Laughter Soothes the Soul

This Friday began early with a long training run. I must admit that the long run thing is getting a little.bit.tiresome.and.boring.and.toomuchtoooften. But, it is for an amazing cause that I believe in every bit as much as Medika Mamba.

I hope you're getting over to the runners blog to read about some of the great people sacrificing time and energy to help raise awareness and funds for the beautiful, courageous, and tenacious women of Haiti. We are also continuing to introduce the ladies in the prenatal program on that blog and you'll enjoy a little peek into their lives. I LOVE working with these ladies so much and find them and their endurance and toughness to be totally inspiring.

I ran 18 miles on Monday, then did the mountain hike to get the sweet little guy home on Tuesday. My knees were screaming at me big time. I scolded myself for doing two days of abuse in a row ... but then it occurred to me as we climbed up and down the hills to get to Renald's family that we are totally weak compared to the natives of this little island. Plainly stated - let me give it to you straight - we are total wimps. Every last one of us. You. Me. The whole lot of us.

A couple of cute Haitian ladies jumped in Zach's truck because he offered them a ride. I asked them where they lived. They had been planning to WALK 5 more hours to get home. They had walked DOWN earlier that day. They all had on $2 flip-flop shoes that made my feet hurt just to look at them. They were carrying heavy things. LARGE heavy things. They were going straight up a mountain for five hours. When they arrive home they don't get to put their feet in ice, jump in a cold shower, or drink a protein shake. (Plus Troy is not there to be all sweet and encouraging.) Kind of made me feel like a boob for whining about a little running.

Troy and I had a bunch of things to accomplish today. Scratch that. Troy had a bunch of things to accomplish and I wanted to buy paint to paint the little girls' bedroom this weekend. Because there was one thing that required my presence, I got to tag along with him for a full day of Port au Prince fun. We used to do this together back when we were a five kid family ... but in the last year I don't believe I have tagged along more than a couple times.

After Troy dropped our friends the Mangines off to the airport we got on our way. We make a decision when we leave to laugh at things and not get frustrated. We laughed so much today, it felt marvelous.

It was great to have a day without little ones to talk without non-stop interruption. I love my kids ... they bring much joy, but man are they chatty. Right now Noah is talking non stop about the way a Tyrannosaurus Rex walks. "A T Rex goes like this and then he goes like this and then Mommy, mommy look - he goes like this."

stttttilllll talking.

Here is what we determined: If you can laugh all day while receiving poor to very poor customer service and narrowly escaping death on the over-taxed roads --- you might just make it in PAP!I was allowed to help Troy "tweet" all day; it felt quite powerful to just type on his phone and send it across the world. I think I tweeted responsibly. He was worried about his rep - but I don't know that I did it any damage.

We went down to the Haitian American Institute for a meeting. We went to listen to our favorite racketeer tell us a bunch of lies about why he is not done with our car-registration, we chuckled about how cruddy he is at making up lies and how he cannot even keep them straight. We went to Sherwin Williams to pick out paint. We laughed that they could not tint it today. No, no ... we need to make another trip back to pick it up. We searched for items on Paige's list for her science experiments - and chuckled that the curriculum suggestion was that you could go to a craft store like Hobby Lobby to find test tubes. Empty spice bottles will have to suffice. Later in the day we ran into Zach in the grocery store ... which turned out to be VERY important considering the grocery store credit card machine declined two (the only two) of our credit cards. (For no apparent reason.) Zach was walking out when we said, "Uh, Zach, excuse us ... let's see ... no easy way to say this -- we have no spending power - can you please cover about $225 U.S. in groceries for us and we'll write you a check?" The grocery store was the last stop, which was good considering somebody put a lock down on the Visa and the MasterCard.

Some odd/interesting/fun sights along the route: 1.) Cops leaning on walls all over town 2.) Honda Del Sol circa 1989 IN HAITI - on THESE roads 3.) Totally naked dude walking the hills of Petionville

The only time we almost failed at laughing was on Delmas when a mad kid starting hitting our truck with a stick again and again. That was not all that amusing. I don't believe we even fake laughed at that.

Unfortunately none of Paige's science experiments call for tarps or tow-straps, because by accident we located Tarps and Towstraps R Us.
I plan to use all of my free moments doing "painting therapy" this weekend. The girls are excited to have orange walls. I am excited to have free therapy. Have a great weekend.

Selma avek Jezi.

tara

Friday Favorite Tool

I just wanted to share a cool new tool that is a must have in your tool box. It's called the MagnoGrip Wristband. You can get it at Home Depot. First of all, it's pink so of course I love it. Living with 3 boys under my roof makes me love anything pink.

Second, how fun is this packaging? Lovin' the bling! So darn cute.

Third, it is very handy. I used it while I was working on my room for Habitat Restore. I put the screws that I needed on it and went to town. Everything was within reach, no fumbling around or having them hanging out of my mouth. Easy peasy. You an also use it for sewing but I haven't tried it yet.

I felt like Wonder Woman wearing it. I got lots of comments on it...I told them it gave me the power! Tee hee.

