Got in a paddle and preppin' for Haiti

Each day of summer seems like an individual grain of sand. Sometimes you can hold a heap in the palm of your hand and then there are those moments when they seem to slip through your fingertips. I feel the older I get the quicker time goes. I feel old just saying that.
As we reach mid-July I have finally had a few opportunities to saturate myself in the Atlantic. Last night Keith and I headed to LBI for dinner and a little beach time. The ocean is pretty much a sanctuary for my mind, body and spirit. It does good things.

There is a sense of stillness and peace that comes upon me as my hands graze the surface of the water and the feel of the wave's spray as my board is hurled over the crest of the wave. It's pretty awesome.   Clear skies with 73 degree water makes for a pretty good combo even when the waves are a little challenged in the height zone. 

Nearing the 24 hour departure mark for Haiti and packing for any international trip always brings out the creative side of me. From donated lollipops, suitcases, baby formula and clothes the bags are being packed to the brim. Attempting to strategically place nail polish remover, lollipops, heaps of clothing, medicine, pens and gifts has caused me to pack, re-pack and then switch things up from all different angles. You have to take advantage of space and getting in as much as possible. 

Standing in our living room I am in awe of how almost every item stacked, stuffed and placed before me was donated by so many individuals. There were those who passed on monetary donations, the local pediatrician who hooked us up with two cases of baby formula, friends who scoured through their closets to give bags of clothing and the many others who just simply found a way to pay it forward towards Hope Alive Clinic. Heaps and heaps of supplies that will be used in countless ways. To all of you, from the bottom of my heart I say THANK YOU!!!! I am quite often left speechless and a lump in my throat whenever I have one of my crazy projects going on. So many who rally together to just make the world a little better. Dig deep and beautiful things transpire. 

We have a fifty pound limit on each of our four bags and I'm pretty determined to reach the 200 lb mark. The more I contemplate where we are going and what we're doing the greater my determination to bring as much as humanly possible. I was really stoked when I ran to the bank today asked if they were interested in donating lollipops and walked out with a 15 lb box. I figure it never hurts to ask and the worst thing is someone says no. So we will dream the dream and aim for 200 1b of goodness on trek for Haiti. Let's see how it goes! 

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