COSI

There has never been a child who so loved COSI.  Not impressed with rat basketball or with the "pet a roach", because let's face it, Lily sees a lot of rats do lots of things and pets roaches all the time. 

 Insanely impressed with Dora.  Oh man.  Thrilled, and Nico was too.  "I miss Dora!" Lily's been saying since we left, and is currently making Grandpa tell her a "COSI-Dora-Dora-Lily-COSI" story.

 Lil spent the entire day running from one exhibit to the other, kid-watching, and touching everything.

 Every time there was a doctor or vet exhibit, Lily would dwell as long as she could...interesting.

 Sofia enjoyed a good grandpa nap and watching thousands of people.

 Then Nico gave her a 6 foot, color-it castle for her birthday, which kept everybody busy most of the evening.

What a fun day...This sounds weird, but I think all four of us really enjoyed just disappearing in the crowd today.  It was nice to not be foreigners, not translating, and doing something that I did dozens of times as a kid.  I love to watch Lily fork down rice and beans and run barefoot through the soccer field with the Seminary students.  But today, I also loved watching her play on the SAME toys that I did as a kid with a million other kids speaking her language.  

I feel so blessed that God has allowed us these two cultures, which have become a part of all of us!

Matt and Sofie's appointments went well again today, Casey, Laura and Nico arrived safely and all is well!

Several of Matt's tests have come back looking great...the only thing popping up so far is that his resting heart rate is hovering around 38, which should be explaining a lot of his fatigue.  Praising the Lord for so many clear test results!!

Fun pictures tomorrow!

how cold is it?

This morning, Lily asked to go out on the porch.  I said ok, let her out in her fleece pants, t-shirt and jacket, and ran to get Sofie.  I came back not 30 seconds later, and Lily was standing in the middle of the porch, barefoot, in nothing but her Dora panties.

"Lily!" I gasped, freezing.  "What are you doing!? Where are your clothes?"

"Mom!" she said frustrated.  "I wanted to see how cold it was!"

Ah, my precious girl, growing up and amazed at the many worlds we live in.

Matt is wired up like nobody's business, with all kinds of suction things all over his chest and stomach and plugged into two different devices, one for 24 hours and the other for 10 days.  He had a bunch of blood drawn and tests taken today, and then tomorrow he's doing a few heart stress tests and hopefully receiving some of the results from today.

All they found today was that his pulse is indeed exceptionally low.  We'll let you know tomorrow...

Sofie and Lily also have their doctors appointments tomorrow.  I am excited to get Sofie some of the shots she has needed in Haiti but missed because she was so young when we left!

Meanwhile, Matt's brother, sister-in-law and our nephew Nico are on their way!  They'll be here tomorrow afternoon for the weekend and we can't wait to see them!  On Saturday we hope to take the kids to COSI, Columbus's science center, where they're having a huge Dora and Diego display.

We spoke to Maxi this morning, and Abel this afternoon.  Abel's mother passed away this morning, and we'd love your prayers for him and their family.  She had a lot of health problems, but they were not expecting her to go right now.  Thank you!

After an incredibly long day that began at barefoot 6 am with a sky like this...

 ...and a crazy hot, dusty trip through town...

...and three very long flights, in which the girls were both SO good, we have arrived!

After tears from two of us over the freezing weather, we got back to my dad's house around 10 pm last night and this morning Matt is already at the hospital for a "24 hour Holter monitor" and then to the doctor afterwards for a huge slew of testing.  

We're thankful he has this opportunity for medical care that so much of the world never finds.  

We're thankful for a warm house full of family, felines, a full fridge and gifts of beautiful warm clothes for the girls (Patty, thank you SO much!).

We're thankful for the prayers of so many in Haiti, Canada, the States and around the world for Matt's health and for the health, happiness, holiness and wholeness of our family!  We feel so loved this season...and most of all by Him.

We'll keep you posted

great news and travel prayers

We had a really great day today...lots of laundry, cleaning, unpacking and re-packing, but also some great time with friends in Saccanville and in Vaudreil. 


Lily and I walked down the road to a friend's house and while I enjoyed catching up with friends, she enjoyed running like crazy with a few other little ones, eating up Kerline's rice and beans and putting on Shayla's make-up.  Then tonight we had coffee and fantastic cookies at Bud and Cindy's with the other four missionaries here right now (several are in Port and many still in the States).


We are thrilled (understatement) to share with you that some good friends of ours, Sam and Cammie, have just been accepted to come work with us here at Emmaus!  They have lived in Haiti before, have three little kids, and have a heart for Biblical training and being a part of people growing in Christ.  Sam is also a plumber/electrician/fixer-person (how's that for Stacey's description of a profession) and Cam is an evangelist if I've ever met one.


