the Haiti adventure: some details

My mind is swimming in details tonight: To sell the house or rent the house? Travel vaccines and passports for the kids. Packing. Moving. What to sell vs. what to keep for later vs. what to bring? Fundraising. Yard Sale. Update our will. Get P.O. Box. Buy 18 duffel bags. Find boxes. Health insurance overseas. And so on and so forth.

But I really should backtrack to the beginning of the story.

Early in our marriage we knew that the Lord was calling us to do two things in our lives:

1) Adopt
2) Serve overseas as missionaries

Now, to take a very quick rabbit trail...I feel very strongly that all Christ followers are commanded to take adoption and missions seriously, whether that is in a supportive or active role.

For us, we knew that we would not just be supporters of these two callings, but active participators. We knew no details or specifics...only that someday it would happen. A "when" not "if" scenario.

It was during our first trip to Haiti that the Lord revealed to us that it was our time to actively participate in adoption...and 9 months later we stepped off an airplane with our Ethiopian Eli.

Numerous trips back to Haiti throughout the last four years continued to strengthen our love for the country, the people, and an excitement to participate in the movement of God that is taking place in the country.

But always...we never felt a release from where we were, or I was pregnant, or we were adjusting to a new family dynamic, there wasn't an obvious position for us in Haiti, and the timing just wasn't right. We were content to help support other missionaries down there.

Until about 2 months ago when a door flew open.

And all the obvious excuses that had kept us from saying yes in the past...well, they just weren't there. And so we agreed to look into the opportunity with the blessing of our families and pastors.

Jeremiah and I flew down the first week of July to check out the mission. After much prayer and wrestling with God and freaking out and seeking of wise counsel...we officially accepted a position as "field directors" (technically there is no title to what we will be doing...but this title seems to fit best in my mind) at Have Faith Haiti Mission in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

Have Faith Haiti is a mission that provides housing and schooling for approx 30 orphans. Sweet amazing kids that we were already privileged to meet on that trip early in the month.

We will be doing a lot of things and filling different roles at different times...a lot of that will be discovered after we actually get down there. We do know that we will be loving on the kids and pouring ourselves into their lives and the lives of the Haitian staff.




We also know that we are completely ill-equipped for this task. Absolutely inadequate.

Which is ok.
Because we know who equips us.
We know who is made strong in our weakness.
We know who goes before us and with us.

We've been telling the kids that this is an adventure. That God's story is always an adventure and we are awesomely invited to participate. What a crazy ride we have ahead of us!

in which i tell you that we are moving to Haiti

Yes, its true. 

We are moving our entire family to Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

In September.

This September.

As in 6 weeks from now.

Gulp...

We are so excited. 

We are completely freaking out. 

And yet...there is peace.

More details to come later.

For now, how about some pictures from some of our past trips...

not me monday

**Warning: The following fictional accounts contain graphic elements. For those of you who do not like stories with mentions of bodily fluids, proceed with caution. You have been warned.**

I did not have a daughter who leaked through her diaper at night and completely wet her bed...sheets, blankets, pillow, everything was soaked.

I did not strip down daughter and turn my back on her while I set to pulling off all the soiled linens off her bed.

I do not have a daughter who then ran into the next bedroom and pooped on the floor. The carpeted part of the floor. Then walked in it. And kept walking in it.

I did not shriek when I walked into the room and viewed the horrendous sight. Daughter did not grin mischievously at me and yell "poop" back at me.

I did not set up the daughter in the bath tub while I set to scrubbing the carpets. I did not throw away the few remaining unsquashed turds in the toilet. Which did not clog the toilet and cause it to overflow.

Therefore I did not find myself standing in the bathroom laughing my head off at the "crappy" morning I was having...laughing so loud that my other kids came running to find out what was going on...then slowly backing out of the bathroom with a "oh no, Mom has finally snapped" look on their faces.

And, despite my shower and cleaning efforts... I did not keep smelling poop all day long.

Nope. Never. Not me.

thursday thoughts

Ella has been going to a science day camp all week...expanding her brain on the subject of genetics. Interesting stuff.

That has left me with just the three other kiddo's. It is so funny the dynamics that change when we take one kid away.

We've had a lot of fun together, my three youngest ones and me, this week. Swimming, defy gravity, and just hanging out together. I took one morning to document their cuteness...

We've had to be up and out of the house at an earlier than normal for us time every morning to get Ella to camp and I think she is over it. Ella told me last night that she'd "really like to sleep in tomorrow!"

I couldn't help but giggle.
And laugh maniacally in my head thinking about all those mornings I was up early with her when I would have liked to sleep in =)

I mean, no...of course I never thought that.

Jeremiah and I went on a completely last minute spontaneous date on Tuesday night this week. We were able to get a sitter very last minute (thanks Allyson!). Who knew a Tuesday could be so much fun?! I vote for Tuesday night dates all the time! They break up the blahness of Tuesdays.

Better go wake up my sleepyhead (insert maniacal laughter)...

Happy Thursday!

two windows to the soul

Me: Zoe, did you eat the dog food again?

Zoe: No?!

She is gonna hate those tell tale eyes that don't hide a thing one day

I, on the other hand, will always love them.

Eli Cade: 3 years

Eli has officially lived with us longer than he has lived away from us. And as of July 4th, 2013...he has been a Hambrick for three whole years.

Three?
Three!

I crawled into bed with Eli last night while tucking him in...I rubbed his back for a few minutes and prayed over him.

