preparations

wow - never thought that preparing to leave the mission field could be as hard if not harder than preparing to come. After three and a half years, you collect a lot of stuff - plus, living in a third world country I had reserves of alot of items that I use - shampoo, body wash, razors, shave gel, etc, etc. I spent 2 days straight almost going through the numerous rubbermaid containers in my room - deciding what I needed to bring back to BC with me, what I wanted to leave here (benefits of having a fiance here - free storage!) what I wanted to give to Ronel to use, what I wanted to leave here for HATS, etc, etc. Plus a ton of stuff I just junked out and burned.

(and in the process also burned myself! while watching the garbage burn, something jumped out onto the front of my leg and burned me! let me tell you - that hurts and still does - this is what it looks like today - day 6!)
not really liking the red look! It is still really tender and sore and unfortunately it keeps getting bumped and hit cause of where it is - right on the front of my lower leg!

Yesterday Ronel & I took 3 rubbermaid containers full of stuff, a makout with a pannier inside it full of stuff, and two small rubbermaid containers of stuff down to his place. And I am not finished yet! I just wanted to clear out some of the stuff from my room so I feel like I am making progress! Most of this is stuff for him to use but some of it is stuff I'd like to have when I come back in the fall for our wedding. There was a bunch of candles that I brought when I very first came to Haiti and I barely ever use now cause we have almost constant power during the day and evening - just not at night when we are all sleeping. Some of the stuff we also blessed family & friends with - like the bunches of hair accessories Ronel has no use for! there were sandals of mine that fit his mom, some clothes and such also that were passed onto his mom as well. Then last night I went through all my clothes and decided what I was bringing with me (not very much!) and what I was giving away - I think I am going to go through and keep like 4 or 5 outfits that I will be able to wear when I come back and then give the rest away. I was very proud of myself - I managed to be quite good with the junk out process - there are many things that I have emotional attachments to, but don't have the space to bring home with me. Things that I have kept for 4 years, I have finally got rid of. It wasn't easy but I realized that it was necessary. I only have 2 - 50lb suitcases that I am allowed to fill (used to be 70lbs each but American airlines has once again changed their rules!) and my carry on. My carry on will be filled with my fragile items - like my wooden globe that is not being left behind! and some bottles of vanilla extract and almond extract. It's so funny to me to be worrying about luggage when leaving Haiti cause I almost always have left with empty suitcases! Once I went out with full luggage but I was carrying gifts for my nephews and also items to give to Karen's daughter to sell as a fundraiser. What is hard is leaving behind books and things like that. Even though I have read them all many times, I still enjoy all my books - most of the novels and such, I had a much easier time leaving but teaching type books - especially ones that have meaning attached to them, I couldn't part with. The next week shall be interesting - seeing how much I can really pack into my suitcases and still be under the limit! I'm travelling on 3 separate airlines or else I would overpack one bag and just pay the overweight charges - but paying it 3 times - I don't think so! I have 10.5 days left here in Haiti - the 14th is going to be a "non-day" as I will be leaving here at like 3:30am and driving to the airport, flying to Florida