i have finally made it out into the world of mississippi! i was starting to go stir crazy a bit! the place where i was assigned is just as the name describes: the house is PINK, there are about 7 pit bulls, 2 pit puppies, and two taco dogs...one is so small it's like a little bigger then a mouse! i LOVE it! i love all the puppies...AND the family has a BABY and two little kids! what a perfect place for me to be assigned! i keep smiling to myself thinking, "God had this place in mind for me..." i have been painting, priming, and playing with the little girl. her name is alexis.
yesterday, as we were leaving, we all said good-bye to her. i turned around to get into the van to leave and she yelled, "WAIT!" i turned around and she came running towards me, arms wide open...i leaned down to hug her and picked her right up. she hung there for a bit and i just sqeezed her! oh how precious! i don't thin i will forget that as long as i live.
i hope we go back there after lunch. i am getting to know the family a little bit, and the kids will be home from school then. i just can't help but love them all!
to answer a commonly asked question: YES! all the boys are treating me exceptionally well! i couldn't be down here without them...and it would not be the same without them. they are all being quite sweet, observant, protective, helpful, and loving! there is, of course, the typical "gaming" going on...but most of the time i end up cracking up laughing! there is definately a lot of laughter that takes place!
we went into new orleans last night i just LOVED LOVED it! i keep thinking about it today...the sights, the sounds, the smells...it's just a different world and i thought it was so so cool! i particularly enjoyed the beads, feather boa's, and masks...i think chuck is going to post some pictures of that...it all ROCKED!!
alright...don't wanna make peggy cranky and be late for lunch!!
later y'all!!
p.s. i find myself picking up a southern accent....HAHA!
Rats, Mice, and Cock Roaches...
hey y'all (again!)!
we have to have a "devotional" in a couple minutes, so this has gotta be quick.
there's obviously too much to write and not enough words to say it all. i am deffinately getting into the groove of things here, and i like it better each day. i keep thinking to myself, "this is not a glamorous job..." there is ZERO glamour here. not that i was expecting that, or wanting it, but there is none. for me, i am designated to stay back at "camp"...this means i help prepare all the meals, and clean up after each meal as well. in between meals, i clean all the bathrooms (hairy shower drains and all!), dinning room, hallways, and vaccum both the guys and girls "dorm". after all that is done, there are odd jobs that i am in charge of. one of the main jobs has been for me to clean out this big 'ol RV that has not been lived in since october. there are absolutelyl rats, mice, and some remnents of cock roaches out there...i have cleaned A LOT of poop. i look disgusting all day long- i feel disgusting all day long! BUT...i am happy. some thing that has stuck out to me is "don't have any expectations, because we will disappoint you." i am clinging to that. it's weird, because i don't really feel like i am helping people re-build their homes and lives, but i understand that whole pyramid affect that happends. i have had this amazing "partner in crime"- katherine through it all! that has been wonderful! we laugh A LOT! we are continually amazed at the poop that appears in every project that we do! it's so gross and ironic that now we just howl with laughter any time we come across it!
alright, my buddy "rico" is tellin' me it's time for "devo's"...rico is cool! he's from jersey.
check out chuck's blog- he says he's posted pictures...
love to my homies!!! :)
we have to have a "devotional" in a couple minutes, so this has gotta be quick.
there's obviously too much to write and not enough words to say it all. i am deffinately getting into the groove of things here, and i like it better each day. i keep thinking to myself, "this is not a glamorous job..." there is ZERO glamour here. not that i was expecting that, or wanting it, but there is none. for me, i am designated to stay back at "camp"...this means i help prepare all the meals, and clean up after each meal as well. in between meals, i clean all the bathrooms (hairy shower drains and all!), dinning room, hallways, and vaccum both the guys and girls "dorm". after all that is done, there are odd jobs that i am in charge of. one of the main jobs has been for me to clean out this big 'ol RV that has not been lived in since october. there are absolutelyl rats, mice, and some remnents of cock roaches out there...i have cleaned A LOT of poop. i look disgusting all day long- i feel disgusting all day long! BUT...i am happy. some thing that has stuck out to me is "don't have any expectations, because we will disappoint you." i am clinging to that. it's weird, because i don't really feel like i am helping people re-build their homes and lives, but i understand that whole pyramid affect that happends. i have had this amazing "partner in crime"- katherine through it all! that has been wonderful! we laugh A LOT! we are continually amazed at the poop that appears in every project that we do! it's so gross and ironic that now we just howl with laughter any time we come across it!
alright, my buddy "rico" is tellin' me it's time for "devo's"...rico is cool! he's from jersey.
check out chuck's blog- he says he's posted pictures...