Check them out. It is like having an extra set of hands and we could all use that! Just wanted to share my fun little find!

Happy Friday,

~MB
www.addressingspaces.com
Bringing new life to your decor and more
Follow me on Twitter and Facebook

Bryce is learning to jump

His brother is teaching him.

Redesign - Use What you Have Decorating

I just completed a redesign yesterday with Ava. The homeowner struggled with one wall in particular so she called us in for help. The cathedral ceiling came to a point in the center of the room. But she didn't think she could center her TV on that wall because she felt her furniture wouldn't fit. We used 100% of her pieces and didn't add a single thing, thus the reason we call it "use what you have decorating."

Here is the before shot. You can see the TV is off to the right a bit.

We changed out the art above the TV and added different accessories. The artwork had a basket of apples and a blue and white bowl in it so we mimicked this look with our accessories. It looks great in the room. She has a vast collection of baskets so she was thrilled we worked them into the design. Don't you love this funky lamp? It was in a guest room so we brought it out to the Living Room instead. So unique.

Here is the mantel and room layout before...

We opted to use two pieces of art above the mantel vs. the one because we liked the subject matter better. We also loved the two peacocks and wanted them more visible so we put them front and center on the mantel.

Here is the mantel after...

Well, we centered the TV and still fit all the furniture to make it more cozy. The room was long but not very wide so we had to angle the pieces. It worked. It looked really nice, this picture doesn't do it justice. It flowed much better and made it more inviting! We cranked it too. We finished this redesign in 2 hours and 45 minutes. So she got a whole new room for under $300. How do you like them apples?

We also hung some artwork going up the stairs, which is always a challenge. But, with a trust laser you can do anything!

Happy Tranformation Thursday,

~MB
www.addressingspaces.com
Bringing new life to your decor and more
Follow me on Twitter and Facebook

The Honey Farm

This morning the girls and I headed to a local honey farm with the Meet-Up group that I joined after we first moved. This was actually my first outing with the group. We had a wonderful time and really enjoyed the other mommies and children. The kids learned how bees make honey. They got to see and touch some really neat things. Peanut had a great time especially making some new friends.



She was really excited about bottling her own bottle of honey to bring home for Daddy. He must be part bear because he LOVES honey.

We ended our trip with a picnic lunch outside. It was a beautiful fall day to do so, a bit windy, but beautiful.

I realized something today, I miss the rural roads of home. Wow..the ones down here are twisty, curvy, and hilly. Don't get me wrong, they are beautiful, but boy does all that twisting and turning play with my typically directional accuracy. I was so afraid I would end up incredibly lost out there in the sticks, but we made it!

I wanted to share some stories with you about the girls before I close. A few weeks ago I was busy cleaning bathrooms and left Peanut in her room with Pumpkin for just a minute. When I came back, Pumpkin was gone! It freaked me out because she was nowhere to be seen. After Mommy settled down, Peanut said, "She's under her bed." There was my ornery little one, grinning at me ear to ear, under her crib, hiding from Mommy! I took some pics of the girls playing under the crib. It is their secret hide-out.

Now this next story is not for the faint of stomach. Skip ahead is bathroom talk or blood makes you squeamish. After we got home from the Honey Farm I put Peanut to bed and put Pumpkin in her exersaucer for a bit as she had napped in the car. She started to get fussy so I picked her up only to discover a sensation on my hand. Let me fill you in on another tidbit, Pumpkin has been shall we say, a bit stopped up since starting baby food, so I have been giving her baby food prunes for supper for about a week. I was worried because it just didn't seem to be helping her. No need for concern, the prunes worked! As I peaked around her backside, I saw it all up and down her and all over my hand! GROSS! So, I run to the kitchen and grab the paper towels under my arm and some wet wipes. I use my knee and non-pooped on hand to get a bed of towels for her to lay on while trying to balance her with the pooped on hand. Then I lay her down, only to notice something in her ear. I flick that out with the clean hand and start to work on the mess. Then I look up at her and see blood gushing out of her ear all over our RENTED carpet. I guess that little something was a scab. WHOOPS! So I clean that up and try to get the bleeding to stop while holding her cute little hiney up in the air. Oh, it was quite a sight and there was blood and poop everywhere! But we made it and she is clean! Parenthood, isn't it a lovely thing!


We love you all and hope you're having a great fall!


-Mama

Renald's Return

(Click on photos to enlarge.)

In the last few months there has been a major road project going through the center of the country. Because of this new road we did not have to walk six hours to get to Renald's house. We were able to drive about 70 minutes and then walk the last two miles into the area where his home is. The road is really an amazing thing, a huge, huge undertaking. Seeing the giant earth moving equipment right along side people who've lived a very simple life for decades and decades seemed quite odd. In the photo below you can see the road winding behind us. Before the hurricanes came through last fall this road did not exist. All of the travel to the area we were heading was by foot or donkey.


