Ok-- I wasn't going to post about this tonight because I am so dang tired, but then I remembered there is this pesky issue of the 22 kids that live here who were NOT on their feet cooking the entire day and don't go to bed at 8:00... so neither can I.
So... I might as well just update you all.
So today Sandra and I cooked Thanksgiving dinner for at least 56 people. I lost count. And at one point we saw a few people no one knew in the crowd, so I am pretty sure we had some crashers. I have to say-- I am very proud of Sandra and I. Everything was so great. Our three kids did great, and we got to serve not only the kids here at the HCH, but all our staff and their families as well. These are the people who serve us at the HCH everyday. It was an amazing joy to serve them for just one day. Before the Pye's left, they told Madame Emiline (the housekeeper) about the upcoming event and she said, "Oh, so you want me to come cook?" And Leann said no. And Madame Emiline said, "Oh, so you want me to come and clean for you?" And Leann said no-- we just wanted her to come. She was baffled by this.
Madame Lucienne (the washing lady) and her 6 kids came. Madame Jean (the Rue Petion house cleaning lady) and her husband and kids came. Madame Emiline (the housekeeper) and her kids came. The boys who live in the Rue Petion house (from our scholarship program) came as did the lady who cooks for them, Madame Kokot. All our nannies were here... and no one cooked or served except me and Sandra. (And Nick helped serve too-- and watched our rascally children.)
Probably my favorite memory from the day was when Naomi (one of the nannies) came up to us and said, "I heard on Haitian radio that it was an American holiday, so I wanted to say 'Happy Birthday Thanksgiving' to you." (Later on she was singing the Happy Birthday song in English with 'Thanksgiving' as the name... it was really cute.)
By the way--- my three kiddos... they are oh, so amazing. I love them like crazy. They are doing very, very well here. Nia is blooming before my eyes. Nico is totally a Haitian-- I LOVE IT! Josiah is "actionare" (I have no idea how to spell it-- but it's a Creole word meaning something like "daring troublemaker.")
Okay, one more funny story-- the kids here at the HCH call me "Madame Gwenn." This is actually not how a woman is commonly addressed in Haiti. I would typically be referred to as "Madame Mangine" 0r, more likely, Madame Nick. However, since the kids here are more likely to say my name than Nick's, not everyone knows his name. So now, Madame Lucianne refers Nick as Monsier Gwenn. She apparently thinks his name is Gwenn. I don't know how to correct her, because I don't want to embarrass her, but I also don't want to emasculate my husband... so I will probably just wait until one of the kids hears her refer to Nick incorrectly and points and laughs as Haitians are so fond of doing when someone makes a mistake.
Okay, here are some pics--
Anpil Manje Blan ("Lots of white people food"-- as the nannies refer to it as.)
Getting the plates all set up...
Nia chowing down
Nico just being his beautiful self... seriously... he's a pretty kid. (With mild pink eye as of this morning.)
Dessert. Mmmmmm....
