Broken….

“Sometimes what we think may break us, is but a brake to save us. Sometimes what we believe is weighing us down is the way He draws us closer. Sometimes what we believe is keeping us from more is a way to keep us close enough to know more of who we are; BELOVED. What feels like to much can give you more of God.” – Ann Voscamp

If you haven’t read “The Broken Way” I highly recommend it. Living broken is living whole in Him. It doesn’t matter if you live in America, or Africa, or Haiti, if you are living in surrender to God you have endless opportunities to live broken. Its choosing the highway, when you feel like defending yourself. Its choosing to be misunderstood, when you are living out of conviction. Its never the easy way, and always the right way.

Whatever pieces of broken are laying around you today, choose Jesus to be the Saviour of your wrecked hopes, dreams, misunderstanding, and hurting heart. “Broken is beautiful, when Grace sings the melody”

And He is our abundant Grace. –Shalom!

Seasons

Seasons....have you ever thanked God for seasons? Since we live in the carribean, we only have two seasons; warm, and hot. OK. There is rainy season and hurricane season, but they hardly make this equation. And so, I am especially grateful for my friends who send me picture of their springtime. Many times I can smell the fresh spring air, feel the coolness giving to warm sunshine and remember the days of planting my garden and mulching flower beds. 

There is a benefit to no seasons, tho, believe it or not. There isn't the hurry and scurry to do the aforementioned spring prep. Really,  we hardly have peer pressure at all. THAT takes a whole dimension out of life:)  the plants that surround is thrive in the constant sunshine and this year,  lovely lovely rains. 

There is never a season to be ungrateful. So where you are,  look for all that surrounds you and thank the Creator. He loads us with benefits, daily. 

Thanksgiving

I didn't think it was a big deal, having no Thanksgiving plans and treating the day as a normal day. Last year we took the day off... had guests and even a pretty traditional meal. It was great!
We've had a busy last weekend and we are anticipating some long awaited company on Friday. We will spend the day preparing and getting one more day of school in.

As I look at my friends decorating their beautiful tables, carving turkey, and counting their blessings,  I need to focus. I may not be with family,  and we won't be eating turkey, but we CAN count blessings!!!

We've been given another year to live here in Haiti.

We have a healthy happy almost 12 month old baby girl who has brought us SO MUCH JOY  this past year.

We have learned more Creole and are able to communicate better than we ever have.

We are loving our home school days....

The sun dried our laundry today. Huge blessing!!!!

We are not forgotten. Not by our family. Not by our God. He is our Faithful Loving Father and we are honored to see how He has brought us to where we are. And where He will lead us.

Happy Thanksgiving ya'all. Let's be full of thanks every single day.

A peek into our schoolday…

We are beginning to get a rhythm to our days, and  they sure are rolling along! This week i figured out if we keep it up, we will finish school the first week of March. Ahhhh, i believe i can relax abit. As a first time homeschool mom with 4 grades, plus a preschooler and babe to care for, I think I felt like if we didn’t keep the ship super tight we would quickly fall overboard, esp with visitors and so many unexpected things that can come up here. So, I am thankful. Its always easier to let out some slack than to have to pull it in.

We aim to be in class by 8:00. If we are all working together, we can have a hot breakfast together and the house tidy before we head downstairs. Jess does a great job with helping to see this happens. (I married UP!) Sometimes, tho, he has hospital runs to I didn’t get up when i should have, and we scramble.

We are using CLE for Math, Language Arts, Bible and Reading. History is Living Threads, and Science is a BJU dvd course.

I set the childrens goals a week ( or sometimes several weeks) ahead of time. They each know what is expected of their day,and it helps motivate them to be able to check off each subject as they finish it, and double check it when it is corrected.

Jess is great at meeting with them for recess. Right now “high water, low water” is the game of choice. We are getting some pretty good jumpers around here!

                                                                         

We try to be finished with our main subjects by noon. We often get our rice and beans, or whatever is on the menu, from the school canteen. Around 12:15 we meet on the porch to get some Vitamin B and to continue our journey around the world, in History.

Chores happen from 1pm –2 pm, after which the children have some free time til Science class at 4.  I’m still learning so much, and I am thankful for the coaches that give me imput. I am grateful.

