Days Seven and Eight

April 27-28, 2010

Last night the dogs were fighting right next to our tent, only for about five seconds though. Amber said, it sounds like a bear growling, its like we really are camping! Ha! No one had a seizure last night! And we were woken up by beautiful singing at five. I am able to sleep through the roosters and goats, I might need these noised to sleep back home. We all got up and showered and repacked the suitcases we were bringing back home. Now all we had to do was wait for Domo to pick us up for the airport.

It is so sad to say goodbye. I didn’t think leaving would affect me like this. Even saying goodbye to Domo was hard. He turned into a good friend. We walked through security, shoes on, liquids in bags. I was really nervous. But it was just part one. Amber took all of our passports and got our tickets. I was surprised we didn’t have to verify that we were who we were. We went through immigration and handed our green cards we filled out on the way in back in. We went back through another security. I was impressed with it. It was tight. While we waiting in the terminal Fr. Dave, Amber and I went through morning prayers. Then it was time.

I snapped a picture as we lifted off. One last look at the country I left so much of me in. I was crying, trying to wipe tears without anyone noticing. I was sitting with Janet and Sue. I really did leave half my heart in Haiti. I can call it my second home. We landed in Florida and it was nice to be home. We went through immigration again. I had another nice guy. He asked if I had liquor and I said yes, how much, two bottles. He asked if I had any cigarettes and I said no, he was like I figured, you don’t seem like a smoker. Then he asked how long I was gone and I said just a week and he said that wasn’t enough and I told him not at all. And I was through. We took our luggage to where we needed to and we boarded a bus to take us to our terminal.

There was an ice cream place and john got his cookies and cream that he had been talking about all week. Brian, Sue and I went to get lunch at Chili’s. It was good conversation. We talked about Haiti. It infiltrates every moment of my life now. I could barely eat though. I felt so horrible for having such a big meal. We went to a bookstore and I grabbed a book because we have so much time before our next flight. I read for a while. There were babies everywhere at our gate. They were crying. I started crying. It took me back to the orphanage. Most of us went for a walk out side. We walked to the other terminals to see if there was a place to eat dinner. There wasn’t but it feels good to walk and stretch. It was warm out but not like Haiti. I had a jacket on and was perfectly comfortable. It will be weird to go back to chilly weather.

We ate dinner at Chili’s and then sat back down at our gate. Then before I knew it we were on our next flight. It was good to be closer to home. We grabbed our bags and Dave picked us up. We went to his house to grab the other car and a few things we left there. And then we were on our way. We talked through our week so we could remember it all. I do have to say I am glad we didn’t have to pray the rosary again. I was too tired. Janet drove for a couple hours and then Sue drove for an hour. Fr. Dave was fast asleep. Amber drove the last hour. I sat shot gun and we had fun just chatting.

I was dropped off first. It was maybe four?

I said hello to my parents and kissed Carter and then I went to bed. I couldn’t sleep. I was in a building that had glass in the windows and I was in a bed, not in a tent on rocks. I was going to have food in the morning and people who love me. I cried for a while. I had never felt so guilty. Morning came so fast. I said goodbye to Carter and told him I would pick him up from schools so we could spend time together. I was in to work a little after eight and I left at 2:45. And so my life begins again.