pa za pa

Pa za pa means "step by step."

For the past several months I have been having really, REALLY strong nesting instincts. It's as if I never nested when Schneider came into our family (or the previous 11 kids for that matter) and it's all hitting me at once.

The challenge here is being able to actually find the things you want and then WAITING for them to be finished. And then also you need to be able to afford the things you want. (Although it's not always expensive in terms of dollars-- but pretty much always expensive in terms of frustration! Haiti teaches you patience whether you want it or not!)

Today marks a big step forward. Today is the day when ALL OUR KIDS have a bed to call their own. Not just a mattress on the floor, but an actual BED! (Or bunkbed or crib.)

We had a welder make these bed frames for Josiah and Nico and we picked them up today. The crazy thing is that it was only a TOTAL of $75US for the two beds (we already had the mattresses.)

As I posted on facebook (if you follow me there) we also got curtains for our ENTIRE upstairs now. (We are also looking for some volunteers to provide the fabric and sew some simple curtains for downstairs... email me at gwenn@joyinhope.org if you're interested.)





And tomorrow will be the FIRST DAY in about 6 months where Nia has been in her actual bedroom and out of ours. (More on that tomorrow.)

It hasn't happened quickly, but I feel like after almost three years here in Haiti we're finally making our house feel more like our home.

Pa za pa.

On a moto, episode 10, the mo-tow

This picture here looks like a couple of moto drivers playing footsies. Or maybe he guy in the black shirt is kicking the guy in the orange shirt. Neither are true.

This is a very common phenomenon in Haiti that Nick and I have named, "The Mo-tow." What you're really seeing in this picture is that orange shirt moto driver ran out of gas and so black shirt moto driver decided to give him a tow. (Or a toe, as the case may be.) The driver with gas outstretches a leg and puts it firmly on the peg of the moto without gas (who is driving in neutral) and that way the power of the pusher's bike-- in this case, 110cc-- is powering both bikes.

This maneuver takes skillful driving, especially in Haiti with many uneven roads, speed bumps, etc.

bluesy.

Spent the day in bed. Not sick. Just really bluesy.

Overwhelmed by life.

Hoping the proverbial sun comes out tomorrow.

rate of learning

As I sit here writing this, (like this very second,) THIS is my view--


I am at the beach getting in a little writing and supervising my children as they have "homeschool phys ed." This is definitely one of the perks of homeschooling. It also helps that I remembered to bring my camera and I can now tether my phone to my computer to have internet wherever I am. Moving up in the world.

I was very hesitant to latch onto the idea of homeschooling. I've done it before and it's a lot of work. But ever since the robbery, I've not been 100% comfortable with sending my (American) kids out to Haitian school again. I am not saying that I will never be comfortable with it again, but I am just not comfortable now. (The reasons are another conversation for another day.) So shortly after returning to the states in November, we started homeschooling.

When we started, I was surprised that while my kids are smart (don't think I am saying they are stupid), that there was VERY BASIC information about the English language they did not understand our grasp. I maybe sort of dropped the ball on the whole teaching them English thing. (Well not maybe, definitely.) So these past few months have been good for that. And really, we've started to get into a good groove.

And when we got back to Haiti, the groove just kind of stuck. It's not that I love schooling my kids every day... because yeah, I don't love it every day. But I love that they are learning new things and that I am the one who teaches them. It's (without a doubt) more exciting for me to see my boys starting to really pick up reading than it is for them.

An added bonus are days like today-- where we finished our scheduled "book work" pretty early and decided that heading out for a bit of exercise and fresh air would be a good idea. (Plus, Nick was starting go batty with all the kid noise in the house while he was trying to take some down time.) It's quite lovely out here. I ABSOLUTELY love Haiti in January.

In spite of all these positive things I have to say about homeschooling, there has been one distressing thing to me. (And that's actually what I sat down to write about when I opened the computer.)

The problem I am currently experiencing is that my kids are learning at different paces.

I know this is normal, but in some areas, Josiah is getting ready to pass Nico. And it's making me feel really uncomfortable.

I don't know why Nico doesn't seem to grasp new concepts as quickly as Josiah and I know that it's unfair to my kids to not teach them at the level where they are. But still, I do not like the idea of Josiah being "ahead" of Nico in school.

That probably sounds really dumb and like I am overreacting, but I am feeling insecure about this... like I've not done a good enough job with Nico to help him overcome some of his learning challenges. ("Mom guilt" is the pits, isn't it?)