They are funding now and hope to join us after our crazy month (March) of visiting professors.  Ah, the thought of having help with the maintenance-side of things and having someone else living here with us full-time is just divine!  


You can check out their blog here.  If you are interested in helping get them here, you can find out how on their blog.  Please be praying for them as they fund and prepare for this big transition!


Meanwhile, we head for Ohio tomorrow, and would so love your prayers for safe travel and for fantastic behavior from our 2LOs (two little ones).  Please pray for cantankerous Sofia to just be miraculously content...or miraculously sleepy.  One of us is very excited about icy weather, one of us is very excited about icy cream, both of us are very excited about seeing lots of family and about medical appointments (starting on the 29th) to get to the bottom of Matt's health issues.


Thanks for your prayers!  We have truly felt and seen His presence so closely these past weeks, and are so grateful!

more than enough.

Every vacation picture should look like this.!..your family having a blast in front of you, warm sun and sand and ocean, baby sleeping in your lap...no dishes! no papers! no laundry!  Ah...

The 23rd was Adam's birthday, and we had a special party for him with sparklers and cake and guitar music...so much fun, and so grateful to have such a thoughtful, caring, hilarious and positive brother-in-law!

Sofie wanted some cake :)  Sofie ate a LOT of food she shouldn't have this vacation...which could be said of all of us, I guess :)

Somebody got her mama's ice cream gene.

We swam, read, walked and talked for days on end, and had an ice cream float any time we wanted, which for me, is pretty close to heaven :)

We also celebrated Lily's 3rd birthday (January 2nd) while we had Aunt Lee and Uncle Adam with us...They got her a wooden birthday cake, and she has thrown at least 50 birthday parties since then.

So thankful for such a fantastic aunt and sister!  While Lily admits that I love her the most, she says Aunt Lisa is her very best friend.  

 We finished Lily's month of the Christmas story and ornaments yesterday with a bead cross, because, as Lily says, "Thank you Jesus came to die for my badness!"  Then we opened Christmas presents in Lisa's room and had another nice relaxing day together.  At bedtime Lily cried and cried, saying, "I'm so sad because Christmas is over!"  Ah...we were all sad for this much needed and much appreciated time away and together to be over :(

...though none quite as sad as Sofie :)

As Lily said today as we got in the car to drive home:  "My face feels sad!"

Tonight we are safely back in Haiti after a few hours on the road.  This picture was taken right as we crossed the border in a moment of complete insanity.  We'd just come over the border, and there are thousands of people milling around, coming and going, selling and buying, waiting and watching.  Matt had to park right in the middle and run to offices on both sides of the border to take care of our paperwork and fees.  

He goes to do that, and I pulled a sobbing Sofie out of her car-seat to give her a break and release Lily from her buckles.  Lily climbs in the front with me, I lock the doors, and realize that the major smell is Sofie...whose pants and shirt (and now my skirt) is soaked in an exploded dirty diaper.  

A moment later, a huge semi-truck was trying to pass us, I'm trying to change Sofie on my lap, digging through the bag at my feet for wet-wipes, there is baby poop literally EVERYWHERE, Lily is climbing back and forth with a 100 piece puzzle scattering everywhere and asking "Mommy, why does that man only have one leg?  Why, Mommy?  Why?", there are a dozen people outside my window just watching, and every two minutes someone was tapping at my window to beg for money.  

oh man.  It was such a "welcome back to reality" moment. 

"Father, help me!" I prayed out loud, overwhelmed, and Lily immediately says, "Mom, grandpa is not here.  He's at the airport!"

We both laughed, and I was so thankful, I am so thankful, that my Father is always with me, and is enough...for vacation, for Christmas, and for everyday life.  More than enough.  

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

The internet here is just terrible, and since we'll be home tomorrow, we'll wait for photos!

We're having just a wonderful time...restful, good time with family, great time at the pool and beach.  We're making some wonderful new Christmas memories and enjoying remembering Christmases past, as well.

Last night we had a special Christmas Eve "service", which started on the beach but ended up on the porch due to the rain.  We had hoped for a candlelight service, but the only candles I could find at the market were and old box of trick candles.

This ended up making the service extra special, holding candles, singing Christmas hymns, and each time we finished a song, Lily blew out all our candles, we'd sing another song...they would light again, she'd blow them all out again...It was great, and Lily was thrilled!

Tomorrow morning we head back to Haiti, and will have pictures then.

Today, we are thinking of so many of you, praising the Lord for you, thinking of our family and friends in Haiti, in the States, in Canada, in Africa...and wishing all of you a very Merry Christmas.  What a wonderful chance to celebrate His Great Gift!

