~ blogiversary six ~

It was six years ago this week I figured out what the heck a blog was and later published post number one  - thanks to a friend's prompting.  Having never kept a journal it was a little bit weird to go from keeping no record of anything to keeping a record on the stinkin' internet. At that time we were packing our belongings and moving forward into the great unknown.

Predictably, having a blog wasn't the cool thing by the time we got on board and started ours.  We missed it by about a year. We're usually late to the party. This was no different.  To further prove this point; Troy opened his Twitter account under pressure and was always making fun of it and the friend that talked him into it - but then there was an earthquake and he actually needed it. This too has been a theme of ours -- mocking right up until we join.

There are not many things more awkward than a blogger blogging about blogging or a tweeter tweeting about tweeting.  There is just something so very inherently wrong with that.  Gag.

Unfortunately it I cannot be stopped.
So, here we gag go.

When we started this blog we never could have believed that eventually people other than our parents and best friends would read it. Never. (as in never-ever) That still blows our minds.

November 2005 version of us

We've changed a lot these last six years. (Outside of the most obvious change - adding the last two girls to the family.) We don't feel like we know those 2005 people all that well. We think it is mostly change for the better, but we'd be the first to admit there have been some chinks in the armor and that we didn't so graciously weather every storm. There are definitely some dark-moment statements I'd like to take back.  We always wanted this to be real; for that reason the angry and/or hurt posts remain in the archives.

Because of this silly blog thing that was started to document "our year in Haiti", we have met some beautiful people, some of our most treasured friends.  Dr. Jen, Marcia & Greg, Joanna T,  Aaron & Jamie and Tex, and the others that I'm currently offending by not listing. Who knew that occasionally deep and lasting friendships are born from an email that starts "I stumbled across your blog and ... "

The sweet encouragement we've received from friends and strangers alike has been its own grace-filled gift.  Knowing how many lonely and searching people there are out there, I've often wished each one of them could have some of your gentle voices speaking truth and life into their pain.  After the earthquake I was literally speechless multiple times as I read note after note of prayers and love and understanding. There was a 48 hour window wherein that communication convinced me we weren't forsaken or alone.

I've had a sense lately that outside of telling the individual stories of the beautiful souls that live here, I've become a broken record.  I shouldn't need to write too often because I have already said everything that repeatedly swirls in my head at least 100 times before. Most of what I wrestle with today is stuff I wrestled with in the first year here.  Most of what I cannot reconcile now I could not reconcile then. The theological, emotional, spiritual, and physical struggle of the the last six years could best be summed up in a few sentences:

There is injustice in this world.
There should be something we can do about injustice.
Sometimes little things can be done.
Many times not nearly enough can be done to truly change anything.
It is frustrating. No. I mean like REALLY frustrating.
It makes a person feel crazy at times.
We need hope. (Jesus)
Hope is all we have.
The only thing we can do is act in obedience and try.
The results of the trying any of us do - aren't our business.
Hope is coming for us.
We believe.
Hope.is.coming.

See how simple that was? And all in less than a hundred words.

Instead you'll find scores of posts battling those realities and trying to undo them, solve them, explain them, fix them, force them, destroy them, lament them, and accept them.

Our original goal of documenting our life here and sharing it with our family has been reached. We've documented it. And then some.

The most thrilling thing to come of this blog was when we learned that it is possible to engage readers in the stories and lives of the Haitian people, regardless of how distant and different their lives are.  The first time we asked you to support a project financially we found out quickly that the readers of this blog are invested and not simply here to read, but to act. To pray. To rally. To serve. To give.

I'm thinking that it's pretty tacky to wish ourselves a Happy Blogiversary ... That's not what I am here to do.

It is appropriate on this week set aside for giving thanks that we take an opportunity to thank those of you who have been reading for many years, that we thank those of you that started praying and caring and following along when you heard about the earthquake, that we thank all of you that have encouraged and prayed and given of your resources to help the tenacious people of this little island.

We're thankful for the way God has used you.
Happy Thanksgiving!
We have much to be grateful for today and everyday.

the livesays

Thou hast given so much to me,
Give one thing more, - a grateful heart;
Not thankful when it pleaseth me,
As if Thy blessings had spare days,
But such a heart whose pulse may be Thy praise.
~George Herbert