Haiti bound Again!

a last set of pictures from HCH

Me and Joanna!











This was all of us after an attempt to stay clean while using spakles with our craft. We ditched that idea quick and just put them all over ourselves instead! much more fun i would have to agree









Some of the after affects of the sprinkles.







James sporting his better shinnier side.












Just this morning the kids brought flowers (weeds). So thoughtful. But at least they actually smelt good!

going, going, GONE.

So this is my last post from Haiti Children's Home. I've kissed my goodnites and said my goodbyes and will be catching the old grey truck to Port at 4:3o am Haitian time tomorrow which actually means I will be leaving the yard at 5am or later. Haitians are notoriously late!
It was hard but I managed to keep my eyes dry for the most part of the day.
It was untill I was sitting downstairs and Joanna was finishing up her prayer, "Help her on the plane and get to her home good. and come visiting me in my home." I felt blessed to get to know all these kids. Even tonight David prayed, "please help Anna find her suitcase..."
I dont know what exactly to write. Or how to explain how I feel about leaving.
Mixed feelings doesnt really explain it. I feel like my being here was selfish. Because when I look back at my short three months here, I realize I probably got more out of it then I gave into it. Like the kids just allowed me to come into their lives, watch and observe them, then leave. Am I making any sense?
I will miss being swarmed when i come down stairs, "Anna! Anna!"
I will miss having rice and beans and chicken (or goat)
I will miss the toddlers drool
I will miss the awkward conversation over the dinner table
I will miss the abundance of kisses
I will miss mixing english and creole and people still understanding me
I will miss yelling "Shitta!"
I will miss Lori and Minnie
I will miss Thursday's laundry day
I will miss going to the bathroom in the middle of the night and being handed a baby to feed.
I will miss everything.
But mostly I will miss the Kids.
And I pray God will bless them with families that will love them until no end. Just like i tried to do while i was here.
So yea. I guess I owe a huge thank you to the kids.

Thank you:
Andre
Jean-Diny
Amanda
Derson
Jenny
Ketteline
James
Chris-nelson
David
Moise
Joanna
Eddy
Robentzson
Naika
Shelentsky
Gerald
Golson
Daniel
Josef
Conleigh
Julie
Berto
Danae
Lineda
Jamesky
Evan
Levi
Viens
Isaiah
Samuel
Ester.

Thank you for letting me into your hearts while i was here.
I will keep praying for you.
That God keeps growing in your hearts and that you will continue to be a light for him.
I love you all soo much.
Muah!

5 days to go...

It’s so funny to think that the last week is here already. I remember my first day driving up the mountain thinking it would be forever before I got back to normal paved roads. Now, the thought of having to drive on the right side of the road, with no kids in the back and wearing my seat belt sounds ridiculous. I mean people drive like crazy people and never once have I, or anyone I’ve seen gotten in an accident since I’ve have been here. Makes you wonder if Canadians are a little too careful.

Anywho, these past weeks have been relatively busy. It’s nice to have a routine and have the kids set into it. With the help of Shannon and Teresa from BC taking care of the cooking Lori, Melissa and I have been downstairs. That is when we aren’t hiding in our rooms in front of the fans because of the humidity!

We have had a few new arrivals at the house since I have past written. 2 have stayed and the others went home. Melinda has been hard at work. First we got this baby whose mother is 16 and had a caesarean section. The baby was born with the first knuckle extra of a finger by her pinkie on each hand. Melinda Tied string on around it then cut it with scissors. She is Pat’s Godchild so Pat named her Patricia. She is living with her mother and father who are not married.










Then there was another baby girl whose married mother had an affair with a different married man. She just dropped her off because she is headed to the states to be with her husband who doesn’t know a thing about the entire pregnancy. She is absolutely adorable! Her name is Ester. Melinda is pretty sure she was post-partum, which means she was left in her mom’s tummy after she was supposed to be born. They think she was left 10 months. It’s affected her skin color and her eating, but other than that she is normal and sleeps alot! She will be staying with us and will be up for adoption.

