GOODBYES AND HELLOS

 



I'm a bit behind on my blogging!  It's been over two weeks since we said goodbye to friends in Haiti, packed up our bags and flew to Florida.  We haven't had a "normal day" since and we're loving it.

 

Here's what the start of our return to the States after completing our first school year in Haiti looked like:

 

Hugs all around for Mikenn, Johnny and Ruysdael.  These three gifted young men will be watching over Buddy, the rabbits and the house and yard for us for the next two and a half months.

Even Daniel made a special trip to say goodbye.

Unfortunately, travel plans did not fall smoothly into place.  We were hoping by the end of the day to fly to Fort Pierce, rent a van, drive to Orlando and meet Grandma Trudy at a resort there - where we would then spend a couple of days relaxing before returning to Grandma's house in Indiana, our home base for the summer.

Our Missionary Flights International flight was delayed so long that when we arrived in Ft. Pierce, Florida, the Budget Rental office was already closed.  MFI folks were super accommodating and put us up for the night in a trailer home the ministry owns close by.

Not quite Orlando!

The next morning, though, we were on our way.  With only stops for necessities.

Did I mention that our final night in Haiti Melissa came down with a fever?  Turns out that it was the onslaught of this Chikungunya disease that was making headlines.  Imported from Africa, it is a mosquito-borne virus that is sweeping through the Caribbean at a quick pace.  Fever. Rash.  Headache. Pain in every single joint of your body.  Hannah had had a mild case the weekend before and I had developed a medium case.  But for Melissa it was full on. 

This made the final packing process excruciating and the airplane ride highly uncomfortable. By Wednesday morning when we stopped on the way to Orlando for a few supplies, Melissa found riding in a wheelchair to be much preferable to walking. 

Before long, though, we were reunited with Grandma Trudy at the resort. 

The kids were ready to swim.  Melissa was ready to nap.

 

 

My joints were still a bit achy, so the hot tub was a perfect place to hang out.

 

 

By Friday we were up for a full day's drive back to Indiana.  With only stops for necessities along the way.

And by 4:00 am early Saturday morning the kids were back in familiar surroundings at Grandma's house.

 

Over the next several days, it seemed our main concern was reuniting our kids with their friends.  And what joyful reunions they were, too!

Sarah with Ellie and Megan.

Hannah with Anna.

Caleb and Samuel with Matthew.

 

Samuel with Thomas.

Sarah with Lindsey.

And, of course, there were reunions with FAMILY as well.

Sarah with Uncle Spencer.

Seems that friends and family are pretty much as we remembered them.  The kids are all a little taller.  Or missing some baby teeth.  Or their voices have changed. 

Oreo is a LOT fatter.  The kids said, "I don't remember her head being so small..." She waddles now.  A friend suggested she's now "double stuffed" Oreo.

I have to admit that in the midst of this whirlwind of fun reunions, I am feeling a bit lost.  I'm surprised by how much I am missing Haiti. 

 

And I am wondering how much I myself have changed in the past year.

 

The changes are just not as obvious at first glance as Oreo's.