Grateful

Driving to O Kay with Heed and Judelin. 3:45 we wake up and wait for Judelin to come. I will be driving my bike and the luggage, and he will have Aunt Heed. Finally he arrives at 4:30 and we are on our way. 

We are so cold driving. Its so cold. Being up in the mountains before the sun comes up driving way too fast. I’m relieved when the bad roads come because it means we will be able to slow down and the wind won’t be as bad. I love this adventure. The potholes. The dust in my eyes. The cold air. The little towns. I wish there was a way I could describe every beautiful town we drive through. The deep red dirt. Coral and turquoise homes. Heed's huge smile on the back of Judelin's bike. She is so easy and always up for anything. Adventure. Loving people. Sitting. Talking. Playing. Laughing. She soaks up every piece of life. Below are pictures of Heed doing medical stuff in the jungle.

As we crest the top of a mountain the sun is just beginning to rise and fog rolls over a river in the valley. The green leaves and the fresh air filling my lungs. 

What a perfect trip. It is a three hour trip in all and we are about half way. I am so grateful for Papa's sweatshirt. It's a big purple Vikings sweatshirt. The only reason I know what that is is because of a friend back home who loves the Vikings. It's a football team. Right? Heed is bouncing on the back of that bike. 

What a rough ride. Cafe sounds so good right about now. Hot coffee from Mama, but on this trip we have no such luck. 

When we finally arrive in O Kay we are packed onto a little bus to go the rest of the way to Port. A 12 passenger van quickly becomes a 20 passenger van and I am grateful for it because when you are packed so tight together, your bodies can’t move and the roads don’t seem as curvy and insane. 

Five hours are passing so slowly but we make it. Jud, Heed and I get cleaned up and go to dinner and Papa and Thamar meet us. We laugh so hard over dinner. Judelin is always on his phone so I start mocking him and take everyone's phones and coke bottles and pretend like I have a million conversations going at once. We might actually be really funny, or we could just be slap happy. Not sure. I am really happy to see Thamar. I’ve missed her tons and I am glad she was able to come. Lori and Linda (family living in Jacmel) come to visit us. We laugh until we cry. We discuss politics and Haiti. We talk about family and memories. 

I love them so much and my heart is full. Heed leaves in the morning. I am so grateful for the family I have. I am so grateful for the time I get to spend with them. Lori and Heed and Beck. Every moment. Grateful. So Grateful.