HEADED OUT WITH OUR LUGGAGE |
ON OUR FLIGHT TO HAITI, GIDDY WITH ANTICIPATION |
OUR FIRST GLIMPSE OF HAITIAN SOIL |
WE ARE HERE AT LAST! (AT THE AIRPORT) |
SO CURIOUS HOW SIGHTS, SO LONG UNSEEN, BECOME FAMILIAR AGAIN IN AN INSTANT |
THE MOST WONDERFUL GIFT WAITING TO GREET US AT HOME: OUR DEAREST ELIETTE! |
AND A DELICIOUS HAITIAN MEAL!! |
EAGER TO EMBRACE OUR HOME AGAIN THROUGH TASTE |
FAMILIAR SIGHTS OF HOME, OUR BEAUTIFUL TREE, COMPLIMENTS OF OUR MOTHER |
OUR FIRST VISITOR, WAWA! |
THE S.T.E.P. CHRISTMAS PARTY (THE SEMINARY WHERE MY PARENTS BOTH TEACH) |
BEING HONORED FOR 31 YEARS OF SERVICE AND GRACED WITH PRAYER |
A LAST DAY TOGETHER WITH JEHU'S STREET KIDS |
FINAL GOODBYES WITH THE BOYS, WHO DESPITE BEING GROWN, WILL NEVER FORGET THE LOVE MY MOTHER SHOWED THEM. THEIR SORROW AT PARTING HUNG HEAVY IN THE AIR AROUND US. |
CHRISTMAS EVE DINNER WITH FRIENDS |
OUR CHRISTMAS EVE SELFIE! |
DECORATING COOKIES, AND WE MADE SURE TO MAKE SOME UNUSUAL ONES |
I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE GET MANGOS, TANGERINES AND AVOCADOS IN THEIR STOCKINGS, BUT WE WERE THRILLED! |
WE MANAGED TO MAKE TIME FOR A PUZZLE OR TWO |
GAME NIGHTS! HOW I'VE MISSED THESE TIMES |
OUR WONDERFUL PARENTS |
HOW THINGS CHANGE; NOW THEY HAVE STOPLIGHTS!!?? |
OUR SCHOOL (IT WASN'T PURPLE IN OUR TIME) |
MY FIRST GRADE CLASSROOM |
MRS. HERSEY, MY FRENCH TEACHER |
MR. HERSEY, OUR AMAZING LITERATURE TEACHER WHO NOW DIRECTS THE SCHOOL |
MRS. FARQUHARSON, SHE TAUGHT BOTH OF US, AND MADE THE BEST CINNAMON ROLLS |
HAITI GONE GREEN; YAY FOR RECYCLING |
OH THE MOUNTAINS! THESE ARE HAITIAN MOUNTAINS! I WOULD KNOW THEM ANYWHERE. |
RUNNING INTO "UNCLE" BRUCE, WHO ALWAYS REMINDS ME HOW HE GOT "KICKED OUT" OF OUR HOUSE WHEN I WAS BORN |
HOUSES ON THE MOUNTAINSIDE |
AT THE BEACH |
TROPICAL COLOR |
BOUGANVILLIA |
THE CLEAR WATER IS SO BEAUTIFUL |
DRVING HOME FROM THE BEACH |
A PASSING HOUSE |
FAMILIAR ROADSIDE SCENE |
SEEING CHILDHOOD FRIENDS ALL GROWN UP AND WITH THEIR OWN CHILDREN |
CONCRETE MEMORIES: M.J.M. 1993 (MY INITIALS INSCRIBED WHEN THE CEMENT WAS STILL WET) |
INSCRIBING OUR NAMES IN THE CACTUS, JUST LIKE WHEN WE WERE KIDS |
LOOKING OUT OVER PORT-AU-PRINCE FROM OUR CAMPUS |
THE BIBLE SCHOOL, A LANDMARK OF MY CHILDHOOD, WHICH EXISTS ONLY ON PAPER AS THE REAL THING WAS DESTROYED IN THE EARTHQUAKE |
AND THE PACKING RECOMMENCES |
POURING MY HEART INTO WORDS BY CANDLELIGHT |
NEW YEAR'S MEAL, TRADITIONAL PUMPKIN SOUP |
THE DEAREST OF FRIENDS, JOHNY AND ROSADITE |
ELIETTE'S BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN |
AMANDINE, ME AND MY NAMESAKE, MICHELLE |
OUR DEAR CELIA |
ONE OF THE MOST PATIENT MEN I HAVE EVER KNOW, MY TEACHER AND FRIEND |
ONE OF OUR ADOPTED AUNTS |
LIFELONG NEIGHBORS AND FRIENDS |
WE SMILE FOR THE CAMERA, BUT OUR HEARTS ARE BREAKING |
CAN THIS REALLY BE GOODBYE? |
LEAVING HOME FOR THE LAST TIME |
ONE LAST GLIMPSE |
AND THERE WE ARE. FLYING AWAY. HOMELESS IN THE CLOUDS. |