Haiti!

Well, I'm here!!!!!!!

So glad to be here, too! God is good and has provided smooth travels, so far! I'm staying the night in Port-au-Prince and then driving down the Cayes tomorrow morning! Hope my stomach agrees with the roads... Dramamine might be a requirement. ;) Hopefully I'll update more as these two weeks progress (who knows, though, time sometimes escapes me).

Anyway, I'm thankful for all of your prayers and hope all of you are doing well!

KEZ

Plane tickets...check

So after a few complications that delayed the official purchase of my plane tickets, I now have my tickets! I fly out of Miami on May 15 and I return on May 27! I will be there for a total of 13 days! I'm downright stoked!

I'm so thankful my boss was able to transfer my shifts around to my co-workers to allow me to go for so long! Definitely was God's doing! Scheduling never seems to work out quite this nicely.

I just emailed the two women I'll be flying with. I've never met them before so I hope we get along and can work our way through the Port-au-Prince airport without any major problems! I have to admit that I'm the most nervous about connecting with the MTI staff member who comes to pick us up from the airport.

That and getting sick. I can handle most illnesses without a problem but I really super duper ABHOR vomiting! I haven't done it since I was in 5th grade! And I know that my body won't be used to the heat or the food so things could get interesting.

Pray for these things? I know God is in control. God is good. God can handle vomit (though I pray against it!).

Wow - it has been a while!

Hello blog world!

I'm taking a break from studying and paper-writing (yay crunch time leading up to graduation!) to write a post. First, I need to tell you why I quit blogging temporarily. I was overwhelmed with how self-centered my blog was becoming. I'm a Christian and my life - EVERYTHING in my life - needs to point to Christ. And yet, I was writing about me, me, and more me. Who does that? I had to quit...take a break, really.

So why break the silence now? Well because right now God is doing something HUGE in my life that I can't help but share!

Ready? *drumroll*

I'm going back to Haiti!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

God is good and he is leading me to go spend two weeks in Haiti spending time with and learning more about Medical Teams International and their Advantage Haiti program in Les Cayes, Haiti. I will be "interviewing" for a possible 10-month commitment with them.

Yes, I just typed that! I could be moving to Haiti! I'm beyond excited! And just a bit nervous.

Will you, blog readers, pray for me? Pray for MTI? Pray for Haiti? This is so important to me!

Will you, blog readers, support me - financially and otherwise? I have a unique opportunity for you to do so! Everyone likes t-shirts, right?

As most missions organizations require, I am raising support. I figured I'd do a little something extra and make/sell t-shirts! The front says "Don't Hate...Love Haiti" with an outline of Haiti. The back says "Ale fe disip pou mwen nan tout nasyon, btaize yo nan non Papa a, Pitit la ak Sentespri a. ~Matye 28:19" Which is the verse Matthew 28:19 "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." in Creole.

I am selling them for $15 (plus $5 for shipping if you don't live in the Gainesville area). They will cost me $10 (as long as 25 or more get ordered!)to order so $5 will be going towards my trip.

Please let me know if you'd like a shirt (and your size) by May 1, 2011 - you can pay via cash or check (comment with your personal email address and I will email you my address - just a precaution). I will place the order on May 1 and it should take them two weeks to arrive. Just a note - buying a t-shirt will not be tax deductible. If you would rather write a check to MTI (and not get a shirt), I can tell you their mailing address. Just send it with attention to Debbie Bailey and include my name (comment with your personal email and I will email you back with my name - just a precaution) somewhere on the check. This will be tax-deductible. 

Ten on Tuesday (10)

I know I've been absent from the blogging world recently. Excuses are lame but I have been ridiculously busy with school work. Like seriously...I think I've gotten less sleep over the past few weeks than I ever have before in college. But now it's spring break so I'm making a come back...kinda.

Might as well start it of with some ToT! I kinda feel like I'm cheating, though, because the questions this week are the ones I submitted. It feels funny answering my own questions. Ha! Oh well...

Go to Chelsea's blog to join in!

1. How did your parents decide on your name?
It's a modification of my mom's old roommate's name. She really liked it but didn't want to name me directly after her so she changed it up a bit. My middle name is just one of my mom's favorite names - I love it too!

2. Do your initials (First, Middle, Last) spell out anything fun/funny?
They don't spell anything fantastic, though it could be pronounced as a word. No, "KEZ" is not my initials. 

3. Did you take your middle name from childhood or did you take your maiden name as your middle name? (If unmarried, what do you plan to do?)
This is something I've been thinking about a lot recently. No, I'm NO WHERE near getting married...but I have a bunch of friends getting engaged and married so it has come up a lot. I definitely intend to take my husband's last name, no doubt about it. But I also want to keep my middle name AND my last name. I love love love my middle name and I've grown quite fond of my last name - it's unique and I've gone through a lot with it. My solution? 4 names! No, I won't be one of those silly people who hyphenate - that's just ridiculous. I think I'll keep my current middle name and eventual maiden name as middle names. Why not?

4. Are you or will you name your children thematically (ie. same first letter, all of same origin…)
Probably not a strict theme. I've thought about choosing names from my or my future husband's heritage/origin. But who knows, I like unique names so they may be invented or at least completely random. Stick around for another 20 years and maybe you'll find out! Ha! (I hope it doesn't take that long!!!)

5. Did you decide on baby names as a little girl? Did you stick to them or change your mind?
Oh man. As a kid I really wanted to change my name to Crystal, Gem, or Ruby. Apparently my little-girl self wanted to be a SLEEZE. (Err, no offense to anyone out there named Crystal, Gem, or Ruby). After a while I fell in love with the name Layla. I still like it but am thinking about spelling it Leila...and maybe pronouncing it Lee-la instead of Lay-la. Who knows. Maybe my future husband will hate it or I wont have a daughter to use it on. Only God knows.

6. Does your family have any names that have been passed down through generations?
Yes. Gag me. Norman. I am not a fan. Thankfully little girls don't go well with a name such as Norman so I didn't get stuck with it. Whew. 

7. Do you look at the meaning of the name or just the name itself?
Biblical names are cool. I think meanings are interesting but not defining. Meaning, to me, is secondary to sound and spelling. I don't think a meaning will convince me into not using a name unless it's something weird like child possessed with evil spirits and is doomed to be sacrificed in idol worship. That would just be creepy.

8. Do you name pets with human names (Sally, Henry) or with pet names (Fluffy, Mr. Bo Bo)?
My family has had both. My dog growing up was a Brittney Spaniel whose name was...*drumroll*...Brittney. We called her Britty. My cat's name is Fluffy. Yes. I'm not kidding. I named her when I was 8. It was between that and Purry (she purrs a lot!!). She now goes by Fluff, Fluff Ball, Fluffer-Nutter, Fluff Meister, or Das Floof. And my parents' new dog is Domino. 

9. Are there any names that you have an affinity or dislike for based on a childhood experience/someone you once knew?
Oh gosh. There is one particular name that I abhor. There was a boy who used to pick on me a lot in middle school. He rode the school bus with me and never left me alone. I've grown up and have forgiven him but I still can't get past his name. I'll never like it. It was also my Ex's middle name. He hated that I hated it. Ha!

10. What are some of your favorite names? Why?
Well I still love Leila. I also like Bethany and Theresa. For boys I like Vincent and Jackson. They just have a ring to them. =)