~snapshots of a year

In the end, we did not post as much as we had hoped, and we wanted to create a quick overview of some things not mentioned in other blog posts through photos. Enjoy!

Feb 16: turning trash into useful items, the ladies at PeaceCycle collect plastic bags from the streets of PAP and melt them together into items like this bib

Feb 25: Today I get to eat my favorite Haitian dish! Soup Joumou, made from pumpkins.

April 6: Reading the Bible in Haitian Creole on the front porch has helped me to learn more quickly

Apr 27: JR had the honor of guest lecturing in a biology course at a local university

May 3: Father Camy and Elisson made this multiple hour hike through the highlands look easy

May 3: fixing solar panels in the highlands is a difficult job

May 3: solar panels power a grain mill in this village, the furthest I have been from the nearest road in my life

May 4: a household in the highlands

May 4: looking over the pepinyeya (tree nursery)

June 15: Strolling around the city back together as a family!

June 15: So happy to be back with my little buddy! How much he has grown!

June 17: Mommy and Benny enjoying the evening air

June 20: Benny and JR steal a nap between English classes

June 21: Benny is getting so big and is helping Rox read

June 22: we found this super cool bug net for Benny at a market here

June 23: we brought Benny's mobile to Haiti, and sometimes all we need is a little piece of home

June 24: The lovely Basin Zim waterfall

June 24: JR and Rox at Basin Zim

June 24: we will tell Benny about it later... he decided to sleep instead.

Aug 2: I have a new friend, a lil pup I call Nacho

Aug 4: JR and Nacho hanging out in between research

Aug 4: giving a radio broadcast about my research with local friends at the radio station

Aug 12: Nacho keeping JR company while the family is back in the US

Sep 1: Benny is back and so big! Hanging out with some of our favorite people

Sep 1: stealing hats

Sep 6: all three of the team enjoying our time back together

Sep 6: my main dude

Sep 14: lovely Rox and Benny helping to keep the medical team comfortable and happy

Sept 15: Roxana's invention to keep Benny from bumping his head

Sept 16: Headed to the river with Rox and the volunteers

Sept 16: River time

Sept 19: helping mommy work

Sept 23: family hike to the lake

Sept 23: I don't know how many times we watched our Nacho Libre DVD, but each time it was grand

Oct 6: Avocados!!!

Oct 30: visiting the Botany Center in Okay

Nov 1: days of fever interrupting our big push for surveys in the lower part of town, we find out later it is Dengue fever

Nov 3: infinite thanks to Elisson for being my eyes while we drove to PAP and helping me get to the states. Went to a few clinics in Atlanta, and I had a significant case of Dengue. I will return with more insect repellent once the symptoms pass.

Jan 5: Looking down onto the floodplain and thinking about the research and the different forms of vulnerability in the highlands and lowlands. Seeing Haiti from above again, a new point of view, helps me think through what we are learning on the ground.

Jan 9: Elisson and I eating and planning for more surveys at the local resto

Jan 10: Daddy and Uncle Elisson reunited with Benny (and Mommy, the photo taker) at the airport

Jan 14: Happy Birthday Benny! So proud of you and Roxana and how our little team did over your first year. Many more adventures in our future