The third was a little boy named Berto. Melinda isn’t sure if he was dropped on his head of if he was shaken but he has definite brain damage. He is also covered in impetigo. A skin infection from scabies and bug bites. I have never seen anything like him and Melinda tells me she has seen so much worse. He is a year old and only weighs 9 pounds. His feet were so bad when he first came, but are doing a lot better now. He is being fed by a tube every 4 hours and is starting to heal slowly. He will be staying with us.






(excerpt from Lori's blog) "He arrived Sunday afternoon after we received a call from a neighbouring pastor who had come across this sad little boy when he arrived to pray with Berto's grandma. Our first sight of Berto brought tears to my eyes as he was by far in the worst condition I've seen first hand since starting to work in Haiti. His whole body was covered in sores, and his fingernails were embedded into his hands. His feet were covered in sores and scabs and his toenails were jelly-like. Berto's head was filthy and also covered in sores, and right away we could tell there was some form of brain injury by the telltale flitting back and forth of his eyes. I was amazed to suddenly realize how much he resembled Naika, another brain damaged child we have here. We asked his mother if he had been dropped or had fallen and she said no. SO, at this point we are speculating trauma at birth or perhaps shaken baby syndrome. Berto has a very high pallet and so Melinda figured that he is so small because he cannot suck, and his mom did not have the means or knowledge to feed him other food."

"Berto is holding his own at this point. He is being tube fed and is doing well with 4oz of formula. His head and feet are looking much better today. He was seizing constantly so he is now on an anit-convulsant medication called Phenobarbitol, and this has helped tremendously. He responds when we call his name, though is not able to focus at all. Please pray that he continues to improve and that stay well when Melind heads to the states on Wednesday." (also from Lori's blog)



The latest was a little boy whose mom also had a caesarean section. They cut his umbilical cord but it got infected so they brought him back to the hospital and wouldn’t do anything about it. So they brought it to Melinda to fix. Supposedly they wrapped it in bandages and the baby got urine on it and it got infected. Thank goodness for Melinda! The baby went back home with his mother the next day.








So lots of little things have been happening these past days. But tomorrow (June 11th 2008) will be one of the biggest things to happen while I’ve been here. Samuel and Bedza will finally be going home. Pat and Melinda are taking them to the states where the family will meet them and then they are off to BC to live. It’s an exciting and sad time. Exciting because they will finally get to go home and be with their parents and brothers and sisters. But sad because this is the only home they have ever known and are starting to deny leaving. Its also sad because pat and Melinda will be coming back on the 18th. The day after I leave. So I will be saying good bye to them too tomorrow.
Anyways, I need to get back. I’m trying to get some more pictures of me and the kids before I leave and get a little packing done too. Kinda nervous about leaving all alone so if you could pray for peace of mind and a calm heart I would appreciate it!
Love you all lots and I will try and write again once more before I see you all again!
Muah!

a long awaited post?

Hi everyone.

I thought an entry was long overdue. so here goes.

Nothing to excitting has been going on, there was a team here from BC for a week and they did some VBS and worked a little with kids outside the walls. I never realized how much new people effect these kids. They get attached and spoilt and then are crushed when they leave. Made me want to cry because it will be hard for me to leave them. I really am looking forward to coming home, its just leaving these kids that makes me need to stay.

Oh and i guess some new news would be that Shannon left early. Her parents were uneasy with the kiddnappings and she opted to head out with the team just this morning.

Oh!!! and Paina's family came and left. Her two older brother (Tyler and Justin) and her mom and dad (Helen and George) came to get her. I was amazed at how quickly she warmed up to her mom. The guys of the family is another story, but that will come in time. Anywho, her leaving brought tears and the realization that soon alot more kids will be leaving too.

Come christmas Moise, David, Joanna, Shelinsky, Eddy, will all be gone. Not to mention Bedza and Samuel will be leaving this week. its crazy.

Also today was the kids' big end of school concert program thing. The sang a bunch of songs, recited some math and stuff they learnt in school and got presents! It felt like a gongshow to me but the kids really enjoyed themselves. The even got cake and ice cream at the end, which the toddlers enjoyed wearing! I'm putting a couple pictures up from today's party and maybe you'll see what i mean... haha.

I guess alot new has happened. it just seems like everyday life to me! And its all going by so fast, i'll be home in no time!

anywho i need to get to bed. its laundry day tomorrow and today was extra long.