Some things I didn’t know before we began this journey are:

I didn’t know I had time.

I didn’t know I would ever enjoy it so much; i didn’t think i was a teacher.

I didn’t know I would be so excited to teach a first grader to read. Its incredible!

I didn’t know how much teachers put into a classroom.

But I am seeing so clearly that when God wants to show us His power, He will. When  we feel like we can’t do something, He will enable us by His grace and HIS strength todo that hard thing. Not only does He enable us todo it, HE gives us JOY in it all. I embrace this season with gratitude. He again, has proven FAITHFUL.

                                                                                              

                                                                                                                                                                            

I started to write about furlough, til I realized I had never posted more pictures from my trip in August. It was truly a gift to spend a few days with my mom and sisters, and now that we can look back, we realize God had that time away planned perfectly. Little did I know I would come back and do something I thought I could never do; homeschool!!  So the break was perfect. Leaving my mom and sisters was probably one of THE HARDEST things in moving here. Hats off to my friend Rhonda for letting Zoey spend time with her and her girls, and for Jess, for being Dad and mom to the rest while I was gone. Thank you Becca, for what you did too!

My Mama.....One of the dearest and most generous people I know.

Uncle Ave and Aunt Mimi.... and my "sister" Ericca

                                        

The beauty of stillness, with fresh clean air and this amazing garden did my soul a lot of good.

                                       

Of course we bugged around in Bentley!!!!

                                              

                                              

We sure surprised Grandma! She had no idea we were coming. FUN FUN!

                                                                          

Mum... and ice cream. Its a wonderful world.....      

                                        

Thanks Aunt Ida, for having us over and giving us opportunity to see Grandma. Treasured moments...

                    

                                                             

Jorden watching Pa from the window, and later, getting a ride. I LOVE the smiles on this pic. These two in their element!

                                           

Uncle Nate knows just what to do to make little boys laugh.

                                                                            

What do I say about this, but WOW. They came in on the train, all the way from Ohio just to see me. I felt very very honored.

You can see. My life is full, blessed, and I am very very grateful. So many people who pour into our lives, and we treasure you!

I know God planned this trip for me, cause when I got back God took us into a whole new journey we didn't know was coming...

but that's next post. :)

Of plants and swings… porches and things…

In the spaces of time, where I  need to think and ponder and exhale some creativity, I often wander

to the soil, and get my hands on something green and living. Often that includes some fabric or paint

somehow (just how does that happen?!) and soon I feel rejuvenated and my porch or whatever space i

am in has been refreshed too.

                                                                                                                                                                       

My latest love… succulents! My sister has had them

for awhile, and while i enjoyed seeing hers i was kinda…. meh.

But aren’t they the cutest little guys?!

Lemon Grass  is great for spikes,

and it smells amazing too! I have made tea once,

but it tasted like i was drinking a household cleaner.

I’ll have to see about working on that one

See that little Caladium hiding in there? My mom sent me some

bulbs and i am LOVING them!

The picture on the right shows coleaus from my Mom –in –laws garden…. as well

as some from my Moms pots.

So special!

Another time, another post….

my little secret garden.

Food and Friends

While ya'll talk about hitting the next coffee joint for a little time away, I smile and be happy for you, because that simply isn't an option for me. (Ok. Sometimes I swallow a little jealousy too)

So on Friday evening I just felt like I needed to get away abit. Alone. A week of teaching school, keeping house, and Jess was quite busy this week. So I decided to look up a friend and visit a bit. Its always good for my language skills.

Well, I was in for a surprise. She was deep into food preparation for a late night meal. On the menu? Fish, Lobster, Banan and Pikle'  and a yummy salad too.   I really enjoyed joining in on Kreyol conversation, food prep and laughter as we worked together. Meeting a new friend from near Paris, France was really special.

Fish for supper!

Saturday morning goat butchering. Sometimes its better if I don't see

my food being prepared.. for sure not this stage of it!:)

Saturday morning breakfast;

Pancakes (made by Josh)  Cinnamon Rolls, Eggs with peppers and onions

Papaya and Avocado

It was a beautiful Saturday morning.

My friends from Atalnta Ga. and Paris France