We've been in the mountains of Haiti before, but it has been a long time. I think we forgot. The views were breathtaking. More than once there were tears streaming down our faces as we took in such vast and overwhelming beauty. Photos of what we were seeing will never do it justice, the clouds were sometimes below us and the mountains went on for as far as the eye could see. For the entire ride I just kept thinking, this is too beautiful to be real.Renald seemed nervous and off his game a bit. He is fairly verbal but he was not talking on the ride up. The two photos below are right before we started the walking portion of our trip. We walked straight down steep mountains and back up again to reach his home which is located a long way off of the new road. In the second photo Paige is looking toward his house, where our walk would take us.

About 1/3 of the way into our half hour trek we ran into a guy who said he was "with the mother of the child". Renald showed no recognition but went to him when the man reached for him. My heart sunk learning that there was a guy in the picture. So often the new guy does not want the previous guy's kids. That story has been told over and over again in Haiti.
As we got closer to the area where their house is located Renald asked for Paige and switched to her arms. He seemed to know where he was. He also seemed concerned (that is how we read it anyway) and maybe a little bit nervous.
While the next 15 minutes were not what I prayed or hoped for, I am trying to be objective. I am not Haitian and I do not express emotion like a Haitian. It is unfair for me to expect them to jump up and down and hug their child and cry for joy and do what I think I would do ... that might not be a response that happens in this culture.

Renald was not very happy, while he seemed to remember them he tightened his grip on Paige. His Mom smiled at him as we walked up but when he did not want to go to her she was put off and seemed hurt and upset with him.
The boyfriend is not Renald's father and was telling Troy and Frank (a long-time employee from RHFH/Cazale that escorted us) that he was really kind of thinking we would just keep Renald. The boyfriend was the low point in the whole situation. The Mom never said anything like that.

In situations like theirs it is possible that a healthy kid that is used to eating three meals a day might be an overwhelming thing for them. Not only another mouth to feed, but a child who won't be happy with one tiny meal a day.

Renald cried softly for most of the time we stood trying to talk to them. A crowd of relatives gathered. The brightest moment was when Renald's Granny realized he was back. She was genuinely happy and pleased to see him healthy. He did better going to Gran than he did going to his Mom.

Troy asked a lot of questions about the other kids and how old they were. It was sad when the Mom could not remember the name of the 18 month old baby. She came up with it about 30 seconds later. I don't know if survival mode makes names unimportant or if possibly prolonged malnutrition or other factors play into things. It did seem like the Mom was struggling to take in the information and answer questions. She may have been totally overwhelmed by all the attention. I have no way of understanding her life... Simply no way at all.

Beth asked me if I thought it was universal to love your child and if possibly the privilege of wealth allows us greater freedom to love. I don't know the answer. Maybe so.

Below are two older siblings of Renald and also his little brother, who is the child of the boyfriend we met. They are standing in front of the house they all live in. None of them look all that healthy, but none of them look as sick or as malnourished as Renald did back in June. The sister is 8 and the older brother is 6.

While everything in us (Paige and I) wanted to just take him and run, we know we needed to give them their son, brother, grandson back. He is not ours to take from them. I think we want to believe that we love him more -- but there is no way we can know that. That is our egotistical judgment.

The reactions were not what we wanted but we cannot know their hearts. Renald needs time to bond to them and we were dumb to think he would be instantly happy to be home. Because I can provide a nicer house, toys and food -- it does not mean that I am a better person to raise him. I value those things, you value those things ... but plenty of people live their lives without those things and they live long, happy lives.

I waited a day to write because I was angry and upset and I know I needed to step back and calm down. I instantly decided that they don't love him as much as we do ... and that was wrong of me. I do not know that.

The truth is, all of us (some of you included) fell hard for this beautiful little boy. Renald needed healing and God gave him that. He gets to start over without worms and fevers and illness. He touched our lives with his fight to live and his beautiful smiling eyes and crazy fun dance moves.

I have to believe that Renald is not done touching lives. Not by any stretch of the imagination. To think that this little boy from a tiny shack in the remote mountains of Haiti has been seen, prayed for, and loved by hundreds and hundreds of people from all over the world is mind-numbing.

I hope you'll continue to love and pray for him.

We prayed with his Mom, hugged him goodbye, and left with heavy grief and blurry-eyes.
There are plans in place to help them with food, etc. We are not leaving them hanging. It is a tricky thing because we want to do our best to make sure that the kids are going to benefit from the help. Explaining why that is tricky is a whole different blog post. Renald's Mom will hopefully keep her appointment with Licia and Lori in Cazale in late November. At that time we'll be able to see how Renald is doing. For now we know we need to give this family a chance. We need to reserve our judgment and trust the same God we trusted for Renald's healing.

The peace we were longing for has yet to settle in on us, but we wait in hopeful expectation.

These last photos were taken after we hiked back out. They overlook the absolute beauty of the Artibonite Valley. Troy griped at us for not smiling so we rallied at the end.

A GIANT amount of love and respect goes out to Licia and Lori and Big Zach. They do the hard work of helping children heal and then watching them leave ... only they do it all the time. We could not have gone up the mountain in our truck, Zach was gracious to us and took us up in his truck. He loved us and cheered us on and showed us the beautiful sights. Thank you for everything Zach. We love you so much.
Until later,

Tara for all of us