well as our first Easter in Haiti - it was a sweet reminder that life and light have conquered death and darkness. Jesus has overcome!