Haiti

After the Earthquake that rattled everyone in Haiti and those watching the terrifying aftermath on television everyone went to work to help. Text messages went out to donate, telethons were put into action, people went and did everything they could to help. Children came to the United States and other countries too. Many people act as though after the news stops reporting it, everything goes back to normal. But normal in Haiti won't exist for a long time, if ever. "Normal" is going to turn into a make shift homes and knowing more than a handful of people that are orphans, lost a limb or are homeless. That will be the new normal and it totally breaks my heart. I know that Haiti isn't the only place where people are suffering but for some reason Haiti really gets me thinking. In February and into the spring Haiti was faced with another challenge. As Haitian's live in make shift homes and sleep on the ground, the rain season came and washed so much of their "normal" away again. Then as they get back into a daily lifestyle and the rain has stopped June comes with a hurricane season in the brinks. I can't imagine living in this and as a Mother bring my child up in a world where I don't know where we are going to sleep from night to night. I can't imagine living in Africa where child militia is an issue not to mention the amount of disease that is spread so easily. I can't even think about living in a state of war and not knowing if my child will go out to play soccer and if he will come home or not. Normal to me is so far from the "Normal" that other nations face. I feel so blessed to be an American and so blessed that I have a job and a place to live and food on the table and shoes on my feet. The fact that I complain about little things just disgusts me and I am going to try to stop and realize that before I complain about anything trivial again. This Labor Day weekend, I am happy I have a job. I am happy to be a working, thriving, healthy and blessed American. I hope someday that I can make it to Africa and Haiti and so many other places because I want to experience as many cultures as I can, and I want Joey to do the same. I'm not posting a picture today, I'm posting a link to Jeremy Cowart's site. He went to Haiti and did a photo journal that is without a doubt the most moving one I have ever seen. Check it out here.