Our Family Circus

  Dolly's garden is growing.  We are enjoying the sunflower her friend gave her.   My Dear is working hard with plants as well.   He has many seeds started so to produce flowers and plants to sell at the shop creating more income to go toward reforestation of the country.   Do you know that Haiti was 60% forest in the 1960s?   Now, there is less than 2% forest here.   The area where we live is beautiful with trees and gardens but that is a small, small part of the country.   When the Ts arrived in Haiti, there was nothing here.   Seventy years later, it is a botanical garden.   A sweet reminder that the Lord is faithful if we are diligent and intentional with what He has called us to do. The Lord has blessed our family with friends.   Friends move in and out of the country, but the Lord is faithful to give us who we need in the season we are in. ...

I used to pride myself on not crying.   My winning ticket was the fact that I did not cry during Charlotte's Web!   Aren't I cool?   So, I was just a girl but that pride hung on for a long time.   Now, my niece, at a young age, would cry over almost anything.   I recall one time, she tripped and everyone was looking at her and she just cried.   She was not hurt just embarrassed and she was a toddler.   Toddlers trip.   During my wedding, she saw my sister cry, so she cried too.   I used to call her "tender" but the truth is, life has not been easy on her and instead of having a hard heart, she has a mushy one.   I love her compassionate heart.   In fact, when she is ticked off and mad, it is because of injustice and triggers her "tender" compassionate heart.  My friend "Care" is much the same.   I think they would probably say b...

We are finally pulling our summer schedule together!   You know what it is like to schedule a vacation?   Well, mix vacation planning with family that you only see a time or 2 a year along with kids wanting to see friends.  Now, add camp schedules, all of your medical and health appointments as well as speaking engagements in different churches and you have the puzzle that is furlough!  We had planned to do some traveling as "field trips" but had to back out of those plans as time is limited and perhaps take a few day trips instead. For those of you who have asked, here is the schedule as of today! June 12th   am service     Bible Baptist, NV June 12th   pm service      First Baptist, NV June 22nd  Wed.              Central, PKY June 26th  am service      Central, Winc...

Recently, I was able to enjoy a refreshing trip to Florida to surprise my father for his birthday.   My siblings also flew to the Sunshine State and then drove to the international airport to pick me up.   We piled into the back of my uncle's minivan and he drove us to our parents where my sister had informed my parents that a delivery would be made.   My father loved it and was taken completely by surprise!   He disappeared for a moment and returned after calling his boss and letting him know he would not be working the rest of the week.  We ate, laughed, visited a botanicals garden, laughed, enjoyed a road trip, laughed, did some shopping...or should I say looking, and laughed some more.   I enjoyed some time to myself swimming and enjoyed sitting in the sun with my sister and chatting with my mom.   Mom and Dad drove me to the airport to return home and I enjoyed my time alone with them.  My sister used to say I wa...

Thank you to those of you who gave towards Dolly's Zoo Birthday!   I have been told that more money is coming in but as of today, the total received for the zoo fund is over $600!!  It is not too late to contribute.   Dolly wrote a persuasive essay today for her school work to push along the process on the zoo.    THANK YOU for being a part of that!!! A team from our sending church is here this week!   You can imagine the kiddos excitement to see friends.   We have a heavy school week ahead of us. I am pretty sure school will travel over into Saturday this week as we try to do work and participate in the cool stuff the team will do.   It will be a game of balance.   I hear visitors ask the kiddos if they "have to school" today.   I am sure at times it just does not seem cool to be doing school with opportunities all around us. The Lord has not called us to "unschool" so we school....

This year, the zoo at the mission will turn 50 years old.   Next month, our Dolly, the zoo keeper, will celebrate a birthday as well.    For those of you who know our Dolly, you know her love for all things furry.   The zoo has a variety of birds and a couple of small crocodiles that she checks in on as well as the rabbits and goats that she enjoys so much.  This is Jade.  Jade of Joy was born Feb. 10th making Dolly the mama of 2 goats.  The zoo is about the size of a nice petting zoo in the states, but it is the only zoo I know of in Haiti.  Dolly was gifted 2 animals for the zoo last year for her birthday but with changes in staff and issues with space, she has yet to receive them although the sender waits patiently.  We have not given up hope and are dreaming on the best way to make accommodations in the zoo for these new animals.  My camera lovin' friend Jen captured this mama and her...

1 Thessalonians 5:18 says,  " Give thanks in all circumstances for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." This Thanksgiving, we gathered together as a mission to enjoy our Thanksgiving feast.  We were told that after we ate, we would share what we are thankful for.  No big deal, right!  I could come up with a list of what I am thankful for each day of the year and never repeat myself.  But this Thanksgiving was different.   I ate pretty much in silence with My Dear staying close by.   I prepared my assigned dishes and arrived just in time for the festivities.  As we finished up, I recalled there would be a time of sharing.   But, my head knew it should be thankful and my heart was hurting so much louder that my head and heart were certainly not in agreement.   My Dear got a call from the shop where he works and let me know he needed to go.  I took the opportunity to slip out.   Just t...