Bathroom in Haiti

Wide Awake

So its 11pm and I am so wide awake!! Since sleep does not want to come I thought I would give blogging a shot, you know empty my mind. I am slowly coming out of a fog, I feel like, I am living each day rather than letting life just run along, and pull me along behind! I have found my patio as an amazing sanctuary, where I can be with God and the noise around just seems to stop! My children though challenging right now, have been a constant source of joy, and a reminder that despite all my screw ups, I am surrounded by blessings from God! Andy and I have been connected recently, and talking, and open, and just together, and I sense God moving in our marriage to draw us closer to each other and Himself!
Selfishly I got a summer gym membership at my old gym, Gold's. After only a few weeks I miss going in the mornings, and working out, and feeling strong, and fit! I am not a woman of hobbies..I don't sew, craft, paint, play music, or even scrapbook, and I find working out is basically my hobbie! It makes me happy, and it happens to be good for me:)! Also, as a bonus I don't have a million little gadgets I have to store in order to enjoy this hobbie, so it works out well for my minimal lifestyle:).
Well, I guess I really don't have much of interest right now, but this did help settle my mind bit so, YEAH! As a final mention, if anyone would like to pray, I sent out a bunch of packets to conferences around, with my speaking info...big dreams, and only God knows whats ahead there, but they are out there now!

One Day at a Time..

"Do not worry about tomorrow...today has enough worries of its own"
I have always experienced the best days when I stop looking ahead, or obsessing over the bigger picture, and just take it one day at a time! Only this morning did it occur to me, that this was not a me thing, but is a principle found in scripture! I love to dream, and tend to have pretty big goals for myself, but I have struggled recently with reaching any of those goals, or seeing very few of those dreams become reality. I realize how I need to put this "one day at a time" principle into practice today:)! And then again tomorrow...but I will think about tomorrow, tomorrow:)!

Moving Ahead

Its quite a thing to adjust to life after Haiti! I mean how can someone spend 7 days in a place filled with people just desperately trying to survive, and then hop on a plane right back to overflowing pantries, and isles set aside just for diet pills. Is there really an easy transition? Should it be easy? I am thinking not!
Since I have been home, I have found myself thinking back to my trip, praying for those I met, served alongside of, and passed along the way. I have had moments of sadness wishing I had known to do more, moments of extreme gratitude to God for allowing me to experience Haiti, moments of silence where I felt my words were so wasted in never coming close to describing what I had seen. Now, its been almost a week, and I sense life falling back into routine, and things feeling familiar again, but within me there is something new, this burning desire to not be the same. To stand up and do something, anything, but not wait another six years before I put my words into action!
This evening I made a call to the Battered Women Shelter in Framingham and asked about volunteering there, and was given the contact of a woman who could help me get started! I am also sitting across from my man who is working on getting my speaking packet together to send out to different women's conferences/camps to see about future speaking ministries! As far as Haiti, I really would like to pray about doing a medical team, and definitely want to go again! God knows, and I trust that into His hands!!

Day One Haiti Blog

Final Thoughts..

As I am getting ready to fly out to Haiti tomorrow, I wanted to write one final blog since I won't be able to blog there. I am so excited, and not sure at all what to expect! I am nervous about forgetting something, but know things will work out! I am so beyond eager to meet the people there, and play with the children, and snuggle the babies!!
So, my prayer requests, are for health and safety, and that I would not return the same! Pray that I do not get in the way, but am aware of the needs of the team, and leaders, and am quick to step up! Finally pray for my family back here, that my children would not even realize the time that passes, or feel as though its long, but have so much fun that my return seem quick! And for Andy, that this time with his children would be blessed, and he would miss me like crazy:)!
I will definitely have much more on my return..

Last Day of Work

So, today was my last day of work as opening lifeguard at BSC. Bitter sweet, as I will no longer be rolling out of bed at 4am, but will also not be seeing any of "my swimmers" each morning. One HUGE saving grace in it being now is that my mind is so focused on Haiti next week I have not had time to be sad, or over think the loss of these relationships.
I have to say it was an amazing run, and I pray God allows me windows back into all those dear people's lives when I sub as needed! So, for now its time to pack, collect my head, my nerves, and pull together last minute details for my first ever over sees trip to Haiti!!