The Beach

I am going to miss so many things about Haiti. 

This being on the top of the list, it is a bit of a drive to get there,

but so worth it!

Some major energy wasting going on here!

MJ

There is a new MJ in the house. Having grown up in Chicago during the real MJ era, there has only been one MJ for me but, CT has recently discovered the music of Michael Jackson along with his dance moves. You will have to read his letter to his class for more info. 

 At first he had his back to the pool and was dancing for the DJ's, but then he turned around and the whole pool was watching him.

Roselie's House

This weekend we were able to go and see Roselie's house. It is near Les Cayes on the Southern coast. We have been really anxious to see her home and meet her family and son since we met her, so this was a much anticipated trip. The area that she lives in is beautiful. It is very rural and full or beautiful greenness everywhere. 

This is a picture of her home. It was basically 3 rooms. One with a twin bed, one with a few chairs and a table that was full of cooking tools and a tiny one with a bucket that I assume was being used as a toilet. No running water, no electricity. 

The bedroom.

Here is Roselie, in light blue, with 4 of her 5 sisters. Three of the sisters and their children all live in the house. Her sisters also care for Roselie's son. Basically the sister in the orange cares for all the children while the other sisters work. 

All of the family came to visit with us, cousins, nieces, nephews. It was a little overwhelming.

The people nicely shared some of their coconuts and sugar cane with us. 

Hannah loved the sugar cane. 

We walked around their village. Roselie's son held Justin's hand most of the time. 

We went to her church also. I think it was about 120 degrees inside and totally full of people singing. 

Port-Salut

This weekend we went to Port Salut. It is about as far West and South as you can go in Haiti. I am really glad we were able to see this part of Haiti. The drive was beautiful through thick forests and mountains and coastal villages. 

Because it was a holiday weekend we had a tough time finding a hotel. But, finally found one that had a big room with four beds. It was perfect. Except that it was on the water, literally on the water. Our room was built right on the rock of the seashore. It had these huge windows that did not latch well and the waves were literally beating the side of our room all night. Couple that with no power and a child who is terrified of the dark and 10 people in a room with no A/C and you can see why we only stayed one night!

BJ looking out the dangerous window into the deep blue sea.

The fisherman out our window collecting dinner.

Part of our bedroom with the sea in the background.

More of the hotel.

TJ who is a little dyslexic in writing in the sand.

CT with his new favorite accessory. A Michael Jackson hat. This kid cracks me up. He caught a really colorful, tiny lizard.

 A river we walked over in town. 

 The beach at sunset.

IS getting buried with some help by her little brothers and sister. 

CT and TJ playing with a piece of coral they found in the sea. 

Waterfall

Here is our family at the Waterfalls that were just outside of Port-Salut. We had read about them on a website and are so glad that we decided to go check them out. 

Check out this view, does it get any better than this? This was one of those "Haiti is beautiful" moments. 

CT jumping off the waterfall. Quote from CT "When Rachel was jumping off I was so scared for her and when I jumped off it felt so magical, it felt like you were jumping off Mt. Everest and then you hit the water and it knocked the senses back into you. It was the best thing I have done in Haiti."

Even the little boys got into it running to the water and laying themselves down.

One problem is that it was down a steep, slippery hill. Not to worry there were plenty of Haitians around to carry our children. It was all I could do to still breath as I walked up the hill, but this guy ran up barefoot with two of my kids. Thank you Haiti for making such strong men!

The Beach

This last week we had the chance to go to the beach, twice. We met this amazing couple, post to follow I promise, who run a Creche out near the beach. I can't wait to share pictures. 

CT "caught" a jelly fish. We have a " bug hospital" at our home. I was just waiting for them to ask to start an "aquatic stinging menace hospital".

 SF and BJ building in the sand.

 This girl has so much fun in the water. And I have to say she is quite the little swimmer. This week I put her on the water tubes and she was off. She was swimming all around the pool and trying to sneak off on her own much to the Haitians dismay. 

This one is for you Grandma. Grandma Diane made these adorable shirts for the boys. 

Metal Shoppes

Yesterday we went out to Croix des Bouquetts. It is another area near PaP. Within this town there is a street that is lined with metal shoppes. I use shoppes loosely as they are really just peoples' homes with the front room converted into a shoppe. The people of Haiti are true artists. They make all of these pieces from scratch with just a piece of metal, some hand tools, and their imagination. Some pieces are made with a hand made stencil for uniformity. The completed pieces are beautiful works of art, but watching the process helps you to realize just how much is involved and how amazing they truly are.

The kids watching some of the local artists.

This was one of the artisans working on a piece of metal with his hand tools. They pound the design into each piece of metal.

Some of the designs are 3D as these characters were.

Hiking Today

Today we decided that we wanted to go on a hike. We took a long drive on a crappy road, shocker I know, up to a beautiful place in the mountains. It was really foggy and actually a little chilly. I was glad I had sweatshirts for the babies.

The scenery was beautiful and the people we equally as beautiful. I wanted to share some of the pictures.

It is a farming community and today with the thick fog it was absolutely beautiful.

I will never get over the baskets on the head thing here. I love the look of it.

Some of the people...