A DAY, A WEEK, AND A YEAR'S NOTICE

A day, a week and a year from now, I will reach the half century mark. Typically a chronic procrastinator, I find some strange inner drive to plan ahead for these big, bittersweet birthdays. 

So I am getting a jump start on two things RIGHT NOW.

1) My second "mid" life crisis. When I turned 40, I couldn't afford a red convertible, so I had to settle for running a marathon. 

When it comes to athletic interest and ability, I have definitely proven to be a late bloomer. I had muscles toned like marshmallows when I was in my teen years and my twenties. In my late 30s, I started to run as a way to exercise a hyperactive dog I owned (briefly). Although my doctor-brother has warned me that someday my knees will rue the day I first strapped on running shoes, I still find running to be a good way to keep the pounds off and to keep my heart in shape. These days, I enjoy the alone time and the opportunity to get some unstructured minutes outside the gates of the mission grounds. 

But there's no way, under the Haitian sun, that I would ever commit to putting in the hours of training necessary for another marathon for my 50th. (Even if my own common sense failed me, my wife would forbid such a thing.) Besides, I don't like to repeat myself. It needs to be new. And bigger. And better.

So that leaves me looking for a viable alternative for 2018. I'm indecisive by nature, so I need to get a start on thinking this latest mid-life crisis through. If you have any suggestions, I'm all ears.

Don't even suggest something EASY like hiking up a mountain and spreading JOY to all the local kids. I did that last weekend. (At least this little guy didn't scream at the sight of me, turn and flee in terror like one of the little girls did. I have a way with children.)

And 2) A surprise party. I know I am not supposed to plan my own surprise party, but I am trying to be a supportive spouse to Melissa and not leave this BIG of an event solely on her plate. She's a busy lady. Besides, I'm not really talking about a "party" at all.  Or, for that matter, a "surprise" ... not in a traditional sense anyway.

You see, I think my 50th would be a great excuse for certain individuals and/or families to come visit us here in Haiti in 2018. It doesn't have to be in April - I will be happy to stretch my birthday out all year long. 

Since moving to Haiti in 2013, we've had some great visits by friends and family members - and sometimes even complete strangers - but I've got a very LONG list of others whom we have yet to see cross our threshold. And if any of those folks on that list should show up on our doorstep, you bet I would be SURPRISED and you bet I would throw a PARTY.

And if you wonder if YOU are on that list - well, you ARE. Believe me.

So I wanted to give you a year, a month and a day to start looking into flights and start lining up those days off from work. (Melissa and the kids and I were reminded this past week with the much-too-early death of a dear friend from our days in Pensacola: there are no guarantees about tomorrow.) 

God willing, there's no better time to plan your trip to Haiti ...

Bring your running shoes and we'll run ... and probably mostly walk ... through the neighborhood.