Side note to interrupt this precious mental image I'm sure you are conjuring: My boys have decided that it is more manly to sleep in their underwear. Only their underwear. While we were praying...he let out this huge fart. Rotten eggs stinky man fart made more manly due to the absence of pajamas.

Ok, back to the sweetness.

I couldn't but praise God for the miracles he has worked in both our lives. For the love he supplied me with for this sweet boy born not of my body. For the braveness he supplied this sweet boy with to open himself up to be loved by us.

Every year just gets better and better.
And better.

Every person who meets him always remarks on his sweetness. Or laid-back-ness. Every person. I always sort of shrug and grin and say "yes, he really is that sweet and laid back." Its not bragging because I had nothing to do with it. It is just him.

Of course, you know I can't just leave it all unicorns and lollipops. And I feel strongly that I should never skim over or hide the hard parts of our story. I've never made it a secret that getting to the point where I can gush over Eli has been a long process. Adoption is hard. And grueling. And work. A lot of hard work.

But maybe someone is reading this today that is early in their adoption process and holding onto hope that it will get better, easier, and that they didn't make a terrible irrevocable mistake. It will get better. It will get easier. And no, there was no mistake.

Mostly, I want people to know that it is worth it. Every tear. Every freak out moment.

Worth it. All.

Eli Cade,

You are an integral part of our family and we wouldn't have near as much fun without you in it! You bring so much laughter and brightness to us.  

I love how your understanding of the Lord has grown so much this year. I love how you proudly announce your Ethiopian heritage to anyone new you meet. I love how you sleep in your underwear. I love how you shimmy up the doorframes of our house like its no big thing. I love how hard you work in your therapy appointments. I love how tenderly you care for the dog. I love how protective and patient you are with Zoe. I love how brotherly and obnoxious you are to Ella. I love how encouraging and supportive you are of everyone in your family. I love how you get up and dance to every song that comes on during a movie. I love how you stay under the water so long at the pool I always start to wonder if maybe you're drowning...then you pop up with a big smile and gulp in air. 

I love how learning how to love you has stretched me...into a better Mommy and into total dependence on the Lord. You still remain the bravest little man I know. You are amazing and loved and I wouldn't want to imagine our family without you in it. 

Happy three years!

Forever,

Your Momma

_________________________________________________________________________________

You can read about year 1 and 2 here and here. Seriously, go and read them...I love to brag on what God has done!

photojournal: 12 hours at Nana's

After our Smith Mountain Lake adventuring, the kids and I headed up to my mom's. I knew I would only have a few hours with them before we left at 2am to catch a flight to Haiti...so I wanted to fit in all the fun I could in those short hours...

Jeremiah was able to squeeze in a short after dinner football game with the gang. It's his happy place.

I love everything about this picture. Eli playing in his first real football game...even 6 months ago this would never have happened!

Ella and her gaggle of cousins and aunts...what a posse =)

Ezra decided that PawPaw needed a few drawing lessons.

My time with my family was short, but my kids got to enjoy them for the rest of the week while we were gone. They were good and tired and worn out in the best possible way from all the fun they fit into their time together...living room campouts, fireworks, special snacks, kite flying, Despicable Me 2 in the theatre, and so much more!

I only wish I'd had more than 12 hours =)

thursday thoughts

Yeah, still working on all those catch up posts...

Last week marked a big milestone in our family...THREE years ago last week Eli joined our family! Three?! What an amazing guy he is...I can't imagine life without him. More to come on him whenever those catch up posts really do happen.

Eli getting his game on at Nana's during our visit last week!

I introduced the concept of flash centers to my children this week. (Thanks Tasha for the idea!) It was a big hit. Big hit! They were begging and begging to keep going with it. I am definitely going to incorporate this into our school routine once we formally start back up.

Zoe like the play-doh center the best =)

Zoe learned how to say poop this week.
I blame the brothers.
And how I laughed out loud the first time I heard her say it.

Our vegetable garden exploded while we were gone last week. We have been eating tomatoes with every single meal...love it!

I had to call and make two long overdue doctors appointments for myself this week...the eye doctor and the "female" doctor. I think I have finally reached the point where I need some reading/driving glasses...much as I would love to deny it and pretend I am not getting older. And the whole female doctor thing...man, I hate that one. It might be the first visit ever that I've made and not been pregnant, ha!

No, I'm not pregnant.

I feel as though this Summer is just flying by. Anyone else?

Seeing all the facebook posts of friends whose kids started back in school this week made me feel like Summer was ending...but then I looked at the calendar and realized it was only early July. And I relaxed a little.

This has been an amazing summer so far and I'm just not ready for it to end anytime soon.

Okay, onto my day...

Happy Thursday!

photojournal: smith mountain lake

In life we have a lot of acquaintances, but true friends are a rare and precious thing. 

Briana and I have been friends for a long time...through high school and moves and college and marriage and states separating us. But the moment we see each other its like we never had a gap. When given the opportunity to spend a few days with her and her kiddo's at her parents house in Virginia...I didn't hesitate! Truth be told, I love Briana...but I really love her parents, ha! 

Even as a gawky awkward high school freshmen they were always so wonderful to include me in their family...and to return again as a 30 something with my kids and see how they loved on my children (who still have yet to hit the awkward stage...it's coming, I know) was just a gift. Thank you Bonz and DeeDee for everything!

And now, the pictures. I think you can tell that my kids really really enjoyed the lake...

Sometimes I wish my children weren't so brave. 

Miss Hollywood was working on her look. It's a gift to look that cute in a life jacket.

One word: detangler!

Briana and her two cuties, Rye and Aliya. Oh, how I wish we lived closer!

The three amigo's. 

Until next time...