Lauri’s Blog

We’re in Florida now and doing great. We love it here. My boys have turned into chatter boxes since we’ve landed, talking all the time!

Our flight from Haiti, staying in Miami, renting a car and all went very well. Then we drove to St Petersburg and we have a free car from D&D Homes. We went to get free clothes yesterday and today we went back the their ‘garage sale’ and loaded up some more. I don’t know when my kids grew so much. We were looking at clothes and I said Sam was size 12 but I was so wrong - my little boy is now a size 14! He had literally worn holes through all his shoes so we bought sandles for him in size 9 MENS! Joey wears size 4 clothes and size 9 shoe. How did that happen?

We’re using the computers at the library now and the kids are watching a free movie. Their favorite thing has been to go swimming. We’re going to see if we can make a record and go in the pool every day that we’re here.

We have a long list of favorites but here’s a few: McDonalds double cheeseburgers for $1.00, air-conditioning in the car, A/C in the apt, hot showers, cold fridge, smooth roads, and running water in the kitchen. Marly is just staring at me cuz I am enjoying cooking, cleaning, doing dishes etc. It’s so nice to take the washrag and wipe down the counters. Something so simple is almost impossible at home in Haiti.

Yesterday I took the kids to see a Disney movie, Wall-e. They both sat and just stared at the huge screen in amazement. I do have to say one good thing (is it the only good thing I have to say?) about living overseas, is that my boys are exposed to so little commercialism, that they are easily impressed when we do something a little different.  

So far frozen pizza for $1.25 wins our prize for the best cheap food. We’re going to try frozen dinners for 77c next and I’ll let you know how we like those. Life in the US seems so inviting and life in Haiti seems so far away.

We’ll try to post when we can. Love, Lauri and men

Today I had another Story Hour time at school. We had 9 kids show up today. Ever since I’ve worked at QCS, I’ve attempted to keep the library open, offer programs and organized events. But, I’ve always had zero success. This summer, it’s been the opposite. I’ve had about 8 pre-schoolers come twice a week and they love it. On Friday we read Goldilocks and The Three Bears and we acted it out. We made bear masks and had snack. Today my theme was different emotions/feelings. Working with 2-3 year olds takes patience but I only have them for one hour, so it’s manageable. 

Two weeks from today we go to the States and I have so much I want to get done in the library before we leave.

I have been using the term ‘burned out’ a lot lately to describe how I feel so I decided to look it up in the dictionary (librarians are never on vacation).

Burn-out: exhaustion of one’s physical or emotional strength.

That’s me. I feel tired beyond tired. I feel pushed and pulled to my limits. I want a break. I’d like someone to take care of me for awhile. I’d like to take a shower without having to unlock the back door, go out into the dark nite, drop the bucket down into the cistern, pull up the water and carry it in the house. Heat a pot of water of the gas stove (if we have gas), carry it upstairs and then use a cup to pour water over me in the shower. I want to turn a facet and find water. Too much to ask?

Today Marly and I worked at Miss Sherry’s school again. This man is the father of one of her students and he also helped her burn trash. Anyway, if you think you were having a bad day, imagine having SIXTEEN teeth pulled in one shot!! Marly said most of the teeth were broken, impacted, chipped, rotten, filled with decay and must have hurt him terribly. So in one way, it would be rough to go through that but on the other hand, tomorrow he won’t wake up with the same pain that those teeth must have caused him. I usually do pretty well assisting Marly, but my stomach was a bit quesey on this one. yykes.

We live in Haiti. A beautiful Caribbean nation surrounded by gorgeous teal colored ocean. The resorts boast lovely white sand and good food. Our home is probably only 30 minutes from the water, the warf. But that water, near the city and surrounding areas is yucky, gross, dirty and unenjoyable. But 90 minutes away, li these beaches to brag about. The only problem is that we never go see them! In the last 3 years, we had been to the beach twice! Not a good record for being smack in the middle of paradise. But yesterday, to celebrate Marly’s sister’s birthday, we all went to the beach. And we had such a good time. It was the first time that Joey remembers playing in sand so the boys and I made this sandcastle. Daddy walked up just in time to make it look like he was part of the action too!

We have a blast when we do our dental seminars. This last Saturday, we went to a new place we hadn’t visited before. Roberta is a black American who runs a lovely children’s home. Most of the kids she has taken in are now teen-agers but they are very well behaved and polite. It was refreshing to see.

..and don’t forget to brush BEHIND your top teeth too!

Hey, thanks for those of you who have asked about my dad, Larry and his surgery. He had his knee surgery on Tuesday and they thought he’d be released to come home yesterday but perhaps due to his age, they have kept him until today still. I haven’t heard forsure, but the plan was that he’d go home today. He came through surgery well and has been doing physical therapy. He’ll use a walker at home. The other nite, there were severe storm and tornado warnings in Bismarck, North Dakota so they rolled all the hospital beds out into the hallways. My dad had to sit there for two hours. Medicare will pay for a nurse to come to the home a bit so that will help tremendously as I’m sure he and my mom won’t be able to figure out how to do baths etc. I still wish I was there now to help them more.

This cake photo has nothing to do with my dad…I’m just showing off! Lauri

This is Sammy and his teacher Trish on their last day of 4th grade in June. I’m so excited that I now know how to add photos on my blog. watch out world!

I’ve been having a hard time lately and am feeling tired of living in Haiti. It will be 15 years this fall, since I first came to Haiti and at times like this, it feels like I’ve been here forever.
One reason I’m extra homesick is that I’m missing my parents a lot. As they get older, it’s harder to be away from them. Recently my parents have had more health issues. Today my dad is having total knee replacement surgery on one knee. I wish I could be with them to help. Dad will be 85 in July. My mom has macular degeneration and is losing her vision to the point where she can’t read or drive. Those were two activities she enjoyed. My mom always had a book in her hands. Or the phone would ring and a girlfriend would tell her about a program at the museum and she could run off without dad. Now, neither of them will be able to drive for awhile. They keep teasing about dad laying down in back and being able to ’see’ and mom being able to ’steer’ and they’d get around town fine that way!! Look out Bismarck, North Dakota!
I’m also just burned out from life in Haiti. I still love Haiti with all my heart but I feel worn from living here. I’m sick of the way our house runs, or better yet, doesn’t run. I don’t have patience anymore for getting buckets of water from the cistern, running out of cooking gas for the stove, and countless things breaking down.
Our family is going to St Petersburg, Florida from July 14 to Aug 3rd. I’m hoping that I’ll feel better after a break away.