Haiti

Our view as we arrived to Haiti. It was a wonderful start to our journey.
Tent cities were set up everywhere in Port Au Prince. From the plane you could see them for hundreds of square miles.

None of us were prepared for the devastation that we encountered.

But God gives everyone, everywhere, beauty to behold. This is the view from where we stayed - Bethel Guest House.

Meet Judeson. We fell in love with this beautiful and precious little boy. 9 months old.


Doesn't he look like he belongs with us?! If he wasn't already adopted and on the waiting list to go home, he would be a Castleberry. My heart still longs for Judeson.






The people in Haiti must go on. They are strong and resourceful, but they still need your prayers.

Friday and Saturday have been a blur, maybe because every time I try to talk about my time in Haiti, I have been a blubbering mess. Everywhere I look I see Haiti, and cant get it out of my head. I am having a difficult time adjusting to being home - back to life in the "real world." Everywhere I look I see the gaudy-ness of selfish lives. I see people living as though nothing matters. It's hard.

Don't really know where to go next. I still need time decompress and find a way to stay in this state of mind. I don't want to go back to living on my terms, but living in a way that is totally reliant on HIS terms.

What we experienced was truly something special, and don't know if it can be fully explained. What God did in our midst was truly awesome. What He allowed me to see and experience was not by accident, and I need to continue to search what that purpose is. I hope there are many more experiences in Haiti for me.

I think this is applicable all of us and our friends in Haiti:

"'For I know the plans I have for you', declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,' declares the Lord, 'and will bring you back from captivity.'"

Jeremiah 29:11-13

Haiti

Our view as we arrived to Haiti. It was a wonderful start to our journey.
Tent cities were set up everywhere in Port Au Prince. From the plane you could see them for hundreds of square miles.

None of us were prepared for the devastation that we encountered.

But God gives everyone, everywhere, beauty to behold. This is the view from where we stayed - Bethel Guest House.

Meet Judeson. We fell in love with this beautiful and precious little boy. 9 months old.


Doesn't he look like he belongs with us?! If he wasn't already adopted and on the waiting list to go home, he would be a Castleberry. My heart still longs for Judeson.






The people in Haiti must go on. They are strong and resourceful, but they still need your prayers.

Friday and Saturday have been a blur, maybe because every time I try to talk about my time in Haiti, I have been a blubbering mess. Everywhere I look I see Haiti, and cant get it out of my head. I am having a difficult time adjusting to being home - back to life in the "real world." Everywhere I look I see the gaudy-ness of selfish lives. I see people living as though nothing matters. It's hard.

Don't really know where to go next. I still need time decompress and find a way to stay in this state of mind. I don't want to go back to living on my terms, but living in a way that is totally reliant on HIS terms.

What we experienced was truly something special, and don't know if it can be fully explained. What God did in our midst was truly awesome. What He allowed me to see and experience was not by accident, and I need to continue to search what that purpose is. I hope there are many more experiences in Haiti for me.

I think this is applicable all of us and our friends in Haiti:

"'For I know the plans I have for you', declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,' declares the Lord, 'and will bring you back from captivity.'"

Jeremiah 29:11-13

Processing my thoughts

I can't believe that we leave for Haiti in just 4 short days. I am definitely feeling prepared "stuff" wise with packing and getting things ready. That's the easy stuff.

However, I have to be honest that I'm starting to feel the anxiety of leading 31 other people through a third-world country that is full of devastation and disease. The water is bad. People from previous trips have come home very ill - no amount of antibiotics have helped them and they are being tested for parasites today.

I have also been very sick this last week. I'm starting to feel a little better (maybe...I think I'm just trying to convince myself). I'm going to the doctor this afternoon to get some medicine because I'm really nervous about going into Haiti already sick.

And, no surprise here, one of my kiddos is not feeling well. This time it's Landon. Yesterday, he slept until 10:30 a.m. Landon - who usually wakes up at 6:40 a.m. Every. Single. Morning. I checked on him every 10 minutes because I was getting so worried about him. Then, he fell asleep in Scott's arms in the living room at 1:30 p.m. and slept for 2 1/2 hours. Sheesh. He woke up with a fever, so I know his little body is fighting something.

But...I just have to call it what it is. Spiritual Warfare. Satan is relentless when we are about to do something BIG for our God. It's tough. It makes me want to scream - especially when he starts attacking my family. But, I am just trusting that God is up to BIG things.

