School in La-Baleine

We are blessed to have a little school on the ground level of our house. Miss Karen, a teacher of 20+ years, has made school a fun and wonderful place for our three oldest.

I had a picture of Josh, but I have had a terrible time with internet and loading pictures, so I finally decided to go with what I have.

At 8:25 every school morning, Zoey, Josh, and Abby get their backpacks and head  to the schoolroom. I see them again at 10:15, when they come up to get a snack, and have recess.

They also come up for lunch from 11:30-12:15.

School lets out at 3.

They all have their individual studies, but every day they have gym with Patrick and  Colin, and on Fridays they have art together.

To keep school more "official" and not so casual, they wear uniforms; the girls these checkered dresses, and Josh a gray shirt. Every school child in Haiti wears a uniform, so this is one way we can identify with them, too.

What a blessing and gift, to have a teacher who LOVES to teach, and for the ability to have a little schoolroom. It has been a

blessing for all of us. We are so thankful for the way it brings stability and routine into our days, as well as the academic input they receive.

Cheers to Joshua Becker again!

I think Joshua has wonderful thoughts on the is subject; some of the best! 

http://www.becomingminimalist.com/why/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+becomingminimalistcom+%28becomingminimalist.com%29

"For a cup brimful of sweet water cannot spill even one drop of bitter water, however suddenly jolted" -Amy Carmichael

I came across this quote the other day, and it really made me think. Am I full of JOY, PEACE, WORDS THAT BLESS, KINDNESS, GRACE, MERCY, LOVE?

If not, my springs may need cleaned, my heart cleansed. What is in, comes out!

Home....

After living out of suitcases for 5 weeks, we are so, so thankful to have a place to call home again. I was so ready to make a nest for my Littles and all of us, really.
Thank you so much, EVERYONE, who made our trip south so memorable and for all your hospitality. This includes, but is not inclusive to:
Robert and Lori Showalter
Mark and Bethann Weaver
G-dawg and Yayaa and the whole Schmitt family
Hyatt Place for the amazing and accommodating hotel
Grandma and Grandpa Myer
My parents for the use of their house.

We are so blessed. Thank you everyone for your prayers as we traveled on Thursday too. God surely answered them above what we could have imagined! We were able to check-in outside, which saved a tone of work lugging luggage. We had only minor issues with baggage and were able to head right in through security and no issues there. They didn't even open the sewing machine, serger, or any other bags!

"If I settle on the far side of the sea, your right hand will hold me fast" Ps. 139:9-10

Someone gave me a print with this verse on and we have been so blessed by it already!

Some  of the space we call "home". 

 We were encouraged to bring things that make it feel like "ours".. and I haven't been sorry. It feels like home and its our little haven. There is pretty much no privacy outside the front door, so having space that is ours is important for good family dynamics.

Zoey, Josh, and Abby all ready for their first day of school.

Miss Karen has put a whole lot of time and effort into the classroom, as you can see! She even incorporated Creole into her wall décor and they also work on it in class.

We are so thankful we ask Miss Deanna Hartzler to come along with us. She has been a HUGE help. When you have a house where many people have come, settled in with their things, left (with less than they came with) , and it repeats, things tend to stack up abit  a lot! Now I know pretty much what I have and need, and the rest will be stored or sold at a community "yard sale".

Deanna did some baking for the freezer, helped me squeeze a big tub of oranges into juice (the school wanted the seeds for their agronomy class,) and we've done some ceiling fans, and other deep cleaning. She is quite an exceptional young lady and we are very very thankful for her willing help.

After trying to get pictures onto the blog last night, I finally gave up. I got up early this morning and discovered things work much better early am!

So I think there will be more posts coming soon... as long as I can "rise above the circumstances". LOL

The Charleston Aquarium....

I have wanted to visit Charleston for quite awhile, so this trip gave perfect opportunity. I know we could have spent a week here, but some of the things I want todo here aren't child friendly. Like a coffee shop and a book for instance:)

In our stage of life we found some pretty fun things todo!

This aquarium...

many different tanks of fish.....

Jorden may or may not have felt this was a little to close for gater proximity:)

The bay....
We watched this huge cruise ship leave port headed for the Bahamas. I have NO DESIRE to go on a cruise, but it was fascinating to see.

Aren't they the cutest little crew?

Old building lined the streets.. and we didn't even see half. Maybe another time:)

 

The bay. 

 

 

We left Charleston and meandered on down to FL where we settled into my parents house, a few miles from where Jess's parents live.

Its great to be in a house again,

in a few days, we head to our new home.

 

Magnolia Plantation in Charleston SC

Standing at the bank of the river where boats would unload the guests to Magnolia Plantation..

Looking toward the "Big House" from the boat dock

Standing in the big lawn out front

The garden paths were so beautiful, even in winter.

Presidents and other famous people have visited Magnolia.. I am sure there are many stories to be told, from the civil war days until now.   

 

Swamps... and yes. ..alligators. it was a little to chilly for them today...

Slave cabins. The owner of this plantation was a minister so he had conflicting emotions about slavery. But still, he had slaves.  When this was still a working plantation, there was no grass around the cabins, but rather, dirt that they kept swept clean each night. That way, they could tell in the morning if they had snakes around, or deer eating their gardens by the tracks left across the dirt.

Here, the slaves spent any free time they had if they got their quota of work finished early. They would sing, often songs about heaven, because that was their promised freedom. Here, they would plot escape, although there were several ways to prevent them from even WANTING to leave.

We learned that marriage and families were encouraged for two reasons. One, it was future money. Two, families and children kept people together. One  of the greatest punishments for misbehavior was to sell you off to another plantation where you may never see your family again.

I cannot imagine the horror and terrible injustice of slavery.  I can't fathom the inequality of human life that was exhibited then.

But are we so different? Is there people we look down on, or of whom we think we are better?? Maybe it even comes down to racism. We say we aren't racist, but what happens when a family decides to adopt a baby of another color?? I wonder sometimes if we are really any different.

Our little family
This trip has given us opportunity to spend leisure, schedule free time together, unlike any trip we've ever taken.
We consider it a blessing and a GIFT from the hand of our Father.
"we have this moment, to hold in our hands and to touch, as it slips through our fingers like sand...
Yesterday is gone and tomorrow may never come, but we have this moment today"

This space in between ....

This space in between selling the store, transitioning,  packing four ways; shipping on the Rustler  ( our vehicle that will be shipped) packing for the container ( those things we may not see til may or june) and our luggage ( 14 fifty lb totes),
It's been hard.
And blessed.
And long...
But short.

The goodbyes are HARD.
we are anxious to get there,  settled and start our new life.

Do you kinda get the idea we have very mixed feelings?

Very much so.

I am very thankful for the opportunities the last week's since the moving have offered:

We've had so many many kind people offer food, supper invitations, prayer, visits,  words of blessing,  encouraging texts,  money, help with cleaning the house one final time, phone calls and more.

I told Jess it almost feels like it's easier to leave, when I realize how much we are leaving.
Meaning.....
So much support. 
So many loving family members.
So many memories to pull off the shelf..
So many rich relationships.
So many confirmations.

What if it wasn't hard to go cause we wanted to run from bad relationship or a failing business?
What if we had no friends to say goodbye to?
What if we had no memories to look back on?
What if we were trying to push our own adjenda?
What if nobody prayed. Or cared. Or gave us a hand?

Thank God I don't have to go there,  because He has blessed us ABUNDANTLY.