Folks from Home

We had about 14 hours of being without grandparents (and about 9 of those waking hours) before the next set of grandparents showed up!  Orrin got to ride down the mountain with Kurt and Joan as they went down to pick up the team from Goodfield (their home church) and my parents!  It may have confused Cassia a bit when we said we were going to the guest house to see grandpa and grandma - she knew they were her g&g but they had somehow mysteriously changed overnight!

It didn't take long to get g&g to start playing with the kids, and of course they may have brought a half of a suitcase for them too ;)

Crashing blocks is so fun

But only when you do it, not your little sister....

Shirts that changed colors and patterns when exposed to the sun - looks like Orrin was duly impressed ;)

The team went on a village visit one afternoon and we tagged along.

Cassia wanted to walk all by herself

And her brother wanted to be carried!

We saw some cool pigeons, and we asked if they were for food, or what.  They said they just like to watch them.  And sometimes if someone is anemic, they may eat one to help.

Dried corn hung in the tree - to feed birds, livestock or people.

We also stopped by Jimmy's house (or what remains after the hurricane) and got a little taste of honey.

The Goodfield team worked on building an overhang for where we can park the tractor and some other equipment.

They also worked in the laundry area and spruced it up with new paint - so much cheerier!

(This is what it looked like before)

Orrin has no problem going to school even when fun people are around...must mean he loves it! 

Wednesday morning while Orrin was in school, we took a gator ride down to Gwo Marin to the market.  Cassia loved the gator ride and mostly enjoyed the shopping.

She REALLY wanted to pet a donkey!

She didn't like the shoes I picked out for her....

So we let her pick her own....

Dad had to try out the "Haitian Mountain Dew" or Toro energy drink....he even bought some to take home with him!

Different styles of Haitian bread

We came back from a busy morning of shopping, and Madam Ino had a nice meal prepared.  Spoiled, I know.

One afternoon, I got some alone time!  This is my super excited-ness

Orrin showing off how he can ride on two wheels - Mr Determination learned in one week!

More playing with grandparents...

Since they played with the kids so much, I will forgive them for letting the 2 year old play with scissors (bet they didn't let me use scissors til kindergarten)!

David giving airplane rides

And Orrin following suit - on the ground but in full speed!

Ready for Wednesday night church - doesn't matter how nice she dresses up, she's still a little tomboy!

Thursday, the kids, my parents and I headed down to Cayes.  We went to SEED, the Domestic Center, and to get mail.  My parents really enjoyed seeing the agriculture at SEED, and the kids had a lot of fun just running around outside.

Lots of big trees ripped up by the roots during the hurricane.

We got cards from Grandpa and Grandma in the mail and they were with us to open them :)

It was the beginning of the Mardi Gras celebration, and the official celebration was to be held in Cayes this year.  So things were getting really busy.  We didn't go downtown, just went through the main intersection and stopped by the road for our chicken.  The price had gone up for the celebration :) and I wish I had a picture to show how busy and crowded it was...I did find a place to pull over, but it was more like Port au Prince than Cayes (think Chicago vs Bloomington).  Joan had gone to town that day too with some from Goodfield, and they had to go downtown.  Below is a picture of the "grandstands" that were being built along the sides of the road, compliments of Laura :)

Friday, we went up to the hospital (after prep work on Thursday morning) and spent the morning giving away shirts to the staff when they came in to get their pay.  

Keeping her busy...

Orrin came home from school all glittery - they had a party for Kanaval (Mardi Gras) that morning, and then were off school the next week Mon-Wed.  A perfect week to have grandparents around!!

Saturday, we "had" to take dad and mom to the island.  It was a big sacrifice - or not.

Socializing while waiting for the boat. 

Heading right out to play!

Real men wear pink.

My new favorite picture.

And my other new favorite picture.  O the wonders of her world!

Lunch on the island - Orrin ate rice and beans, Cassia dumped hers on the towel and went off to play.  Dad ate chicken because earlier in the week he found out he was allergic to shellfish (yes, after a supper at our house!).

Eating a cookie in the water - seriously, what could be better :)

Even after all that time, they still want to be in the water as long as possible.  I think that boat ride is 5 minutes of torture for her.  So close to the water but you just can't get in...

 A view of the fort that is on the mainland.

Trying to get a decent Sunday morning picture :-P

Orrin playing on the tablet and grandma fast asleep

Putting together legos

Pictures by the big tree out back of the hospital

The second week they were here, we had a team from Bluffton here to work on inventory.  It was a special group.  David and I even got to leave the kids with the grandparents one night and go on a walk.  We stopped by the guest house and ended up spending the evening there, enjoying the visiting without the kiddos.  Mom's friend Lori was on the team, and so they got to spend a little time together.

Rich and Amber lived in Haiti and worked at the Hospital.  They moved home about 2 months before we moved down.  It was great to be able to meet them and spend some time together.  They came for lunch one day.  Madam Ino had cleaned for them, so it was special for her to be able to spend some time with them.

Mom woke up one night with a pain in her shoulder.  Madam Ino crushed up some leaves and rubbed it on her shoulder and arm, Then she took more leaves, some basil, a green onion root, garlic skin and a little salt and brewed some tea for her to drink - and it wasn't half bad!

She recovered enough to help me work on the landscaping!

Mom has been planning to give blood in Haiti for months, but her iron was too low to give :(  She is an avid blood donor, and it was a disappointment for her.

 The last afternoon, we went on a gator ride just up the mountain and bought them some fresh bonbon siwo (gingerbread-ish) for them to take home a little.  We continued on a little ways and everyone enjoyed the sunshine and the scenery.

We even got to see a team of oxen plowing a field!

So now we're back to just us.  It's been an entire month of being with grandparents!!  It's also been an entire month since Orrin has slept in his own room.... The other night when we came in to go to bed, we must have woken him up, and he covered his face as if to say that he didn't appreciate our talking and lights on.  We hope he will adjust back, and that we all will adjust back quickly without the extra help around!

Thanks dad and mom for the visit!  I think we had a good mix of sight-seeing, projects, playing with kids, and relaxing!  Hope you do too :)