January brings us face to face with the reality of the lives lost and forever changed by the earthquake two years ago. We took January 12th “off” (no school, regular duties and chores) and spent some time remembering and growing closer as a family.
Two of our girls have birthdays in January, Ronise on the 15th and Nada on the 22nd. We think back to the chaos of the weeks following the earthquake and how we tried to establish routine and normalcy for the girls. We gathered in our makeshift one-bedroom quarters and created birthday celebrations for them. For all of the girls, this was an indication of a sort of stability through the uncertainty. Most of the girls had no understanding of the magnitude of that day. They knew only that their home was gone, their routine disrupted and that the grown-ups were acting so very strangely. Birthday parties with cake and candles seemed so wrong to us (the strangely behaving adults) but to the girls, it was what they knew, what they expected, and their routine. The celebrating, singing and laughing helped our girls adjust.
So now, two years later, so much has changed, and so much hasn’t changed. We have been blessed beyond compare and feel compelled to be a blessing to others.
Celebrate with us as Ronise turns 8 and Nada turns 5 this month—never forget those who will not celebrate, continue to pray for Haiti.