Merry Christmas!
Matt and Stacey, Lily and Sof

family

 We have been having a great time!  Matt was really sick for about 24 hours, but is doing much better now, and confirming our thankfulness at having the opportunity to get him some medical exams and care starting on the 29th!  It is SO good to be with family, the girls are having a blast, especially at the pool, and we are just so grateful to be here and be together!

Check out the Seminary blog for our Christmas letter from EBS!  More pix when we have better internet...

Safely here...

We've arrived safely and Lily is happily catching up with Grammy and PopPop. It's raining today, but we are just greateful to be off school, safely here (after coming past a horrific accident in Cap Haitien)on vacation, with family, and getting a break from cooking and dishes!

My dad and sister and brother in law arrive tomorrow afternoon!

spandex and we're off...

Grading final exams today...

Have you ever tried any risky sports or activities?
   No way, I've never tried!  Because I want to live a long time.


Describe your appearance:
    I am very handsome.  (ALL 17 students.  Every one.  The last added: ...and VERY good-looking)


What are 2 ways to improve your health?
     Stretch, and always play cards.


And the best one...

What kind of clothes do you like?
     Stretch.  Yes, Stretch.  I'm so very happy when I wear stretch.  And, I am more handsome.




One thing we can claim is that the students at Emmaus have very healthy senses of self-esteem :)!

We ended the semester with a special chapel service ("I never wanted it to end!" Lorma shared with me later in the lunch line) and huge goat/fish fry, in which Matt was gifted the precious goat liver for being the leader.  Go, Matt.

The rest of the day has been spent busily grading final exams, calculated averages, finally finishing financially and academically registering the last students, packing, cleaning, arranging for staff paychecks, planning for the dog and security, gift giving and making sure that we are leaving WELL.

We have a lot of events, burdens and blessings in the lives of our staff and students taking place these next 4 weeks to keep close to our hearts and prayers, and I was blessed today to know that there are many praying for us, as well!

Ah, what a blessing to be a part of the varied, gifted, beloved body of Christ!

We head for the DR tomorrow morning as soon as we're ready, and Matt's parents are already there!

Yay for Christmas vacation! (and for being teachers, and therefore getting a Christmas vacation  :)

fèt

I don't think there are many places in the world that do Christmas like Emmaus Biblical Seminary.  Let me just try to condense for you the 4 hour Christmas party this afternoon!

It started and ended with a praise service and prayer time, a really beautiful way to open.  I don't think I'd ever been to a Christmas party that started with a worship service before coming to Haiti.

Then came the speeches, which are always a very important part of gatherings culturally.  Matt shared a short devotional, Pastor Elizay (almost fully recovered from his surgery) shared a few words, and Belo thanked everyone for a great week of Christmas festivities.  

Then, of course, the very important soccer championship win was announced, which included speeches by several team members, bestowing of the trophy, slo-mo re-enactments of key moves, etc.  Third year took the title, in case you were wondering.

Then started the talent competition, in which three different competitors would share their talents, and everyone would vote for a winner, then move onto the next three.  (Lots of prizes like this :)

This year, Freny busted out some sweet break dance moves, winning for his group.

A lot of what qualifies as "talent" at EBS is whatever makes people laugh the hardest, even if there is no real talent involved :)  There was a LOT of that today!  Everyone had SUCH a good time.

Voting

 giving out prizes

 And the reigning champion of the day for the talent contest: Brave.  With a pillow in his shirt.  With music playing.  Dancing like an old man.  

From the moment he walked out of the bathroom with the pillow until he sat down at the end, everyone just LOST it.

We dunno.  

Then there were several very serious rounds of musical chairs (TRY this at your office Christmas party and see if it's better as a grown up :)

 Then, the "button shirt" game, which involved four students putting button-up shirts, with the exact same amount of buttons, on over their shirts, and having to button all the buttons faster than the other three.  LOVED it.  Five rounds of that.    

Confession: all I could think the whole party was, "WOW,  imagine if there was drinking involved?!"

Even Sofie and Lily had a blast (for the first 1.5 hours).  

Tomorrow is our big Christmas feast, with goat (which we sadly greeted this morning right before...yeah, right before.), fish, rice and beans, Cokes, and vacation good-byes (while staff members will be frantically grading final exams before leaving).  

Yesterday, we were blessed to attend the Christmas program at Cowman School down the road.  It was as cute, crazy and creative as it looks!  It was a really great time, and Lily loved seeing all the kids!  Sometimes I think she forgets that she's a kid and not a seminary student!

What a great day following a GREAT week!