---

OK, all of that is out of the way. So, Haiti is coming in 4 days. I'm excited, but also realistic about what we are going to do. It's going to be about 110 degrees. HOT. The guys on our team are building homes for widows who lost everything, including their husbands, in the earthquake. The ladies on our team will be split between an orphanage and working with women making bags to sell. I'm excited to develop relationships with the Hatitian women. There will be a language barrier, but I'm trying to pull out my French from high school and refresh. Ha!

Our team of 32 seems great. Lots of young girls who are energetic, which should be fun. Everyone seems sincere and really set on our goals as a team. I feel good in our preparations, and trying to not freak about getting 32 people through 3 different airports. Hopefully our matching team shirts will help with that. ;)

So...that's mostly my stream of consciousness today regarding Haiti. Trusting God with the rest!

Processing my thoughts

I can't believe that we leave for Haiti in just 4 short days. I am definitely feeling prepared "stuff" wise with packing and getting things ready. That's the easy stuff.

However, I have to be honest that I'm starting to feel the anxiety of leading 31 other people through a third-world country that is full of devastation and disease. The water is bad. People from previous trips have come home very ill - no amount of antibiotics have helped them and they are being tested for parasites today.

I have also been very sick this last week. I'm starting to feel a little better (maybe...I think I'm just trying to convince myself). I'm going to the doctor this afternoon to get some medicine because I'm really nervous about going into Haiti already sick.

And, no surprise here, one of my kiddos is not feeling well. This time it's Landon. Yesterday, he slept until 10:30 a.m. Landon - who usually wakes up at 6:40 a.m. Every. Single. Morning. I checked on him every 10 minutes because I was getting so worried about him. Then, he fell asleep in Scott's arms in the living room at 1:30 p.m. and slept for 2 1/2 hours. Sheesh. He woke up with a fever, so I know his little body is fighting something.

But...I just have to call it what it is. Spiritual Warfare. Satan is relentless when we are about to do something BIG for our God. It's tough. It makes me want to scream - especially when he starts attacking my family. But, I am just trusting that God is up to BIG things.

---

OK, all of that is out of the way. So, Haiti is coming in 4 days. I'm excited, but also realistic about what we are going to do. It's going to be about 110 degrees. HOT. The guys on our team are building homes for widows who lost everything, including their husbands, in the earthquake. The ladies on our team will be split between an orphanage and working with women making bags to sell. I'm excited to develop relationships with the Hatitian women. There will be a language barrier, but I'm trying to pull out my French from high school and refresh. Ha!

Our team of 32 seems great. Lots of young girls who are energetic, which should be fun. Everyone seems sincere and really set on our goals as a team. I feel good in our preparations, and trying to not freak about getting 32 people through 3 different airports. Hopefully our matching team shirts will help with that. ;)

So...that's mostly my stream of consciousness today regarding Haiti. Trusting God with the rest!

Memorial Weekend = Family Traditions

Memorial Day is so special to us as we remember those who have fought for our freedoms, but this Memorial Day was even more special as Scott's late grandfather was honored at the Cumming Veterans' Celebration.

Scott's grandpa (Raymond Hubert Bennett) was one of 13 former veterans who was honored.
Scott's mom and her two sisters had the honor of untying his flag...
...and letting it blow freely in the breeze.
Scott's dad served in the Vietnam War, and we made sure to capture a picture of our kiddos with their Papa.
It was Red, White, and Blue everywhere.
Even the smallest kiddos coordinated. :)


On Sunday, our family went to my mom's house for some fun fishin' time! The weather was partly cloudy/partly sunny - but it was perfect for us!
Landon was so excited to catch a fish!
And he did!!!
So did Ella Beth!
They even touched the fish - but they sure wouldn't kiss them!
Ella Beth caught 6 fish in the span of about 20 minutes during her first fishin' outing of 2010!
Sea Doo rides make for a great break from fishin'.

Every time Ella Beth's rod was cast out into the water she caught a fish. It was comical how many crickets this tiny girl went through!
Scott's family always comes up to my mom's for Memorial Day. Kaitlin was up for swimming!
And Ella Beth thought she was too.
But she quickly changed her mind. ;)
Here is Landon yelling, "FISH!!! Come here fish! FISH!!!!!" So funny! (And I promise he doesn't have anger issues!)
All wrapped up for a boat ride.
L-O-V-E their smiles. :)
Wind-blown, but this Mama got in a picture.
Landon lasted about three minutes on the boat ride, then it was nap time for this fella.
After about an hour and a half, he was up and ready to drive the boat!
And so was Ella Beth!
See y'all again next year!