My sister, Gretchen, has this sign posted in her (homeschool) classroom. I love the words. I am going to post it in our home (in English and Kreyol) and make our kids memorize it. And while they are at it, I probably should memorize it too...

Game Name

Newsflash: Nick and I are kind of big geeks. We love boardgames with an intensity that most people save for things like marriage or children.

This past week we invented a new game. It started the other night after playing Sleeping Queens which is a game invented several years ago by my cousin's daughter, Miranda, when she was 8 years old. (Or maybe 6... I can't remember.) Anyhow, Nia, who is 8 years old now, was there with us and I said, "Nia, I'll bet you could invent a game." She thought that was a great idea.

Later that night she came to us and told us she had a name and a premise for a game-- "Adventure Dolls." The premise was that there were paper doll characters that had to collect clothes and gear to go on an adventure. Initially Nick and I were working with her to help her develop her idea. Eventually, however, Nick and I got so distracted by developing routes and strategies that we sort of cut her out of the process (you know, like any good parent does.)

The next several days all we talked about was the game. Nick took his day off working out the math and the details. The basic premise is similar to what Nia had suggested, just a bit more complicated. You are assigned one of 6 adventures (arctic adventure, desert adventure, volcano adventure, ocean adventure, jungle adventure, or cave adventure) and then you have to collect the necessary equipment to complete your adventure. But everyone is also trying to collect their equipment. So you have to collect somewhat quickly so that your needed items are not stolen by other players. There's timing, luck, strategy, and risk involved.

Nick drew it up (by hand so far) and printed up the necessary cards. We tested it twice tonight with Travis and tweaked it a bit. I thought it was great fun for a first go of it.

Nick (who lost twice-- once to Travis and once to me) is re-drawing it again tonight because he's a tad obsessed.

I see us playing this game a lot of times over the next several days and weeks as we continue working out the kinks. It can take anywhere from 2-6 players and so we need lots of testers. If you're in the Jacmel area, let us know if you want to test it with us.

Also, we don't have a name yet. Nick want to name it "Adventuresome." I am not sold on the name. It definitely cannot be called "Adventure Dolls." (And incidentally-- we feel like big losers for not making "Adventure Dolls" so Nick has thought up a junior version of the game to appease our consciences.) But that doesn't solve our naming problem.

So-- here's where I need you guys. What should we name this game?

We are officially open for suggestions.

I have no prize for you. But when we're all rich and famous millionaires, we'll give you public credit for naming the game in the game rules. Deal?

The Pancake Man

Nick is the Sunday morning pancake man. A few months ago he started making Sunday morning breakfasts-- either scratch-made french toast or pancakes. Like for everyone in our family. Which, not for nothing, is a lot of people. Usually around 20 on a Sunday morning.

He's got it down to a science.

Mix in small batches to keep them all fluffy.

6 at a time on the griddle.

Store the already cooked ones in a warm oven.

Plate them all to make sure there's enough.


While all this is happening, he uses sugar, water and maple extract to make syrup.


Have a few kids help get them all downstairs and on the table.

Then he needs to make an egg for Schneider's (because there is milk in them and he has a milk allergy) and cinnamon toast for Josiah because there is eggs in them and he has an egg allergy.

A great (cheap) meal-- made with love by dad. And (bonus!) our staff can have the morning off from cooking to get ready for church.

And we just started cooking the big meal on Sunday as well... but that's another story for another day.

I swear, this guy is Mr. Betty Crocker. Except better, because he makes it all from scratch and she uses a bunch of mixes.

Three cheers for Papi Nick and his mad pancake skills!

Hip hip-- HOORAY!
Hip hip-- HOORAY!
Hip hip-- HOORAY!

brothers and sisters.

Today we were at the beach and I was officiating a seemingly endless number of races between my kids.

As I was watching different groups of kids run up and down the beach I thought about how with the sun low on the horizon, it was impossible to tell what color they were. They were just these silhouettes running and laughing.


And I thought back to earlier in the week when Nick and I took 16 minutes to listen to Dr. King's, "I have a dream" speech. I have listened to it numerous times and I still get chills every time I hear it. But back to today. Today I was thinking about the part of his dream where "little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls and walk together as sisters and brothers."

Later I looking through the pictures and telling Nick about my thoughts today. He looked at the pictures and said, "I guess when you look at things in the light of the sun, you don't see black or white." And the first thing that came to mind when he said that was, "When you look at things in light of the Son, you don't see black or white." And the second thing that came to mind was, "Either way, amen."