love to my homies!!! :)
I Love M-I-S-S-I-S-S-I-P-P-I
HEY Y'ALL!! (did i mention i love it here?!)
i just wrote my family an email...and thought i'd post it. it gives a bit of an update about things so far...it's a bit personal, but i wanted to share about things...and i'm getting tired and don't feel like writing some thing new! :) by the way....they have sweet tea galore here...yet another reason why it rocks here!
hello father, mother, brother, sista, and johnny cakes!! :) just wanted to let ya know that we made is safely to MS!! it's an AMAZING mid to high 60's here, humid and muggy and i could NOT be happier!! oh my word. we went to the beach, took off our shoes, and walked straight into the ocean...BLISS.
i am soooooooooooooooooooo happy to be here, i can't even tell you. we made it to our "dorm" tonight. the building is used for: church, dorms (upstairs), kitchen (super nice, and i see LOTS of coffee and syrups so that makes me so happy!! i also see eggo syrup so that makes me happy as well!), and there's the "thrift store" out back. this building is just super nice!! we found out there's another small group coming, too. as of yet...i am still going to be the ONLY girl! haha! i feel a bit weird, but hopefully i can be a benefit in some way that only a women could be! i have this huge room full of bunk beds all to myself....the up-side is i get my own shower!! :) i found this little door at the back of the huge room and it's got a single bed in it, a shelf, and the roof is slanted so i hit my head if i'm not careful...it decided to "move in" there, as you know how i am! plus, the door to the little closet/room locks, so i'll feel safe.
as for the state of mississippi...the only way i can describe it right now is eerie. i can not imagine how it was a couple years ago!! it's just really eerie!! it makes me so sad that it almost takes my breath away- just the shock of it all. they are just STARVING for volunteers!! how BLESSED beyond BLESSED i am that God chose to bring ME here! why am i so honored??
a couple of the volunteers are here from vineland, nj. i guess the guy that used to lead this thing was from there and he donated a bunch of trucks and stuff....typical NJ landscapers!! cracks me up. i am curious to find out the original NJ pastor's name...
i have been laughing an awful lot, and having so much fun!! so far, so good...i am nervous about the work though...seems like a lot of labor, and hours....i've never done any thing like this before. 2 of us have to be down in the kitchen at 6am tomorrow morning to help with breakfast, and then orientation is at 7:30am. jamie and i are gonna get up...it's later then i usually get to sleep i guess! it's just me and all guys...so i could care less about showering and stuff. they have signs on the door that say "lights out at 10pm, lights ON at 7am"...ISH. i've never heard of lights ON.
haha! oh! i looked up the nearest sbux before i left....33 miles away. we found it tonight and i was able to load up with a double tall soy, no whip, mocha!! :) YUMMMMM!!
my heart already aches for the people here...we met one native MS guy...the accent is nothing like i've ever heard! almost sounds like a speech impediment. i couldn't help but love him! his mom died, just last night! so sad.
i do have GREAT cell phone reception in my room! don't be afraid to call- i won't be "too spiritual to talk" like i was in utah!! HAHAHA!!
i want you to know that you are all heavy on my heart as well...with grammy and grampy...it's constantly on my mind, and i am praying...it's deffinately some thing that is at the forefront of my heart and mind. i am sordof grieving...and just thinking so much about grampy. it's hard not to cry a lot! as i'm sure you're all experiencing!
i should go...i love you all! i'm so thankful to be here! THANK YOU ALL for your huge help in getting me down here. i am blessed beyond blessed!!! we are at the chrisitan life center in waveland, ms. if you do a google search, i think you can find their site.
love, love, LOVE to you each and every one.... ~daughter, sista, shish :)
Oh Waveland!
i am stealing this from research that jamie did...but it's just struck a cord in my heart...making me ache tonight. i am extremely thankful that i get to go help in just a few days. makes any thing else i could possibly blog about seem quite trite. these pictures alone just make me sick...
The city of Waveland, Mississippi was almost totally destroyed by HurricaneKatrina on August 29, 2005, and is now in the slow process of recovering and rebuilding. In a news report, state officials said Waveland took a harder hit from the wind and water than any other town along the Gulf Coast, and that the town was obliterated. Thirty-six years earlier, in 1969, Wavelandhad been severely damaged by Hurricane Camille. Official reports stated that approximately 50 people died when Waveland washit directly by the eyewall of Katrina and the 32-foot storm surge. Hurricane Katrina came ashore during the high tide of 8:01AM, +2.2 feetmore. Hurricane Katrina damaged over 40 Mississippi libraries, gutting theWaveland Public Library, as a total loss, requiring a complete rebuild.
did i mention how blessed i am to be able to go and help? i am so, so thankful...
pray, pray, PRAY!