I love and miss you all lots and will be home in 19 or so days!

Muah!

Hi everyone, By now i assume you have all seen the news, and have heard of the girl who has been kidnaped. Please dont be alarmed.She was in Port-ay-prince and wasnt in a closed locked in compound like I am. Also, I am perfectly fine. there is no threat to me in Mirabalais. And my plans are to stay in the orphanage walls the etire time.

I'm sorry for all of you who have been worrying about me. Anywho just thought i would let you all know i'm safe and sound and am so far still coming home on June 17th. Melinda says that so long as we arent in port-au-prince we are all fine. The sad part is Kalico is cancelled. It was a dissopointment at first but i know its better safe than sorry!!!!!

Anywho again, sorry i didnt get this up here any sooner and please dont worry to much.
I love you all very much and am looking forward to seeing you all soon!

Pictures from Wozo Plaza where we spent the day for my birthday.

My 19th birthday and other significant occurances so far...

Thank you to everyone who thought and prayed for me on my Birthday. It was all in all a very fun day. And a birthday i will never forget.
My 19th birthday did not prove to come with me being any smarter or luckier however....
I spent the day at WOZO PLAZA. they have a very nice place and a great out door pool. Out door in the direct sun. Some of you may know what i am getting at all ready. and yes you are absolutely correct. Me being me, underestimated the tropical Haitian sun and got burnt. this time bad enough for me to finally learn my lesson that people who are as white as wonder bread, such as myself, need to suck it up, not think about a tan, and WEAR SUNSCREEN!!!!!
man did i learn/learning the hard way with this. Most of the pain, and blisters are gone now, two days later, but my chin and forhead still look pretty nasty, as Lori so frequently points out.
To make matters worse, yesterday when the power came back on, (yes i spent the whole next day after my burn without any electricity.... meaning NO FANS!!!) i tried to move the big metal fan back from just on my back when supper was ready. I pushed it back with my foot, but it caught on the computer cord behind me... so i pushed it back with my one hand... not at all a smart idea.... i got my middle finger. (same hand as my now healed thumb) It bled a bit but mostly i was in shock. so i went upstairs calling Melinda's help. I'm pretty sure she is getting tried of fixing all my boo boos. I seem to be her main patient....
anywho i caught my finger in the blade and sliced it pretty good. When she got it to stop bleeding, she cleaned it. I was just starting to feel queazy when Lori suggested i sit down. Now remember my entire face was and is still red from sunburn...
well when Lori told me to sit down... it was most definately WHITE. I sat a while before the tomatoe red came back to my face. Lori and Melinda say they have never seen anything like it!
To finally add to all of it... today my back started to feel ichy. I didnt think anything off it, untill we were getting the kids their supper. and it started to itch alot. and then it felt like i was being pricked my tiny tiny needles all over my lower back. I showed Minnie-June and Shannon, who thought Shackels? but when Lori saw it, she said it was definately a heat rash. from either the sun or sweat. fun eh?
So far my 19th year of life isnt proving to be much fun. Good thing i have 362 more days left to redeem myself!

As for an update on things at the house...
The kids absolutely loved the outting to wozo on friday and were very well behaved the whole time, Plus they were extremely tired out all day saturday which was really nice for all of us who were touched by the sun in some way or another.
Melinda is getting over her cold nicely and so far none of the kids have been touched by the chicken pox that are going around in the community.

It would be a big help if you could continue to pray for Samuel and Bedza's paperwork to go to BC.
Paina's family's safe travel here to come get her this week.
The group of 6 volunteers coming out this next week, for a safe arrival and good weather for their buliding project.
And please pray for my suitcase and that my comman sense would come back soon!! haha.

Love you all and hope to write to you again soon.
Muah!

all sorts of new news!

