the "how to" you will never use...but still.

It took us to year 8, but I think we have finally learned enough lessons and figured some stuff out to make coming home easier.  We are safely home after the least adventurous adventure of coming back to Haiti yet, and (after last year!) I am so thankful.

So here's some advice that none of you will probably EVER need for returning to Haiti after being gone for almost 2 months with two small children.

1. Make sure you to have lots of help the final hours.

Not only was it a huge blessing to have dear friends for our final 2 days, but they did SO MUCH to make those last 2 days less stressful.  Played with the girls.  Washed dishes.  Cleaned out the fridge, helped with laundry, went shopping, weighed bags, put away toys, followed Sofie's every command, drove us to the airport, went back to final clean the house and drove the van where it needed to be.  

I still have no idea why they did all that.  It was an emotional time, there was a lot to do, it was no where close to their house, the work was neither fun nor glamorous.  But they did, and  they made it fun, and we were so blessed and humbled.  I am so incredibly grateful.  So.  

2. Leave a cat with the rats.

Not a sign of a rat to be seen.  The ants are INSANE.  But I WAY prefer insane ants over insane rats.  THANK YOU, Callie.  I don't know why this took us so long to figure out.

3. Bite the bullet and fly STRAIGHT to Northern Haiti, forgoing Port-au-Prince, even though it costs more.

This means we did not lose ONE bag.  This means we did not miss ANY flights.  This means we got home so much earlier and faster.  It means we skipped one whole crazy airport.  So. Much. Better. 

4. Fly through Miami, and stay at the hotel IN the airport.  

When you have to be at the gate at 4 am, when you have 250 pounds of baggage in the form of 6 bags and 5 carry-ons and a stroller, when shuttles don't start until 6 am, on man.  So stressful.  This is the only airport I know of that has a hotel in the airport, so we got to keep the bags on the smart-carts, wake up a five minute walk to our gate, eat dinner sans 11 bags right in the terminal.  Oh, this was SUCH a good idea.

5. Expect the very very very very worst.   Like, a repeat of last year.  That makes a little dirt, a lot of ants, a line of visitors, a dinner guest and insane humidity BEAUTIFUL.

6. Pray "trust" through your flights.  Heading back has brought up 99 things we are concerned about.  A hard conversation in these next days.  Work load concerns.  Concern for our little family seemingly inevitably getting Chikungunya, which Lily calls "Chickie Mama".  Scheduling concerns, major financial concerns, how to help everyone who needs help, dealing with the heat and rats of life concerns, all of it.  

So this time, EVERY single concern that came to my mind throughout our two days of travel, I stopped myself and deliberately said, "Lord, I trust you with our family.  Lord, I trust you with the stupid rats.  Lord, I trust you with Emmaus Biblical Seminary...with that conversation....with that person...with my girlies."

Many of the things came to my heart and mind more than once, and I recommitted them again and again.  By the time we finally landed on beautiful, warm Haitian soil, the knot in my stomach was gone, the concerns returned to Him.  Sometimes just audibly stating our trust makes it happen.

7. Pack at least 3 days worth of food.  I've never done this because it felt like wasting precious cargo weight, but oh man.  Having actual quick-fix add water dinner tonight was a GIFT.  Having cereal for breakfast will be divine.  Having some gnocchi and tortillas and apples to take eating off the stress-list for the next two days in a country where you can't order pizza or run to Wendy's was brilliant.  Finally :)

8. Don't go crazy doing everything the first day.  Like, take a walk with your family, marvel over how much everything has grown in just two short months, let the girls chatter about all the millions of things they missed, laugh with Noel over Sofie's love of underwear and tennis shoes...alone..., and skype with Junior.

It's good to be home.

Great to have had such a "boring" transition so far.

Great to be His, To Be Trusted.