After the week of running quite a bit for Paige's illness and the birth excitement and getting ready for an all day trauma/grief training we had yesterday and the teams we had arrive today - we hit the ground this fine Monday morning running on half a tank. (Troy's tank was half full. Mine was half empty.) When I hung around drinking my coffee Phoebe said, "I glad you here today Mama. You not leaving me?" (Doh! the punch in the gut for a mom) She was bummed to hear that I wasn't staying home all day with her. In the precarious game of balancing family and other responsibilities -- apparently family is temporarily down a few points.
Paige is done with her IV meds now. We think she has finally kicked the $&* of MRSA. The photo shows her getting her last IV dose of meds while simultaneously having glittery hair stands put in by Sarah O and Harold's daughter Kristi. She is still on a lot of oral meds for another week but her eye finally looks great. We're very thankful to have been able to remain in Haiti and receive treatment. I found out what one of the meds she is on would cost if we were paying for it. Wow! We've experienced provision. Grateful.
Harold (Tex) finishes his three months in Haiti later this week. He has been a huge help to us and we'll miss his encouraging words and mad driving skillz. Our kids all call him "Uncle Tex" and they will also sorely miss his kindness and love.
The training we attended and hosted yesterday was very informative. In the next week or two we will begin a trauma/grief support group with the Harbor House teen moms. We're trained as facilitators and were given many tools. Truthfully we're excited and scared about taking this step with the girls. Their lives have been trauma filled (and that was before the catastrophic earthquake) and we know they have grief we cannot comprehend. It is a bit intimidating to say the least.
At the end of the full day of training most of us who had attended were slap-happy and being completely ridiculous by practicing our reflective listening on facebook with one another.
{If you wanted to reflectively listen you would say to that statement: "Your training allowed you to learn a lot. You were super silly and tired at the end of the day so you acted like fools on the internet."}
On March 29th (last Tuesday) I asked you to pray for a few "normal" births ... Meaning, no c-sections and no racing to hospitals. Since that prayer request Venette delivered a healthy baby girl and the only hitch was her blood pressure which Cookie (left in photo below) quickly addressed. Franchette had a perfect birth experience and welcomed her son Friday night. Today right around 3:30 Dieutha welcomed her daughter into the world. Count them. Please. Three deliveries in a row without major drama. We're grateful for your prayers. It appears we've turned the corner and the streak of bizarre and scary has ended.
Mesi Jezi.
Beth and Jonna have been gone getting trained in all things 'midwifish' in Oregon. While they were away the "two Sarahs" came in to help. We love these two good friends of Heartline and are grateful for the encouragement and joy they brought us.
Today shortly after Dieutha gave birth the country erupted into celebration when it was announced that Michel Martelly will be the new president of Haiti. There were people dancing in the streets excited and hopeful. I am glad they are happy. That is a job I wouldn't want. Here's hoping he is equal to such a gargantuan task.
This week is full with many visitors/teams and plans. We have a group of six from the Austin Stone Church, a group of 9 from Missouri, and a group of 3 here to work specifically on raising funds for Heartline's new Maternity Center on the new land. Troy is giddy because Esther Havens, a name most photographers would recognize, is here to shoot the photos. He is all geeked out talking cameras and lenses and other such boring gibberish. It all sounds like Charlie Brown's mom to me.
We may not be back to the blog for a few days. When we do have the time we're anxious to introduce you to Fedline, the newest teen mom at Harbor House and her sweet little preemie baby girl. We're also hopeful that Enisse and Sophia might come to Early Childhood Development class tomorrow so we can try to check up on them as well.
Peace and gratitude from Port au Prince.
Harold (Tex) finishes his three months in Haiti later this week. He has been a huge help to us and we'll miss his encouraging words and mad driving skillz. Our kids all call him "Uncle Tex" and they will also sorely miss his kindness and love.
The training we attended and hosted yesterday was very informative. In the next week or two we will begin a trauma/grief support group with the Harbor House teen moms. We're trained as facilitators and were given many tools. Truthfully we're excited and scared about taking this step with the girls. Their lives have been trauma filled (and that was before the catastrophic earthquake) and we know they have grief we cannot comprehend. It is a bit intimidating to say the least.
At the end of the full day of training most of us who had attended were slap-happy and being completely ridiculous by practicing our reflective listening on facebook with one another.
{If you wanted to reflectively listen you would say to that statement: "Your training allowed you to learn a lot. You were super silly and tired at the end of the day so you acted like fools on the internet."}
On March 29th (last Tuesday) I asked you to pray for a few "normal" births ... Meaning, no c-sections and no racing to hospitals. Since that prayer request Venette delivered a healthy baby girl and the only hitch was her blood pressure which Cookie (left in photo below) quickly addressed. Franchette had a perfect birth experience and welcomed her son Friday night. Today right around 3:30 Dieutha welcomed her daughter into the world. Count them. Please. Three deliveries in a row without major drama. We're grateful for your prayers. It appears we've turned the corner and the streak of bizarre and scary has ended.
Mesi Jezi.
 |
| getting very close to delivery |
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| taken 20 minutes after top photo |
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| best blurry photo ever |
Today shortly after Dieutha gave birth the country erupted into celebration when it was announced that Michel Martelly will be the new president of Haiti. There were people dancing in the streets excited and hopeful. I am glad they are happy. That is a job I wouldn't want. Here's hoping he is equal to such a gargantuan task.
This week is full with many visitors/teams and plans. We have a group of six from the Austin Stone Church, a group of 9 from Missouri, and a group of 3 here to work specifically on raising funds for Heartline's new Maternity Center on the new land. Troy is giddy because Esther Havens, a name most photographers would recognize, is here to shoot the photos. He is all geeked out talking cameras and lenses and other such boring gibberish. It all sounds like Charlie Brown's mom to me.
We may not be back to the blog for a few days. When we do have the time we're anxious to introduce you to Fedline, the newest teen mom at Harbor House and her sweet little preemie baby girl. We're also hopeful that Enisse and Sophia might come to Early Childhood Development class tomorrow so we can try to check up on them as well.
Peace and gratitude from Port au Prince.
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| Aaron H. Troy John Harold/Tex |