I've got really a couple fun new things to tell and three not so fun, but not terrible, things to tell.
First of all the not so fun news is i am on antibiotics. I cut my finger with an ice picker thing we have to chop up ice for our drinks. (it looks like the pointy end of a screw driver with a bigger wooden handle. i'll try and get a picture up) anyways, there was more blood coming out of it than i have seen in a long time. Made me very faint. Shannon took care of me though. And i was glad for someone else to take control. Also i must of stepped on something the other day because i have a small hole in the bottom of my foot. Its really not that bad, just awkward because i have to walk on it. So i showed Lori, who thought it might be ringworm, so i put the appropriate cream on and went to bed. Then i showed Melinda the next moring and told me to soak it. Unbetold to me, she told Lori she thought it may be a parasite. Anyways it turns out it was just a sliver of something stuck in my foot, not a parasite. so thats a relief. The third not so fun thing is that a pimple i got on the left side of my chin got infected. apparently a bug must have either bit me or stung me in the night and gotten me infected.
I tell you i am definately a sight for sore eyes this week! I have a small white bandage on my thumb to keep it from getting infected. i have to wear a sock over my one foot to keep it dry and clean.(which i wear in my flipflop....) and i have an infected pimple on my face. All this is reason enough for all of you to understand why most of my new pictures dont have me in it. tee hee.
Anywho, i am on antibiotics for a three of the sores Melinda wants to keep me from getting infected. And those are not a fun pill to swallow. first of all i need to make sure i have a full stomach. and i need to stay out of the sun. But its weird because they give me a sore stomach anyways, if i do either of these or not. But they work! my thumb is getting much better and my face is clearing up. my foot is still as awkward as ever to walk on. but to be honest, i like the 20 minutes a day sitting and soaking them!!!!

As for the good news! We have a new baby named Isaiah. He came to us at 9:oo this morning with his father and maternal aunt. He is 6 months old and appears in fairly good health, except for what appears to be the beginnings of Kwashinor's Syndrome, (his puffy cheeks because the water goes between his tissues and cant be broken down) which is proetin deficiency malnutrition.
His mother has been sick since his birth and stopped nursing him at 3 months. She is paralyzed and unable to talk. The family is not economically able to care for him, and have asked the orphanage take him in. Has other siblings at home who are 6, 8, and 10 years old. The are not 100% completely sure he will be able to stay because Melinda is away to Port today and hasnt seen him. Plus he hasnt been tested. But its still a blessing he came here now, sooner than later, or he would of definately been in worse condition. Please pray he adapts to the orphanage well and gets lots of nutrition fast!

The other good news is tomorrow we are getting a sibling group. We have had a file of parents who want to adopt a sibling group for a couple months. And a 3 month old girl and what they believe to be a 2 1/2 year old boy will be arriving soon! The reason i say the boy is believed to be 2 1/2 because birth certificates are often made late or are made wrong. So legally they may be 2 or 3 but in reality he may be the size of a 6 year old. Its not uncommon.

So yes. This is all very exciting. Except that i am experiencing it from my bed today because of the antibiotics. tee hee.

Prayer requests: please pray for Samuel and Bedza's paperwork, me not getting infected, and all the wee ones who have arried and are arriving soon!

Thanks so much and hope to talk to you all again soon!
Muah!

Some more pictures!

May 3rd 2008

I wanted to just keep my post light and full of happy stuff and not have to write anything upsetting. But today was a very sad day. The twin(Simon) that was doing well at the start, took a turn for the worst this past week or so and hadn’t been doing very well ever since. Melinda put him on an IV and did all that she could for him. And today on his 4 week birthday around noonish, he passed away. We had a small funeral for him in HCH’S private cemetery, and can home with sad hearts. He is now in heaven with his mommy, but has left behind his brother and a house full of people who will miss him. Please continue to pray for the other little baby Samuel who looks to be doing great and is growing strong. Physically and vocally!

Now for the lighter part. I’m getting my hair braided sometime this week! I’m excited because i definitely wont miss the permanent ponytail i wear everyday. Plus all the fly-away hairs and bobby pins aren’t fun either!

Man has it been raining today. But its the nice kind of rain where the sun still shines and there is enough wind to cool you off. Lori, Shannon and I have been trying to get the kids out for a treat for the past 5 days but have had to cut our trip short because of the rain every afternoon. Today was a success! We made it up the road to the “little boutique” or little bucket as it translates to what the kids call it, before the rain! It just started to rain as we were coming into the yard.
Minnie-June left on Wednesday to the states for her brothers wedding and wont be back until Tuesday. I cant wait. It means the kids will be back into their routine and things will settle down. Please pray for teething babies, Bedza and Samuel’s paperwork to get to Canada soon and a little less rain so i can get some laundry done!

