Going to Haiti!!!!

It's finally arrived!!!  

We leave this week for our trip to Haiti and Dominican to help build a school in Haiti and a home for a deserving family in the Dominican and we were just introduced to the family!!!!

This family of four consists of husband and wife, Jose (33) and Juanemilia (21), and their two children, Luis (3) and Wisnalyn (6 months). Jose has been living in the community for 25 years, and his wife recently relocated there 2 years ago. Jose works at a local car wash, and Juanemilia, who was only able to complete elementary school, stays home to care for the two young children. They are excited to be receiving a new home, as the one they are living in currently is unsafe, with mold problems, and rain that comes through the walls and roof.

Check out the baby girl and little boy!!!!  Better go empty my camera memory card cuz I've got a feeling it will be FULL of these two by the end!!!

Then we get to go help build this school in Haiti… 

it's up on a mountain… 

I should have worked out more to prepare!!!

I have to say this whole trip has somewhat snuck up on me!!!  Even though I've done a fairly good job of planning ahead and started gathering things for the trip months ago, I'm still finding myself suddenly frantically packing and creating last minute shopping and "to-do" lists!!  

I blame it on this past long weekend… it took away my Monday and I was counting on that day!!  But it was sooo worth it!!!  I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE watching my kids play soccer and I LOVE LOVE LOVE taking photos of the action (outdoors especially)…

Justin is in his last year of "regular" soccer and will need to play on a men's team next year if he wishes to continue (ACK!!!  My baby boy is growing up!!!!) so I'm desperate to not only watch every one of his final games, but to capture the memories as well in photos… 

it's a happy sad sort of thing… 

I envision myself scrapbooking after my kids have left home and laughing and crying as I relive it all.  But I'm going to stop now, because if I continue with this line of thought, I will end up in tears as I type!

Back to Haiti… I cannot wait.

I cannot wait to experience again the deep inner joy of making a difference in our world.

I cannot wait to experience it with so many close family and friends.

I cannot wait to capture images that will forever preserve it all.

And I cannot wait to come back and share with you all I learn and see and do.