Thanks for reading and being patient with the internet down! Until next time! Muah!

I'm having MILK!!!!

First of all i want to apologize to everyone for not having anything new in here for such a long time! My fingers are even having a hard time finding the keys, its been so long. So what happened is that the guy who came and connected the wireless, came back a while ago and tried to readjust the satellite dish so that we would have better connection. And well that did not happen. He disconnected it completely! And then left for Port Au Prince. So thus having no connection to write and update! And that’s just making the long story short. Haha. Didn’t think that was possible with me, did you?
Ahhh. I cant believe how much i have taken Dairy for granted! Lori found out last night (the 30th of April when i am actually writing this...)
Anywho she found out a midnight that she would be going instead of Pat. And that she was leaving at 4:3o am! Pat wasn’t able to go because one of the twins, Simon, isn’t doing very well. He could most definitely use a lot of prayer! Today they got blood from town and that was a miracle in itself. Melinda is having a hard time finding a vein. Not a good situation folks. They spent all last night praying he would make it through the night. Today was a blessing in more than one way that is for sure!
When Lori came home from Port she brought my Blessing. 3 cartons of shelf milk, and 10 yogurt cups! I ate a yogurt right away and put my one carton in the fridge. So tomorrow, I’M HAVING MILK!
I also want to give a shout out to my new friend Shannon from Red deer who brought a package my family sent me. I have never been so happy to see polo shirts! (by the way mom they fit perfect!) and my pink mints. Well lets just say i look at the bag half full. Haha.
Anyways i need to get in line for a shower and get to bed. Tomorrow is laundry day and so that means i will be getting up early.
Thank you for being patient with me and 3rd world country technology! Thank you mom for sending the package express. So that it got to Shannon in excellent timming! And thank you for the goodies grandma! I miss you all very much and it was a well needed reminder of all of you who love me over there. If you could keep Baby Simon, Jean-Diny ( who has sickle cell anaemia and is struggling with pain.) Bedza and Samuel (who will hopefully be leaving for home in BC very soon. Please pray for quick paperwork!) and for my sanity, patient and a caring and servant heart. A few thing that have deemed a bit hard lately. Also for my summer plans, please pray i follow God’s desire completely. That’s mostly where the patience comes in.
Only 50 some days to go. And can’t think of how much i will miss the kids. I cry every time.
Love you all very much and cannot express how much i appreciate your prayers. Thank you.

loriinhaiti.blogspot.com

Hello there.
For all those of you who have been watching and reading my blog like a hawk. I'm sorry i havent been writting more. There really isnt anything amazingly new. I got a really big sunburn yesterday. it was kinda cloudy and so i didnt think to put sunscreen on. big mistake. and that wont be happening again. ever! haha.
Anywho If you would like to hear some more of whats going on, and my blog isnt enough, you can visit, loriinhaiti.blogspot.com the same way you would visit here and you can read hers. It has a little different variety on whats going on politically and medically.
Enjoy and hope to talk to you all again soon!
Muah!

some much needed pictures!

This is me and Paina in the pool out front. It was my first time out there and my first time experiencing the power of the sun! Man did i get a good sunburn. I've been using sunscreen ever since!



















James and Julie (who as just started walking)














Conleigh, Robentzson and Myself.














The Famous twins. Simon and Samuel. They could use your prayers, things arent going so well.











Julie and Paina, in a water tub on water day!

spaghetti for breakfast?

Spaghetti for breakfast! Crazy rite? Well its the normal thing here. It not made with hamburger though, and it isn’t as saucy but its breakfast. Oh and cold showers. But trust me its so refreshing. All the water lines are cold. And the other day I was washing dishes, and Pat told me to leave them and come have supper... and I proceeded to tell her that the water would get cold if I left it. Well that gave everyone a good laugh. It was pretty funny. Yesterday there was a cockroach in my shower. It was very eventful! Oh and big spiders, I’ve seen one! Supposedly all you do is whack them at a side angle and their legs break, then you squish them. I didn’t stay long enough to find out. Just saw one look at it and called for the boys. Ha-ha.
Some other interesting Haitian facts are that is it considered the rudest thing ever to whistle in front of your elders, or to call someone a dog. “chein.” It sure put my whistling to an end. Hmm what else, they are amazing with their hair-dos. Really very creative. Supposedly even if a Haitian doesn’t have much they keep what they have very clean. For example, Melinda was telling me that even the people who live in huts sweep their houses out as often as possible and keep their houses very clean. Its awesome.
Not to mention the wash house they are starting to build. I will try and put up some pictures. I have never seen anything like it. They take rocks and mould the base, then pound the dirt down and then lay more rocks on top. Then use rebar and home made cement and homemade cement blocks to make the walls and roof. We aren’t at the roof or walls, but the foundation is almost there and they started just short of a week ago. You would be impressed at how hard they work in such crazy heat. Its amazing to watch the progress.
Speaking of progress, the twins are doing great, eating and sleeping and pooping like crazy. And growing lots too. I will be sure to get some of their pictures up to when i have some more free time. It dawned on me tonight that i will be around to see them turn two months old. Can you imagine how much they will have changed by then!?
The house has been extra loud lately, lots of babies and toddlers breaking teeth and lots of bigger kids tired of the crying teething kids. Ha-ha. There have been lots of outdoor activities and games, provided by Lori. It amazes me how she can keep them all occupied and how much they adore here. Although some times their action show nothing of the sort.... but she calmly explains why they need a timeout, and they usually listen, for the most part.
And Minni-june. Man can she whip up a meal like no body’s business! She comes from a large family and knows how to make a little bit go a long way. And she teaches school. That in itself is a task i would think twice about. Trying to get those kids to sit and watch a movie is hard enough, let alone read a book or learn the alphabet. I admire her ability to be stern and compassionate at the same time. I like to think of her as an older sister. And she is awesome to talk to!
Other than all this my life is settling into routine. And in my spare time I find myself thinking about my future. Wondering what it will be like in 5, 10 years from now. Then i stop myself and say, “slow down, don’t you think you should figure out next year first?” So if i could ask for prayer on the decisions i am going to have to make here soon, please pray for wisdom and God’s plan to unfold. And i could definitely use a little patience and peace of mind. I am definitely a planner and not knowing what is coming next is a little nerve-rattling.
Anywho, i love you all and hope to talk to you soon!
Muah!

no need to worry!

okay so if you've heard this or not, i just want to let you all know that i'm okay! The news has a way of over doing things and made port-au-prince sound worse than it is. Also, i just wanted to remind everyone that i am a 2 and a half hour drive from port and am way up in the mountains. so dont run to conclusions if you hear things arent good in Port-au-prince.

please dont worry to much about me. no news is good news out here. but please pray for port-au-prince and the government that they could all come to an understanding and forget whatever it is they are fighting over!

talk to you all again very soon!
Muah!

twins A and B.

so about an hour ago there were two new babies who came in. twin boys! there are already a family waiting for them. they had asked to adopt twins about 2 months ago and there werent any. but now there are. so its a blessing. I cant write all the details online, but ask Kyrie if you want to know...
Anywho the house is full of commotion and everyone is snapping photos! speaking of photos, The lady who has been here for 2 weeks to pick up her daughter is from Ponoka and will be leaving on tuesday so i am going to send letters and a cd of all my pictures and videos from so far. Ask my mom if you would like a copy. and i'll get her to put some up on here for me.
As for sending me things. there will be a big group coming out at the end of april. They live in chilawack BC, so i will get their address and you can send it to them. it will take a lot less time and will be alot faster to get to me.
also dont send any mail to me... because it will take way to long. i will keep you up to date with the address of the people who are coming from the states or canada and you can send them to me through them!
i really dont have anything to exciting to post. last nite it rained again. and conection was down again... so that not so fun.
Oh and Rhiannon in repsonse to your comment. we are one hour before you. so here its 3:40pm and there it is 2:40pm on April 5, 2008. Thank you sooo much for your prayers.

I would appreciate prayers for certain kids, i can only give names not stories.
Kethleine (cat-lean) derson(dare-sun) Naika (neigh-eek-a) james, robentzon, gerald, Joseph, Daniel and Jenny. and the new little twins who have yet to be named.

thanks so much again for all the prayers and i will write again soon!
Muah!

crickets singing in the dead of nite!

hello everyone. this will have to be another quick one! the connection is amazing but there is a constant line up. anywho exciting things, took the kids out for a snack today. they thought it was the best. more appreciative then lots of the kids i know.... and then there was a bit of a thunder storm, then this big truck brought a huge load of rocks to start the foundation to the water house/ appartment. it will be nice for Lori and Minnie to have their own space. other than all that just a regular day!.
thanks for all the prayers and pray that the crickets stay out of my bed tonite! haha.
love you all lots!
Muah!

Rain Rain go away come again... NEVER!

so its raining like crazy here. i mean loud loud thunder and lightning and the power off! the works. they say it will be like this alot untill the middle of May! so fun fun for me! its cute tho, cuz the kids love the lanterns and play boo around all the corners. and hide and go seek is not the fairest with them! its because i'm white! anywho i have to make this entry short, due to the power being out there is a long line up for the internet! anywho i will be sure to write more later when i have time! love you all
muah!

the long awaited photos!

Laundry, rivers and sunburns.

yesterday was laundry day. And what used to be Lori's chore is now mine. so from now on every thursday, amongst all the other little chores i do around the house, Laundry is done. thankfully there is staff who take care of the kids laundry, but that still leaves all the volunteers and parents who come and Pat and Melindas too. lol. so i did about 5 loads and then fled to the river with lori and the older kids. its about a 10 min walk. so here i was with my swimsuit, tanktop and shorts... without sunscreen because i left the house so quick. and i bet you all know what that means. yup! i got a sunburn when i got home. i've been nursing it all day today and making sure to stay out of the direct sun. but fridays are usually pretty easy going because all the kids watch a movie after supper. the only time a week they are allowed. other than that my week has been going goodwaterfights, breaking up little boys fist fights, kissing boo boos and cuddling little upset tummies and little coughs.
by the end of next month, 4 of our kids are going to be gone. BabyJessica is gone already and Jared and Jessica the twins are leaving next week. Then Juditte and joanna go soon too. so that means we will have alot of parents visiting. The house requires that inorder to pick your kids up you have to stay a week. Thankfully some parents decide to stay in the hotel which is in town. (a 10 min drive) Its really a very nice hotel, especially for Haiti. i'll put some pictures up of it later.

Anywho not sure what else needs to be written. there is a little bit of a cold going around, but nothing to worry about. right now everyone is just cuddling and giving out kleenexs.
well i had better go. we're gonna put up the sprinkler and i want to see the kids reaction. they have never seen one before!

Love you all and hope to write to you again soon!
Muah! Angelique

leaving a comment

hey everyone!
when and if you leave me a comment. make sure you leave your name at the end so i know who wrote it. otherwise it just says "annomous".
thanks alot! love yous.

Mirebalais. Haiti.

so i made it okay! i have been writing on my laptop about my first couple days but wireless is not working. so i am on Melinda's computer rite now. with baby Evan in my lap. he is soo cute. he's 6 months and weighs only 10 pounds. he was so small when he came here. only 14 days old and 2 pounds. crazy!

there are so many adorable kids. and they are constantly looking for hugs. lately i have been in the baby room for the moring and then with the toddlers the afternoon then i help put the kids to bed at 7pm. because they are all up again at 5:30am. luckly i dont have to get up till 8am. its nice. the country is so beautiful and the trees are amazing!

Anywho i dont yet have a phone so i will try to get one soon! And when wireless works i will post more and get some pictures up! love you all and i will talk to you again soon!
i'd better go, Evan needs a bottle! byebye!

muah, Angelique. or Anna (the kids call me it!)

Mirebalais. Haiti.

Its nice to be on solid ground again!

so i'm in fort lauderdale safe and sound. its 2:30am here and quarter to 12 at home in Barrhead. the first flight was short and the wait in Denver was fun, for the first hour.... then it got boring. not much to do here.... and its so ugly. there is no snow and the grass is brown. icky. Not everything Jamy and Christine and Debbie think it to be. Anywho when we finally got on the next flight, it was long. My ears were popping and i was cramed between two rather bigger people. not the funnest... but we watched 2 movies so that was nice. chipmunks and august rush. it reminded me of when the whole fam watched it last week and bought a tear to my eye cuz it will be 3 long months till i see them.
oh speaking of family, everything worked out with checking my bags in, they were overweight as expected, next time i'll know how to shift it around tho so i dont have to pay so much! Thanks grandma!.
THANKS GRANDMA AND GRANDPA it was reasuring to have you there. and thank goodness Lori is with me or i'd be lost.
once i got off the flight i could feel the humidity right away. even the air smells different here. muggy. yuck. you wouldnt like it Jamy! smells like boys locker room. or your basketball changeroom. haha.
umm not sure what else needs to be said. except i need to catch some sleep or the hour difference will seem like way more than it ought to be! my flight leaves at 8:55am tomorrow and i should be in Haiti. port au prince around noon if all goes as planned.
so before this turns into a novel i will say goodnite and i hope to talk to you all of you reading this soon as possible!

oh and MOM check your email. haha.

Love you all. (pictures will come later when i've gotten some sleep)
muah!

Tomorrow is the day!

It's sunday at 4pm and I'm not even totally packed. starting to feel the nerves though. Anywho I will be leaving Barrhead at 8 am, in the airport at 10am and on a plane by noon. Thanks to everyone who helped out financially and with prayers. I'll be sure to add photos as soon as I'm there.
Now, I'm gonna go finish packing.
Talk to you soon!

I finally know the date I'm leaving!

As you may or may not have heard, I will be leaving Barrhead at 8am on March 17th. To be at the airport at 10am and to board the flight at noon. I will be leaving with Lori West so I can learn the ropes!
I'm pretty much all packed up... my room has never seen so many boxes and suitcases. (I have been instructed to pack everything up so new flooring can be put in.) Also when the flooring is done, Jamy will be in my room and Mackenzie will have Jamy's room with a bunkbed. She is sooo excited and cannot wait till I leave for that reason alone. haha.
Good thing I only have 2 weeks to get it all done.... and here I am writting on here...
Anyways, I will be coming back on June 18th and will be at the airport at 12:45 pm. So I suppose I will be home in Canada June 19th.

Thank you Lori for taking care of the ticket searching for me, it was a huge help!

Peacing out,
Angelique.

So when exactly are you leaving Angelique???

Update on my leave date: I have spoken with Lori who is leaving on March 20th (give or take) she says she might be able to find a ticket for only $600 cutting $500 off my previous ticket price. This means that instead of leaving I will stay in Barrhead for an extra week and a half, which has it's pros and cons. I could use a week to pack up my things in my room and visit with grandma, and having a friend to fly with is definately a bonus.

But on the down side, it means I would be in Haiti for a shorter time. And I want to be used as much as I can. And with how cold it's been it... tee hee...

I have handed in my resignation with blue heron. Sadly I will not be working with John and Paul as of Feb. 15th 2008. and in Kelly, Marvin and Lyle's program at the end of Feb. I know i will miss them soo much, but I'll need a little break before I head out into the unknown.

So if you could pray that God would show me what he would like to do. I know whatever his plans are, I'm in!

Thanks for reading.
I'm gettin excited!

oh and also THANK YOU sooo much for all your support in the tupperwear fundraiser. I will be sure to take lots of pictures when the kids and staff sees all the supplies and donations!

Thank you again!
Angelique.

T Minus 50 days and counting!

Alright well this is my first post. currently i am in canada still. and am working extra hard at picking up extra shifts to cover my expensive little adventure. Luckly my mom has planned a tupperware fundraiser on January 20th and will hopefully be a sucess and help me out with the financial end of the trip.
Oh and i thought that i would mention now that if there are any grammer mistaks or spelling, i would like to state now that most often when i do find the time to write on here it is usually late or very early. Therefore some words will be misspelled and others will just be on purpose because i am to lazy to use the capslock...
Anywho, only 50 some days to go... work days feel like they are getting longer and longer, but oh well, i'll be fine.
Oh and Grandpa if your reading this on my computor its because you dont have internet yet and need to get it soon so you can read this on your own. Love you!
anywho thats all i have to say... just really excited to go and am still in the whole planning stage. Talking to the travel agency, travel nurse, all those fun things.
Talk to you soon, God willing.
Angelique