Here we go!

Well Hello! So I've finally gotten up the gumption to start a blog. I'll try to keep it fairly updated! You know, I never thought I'd be doing this...but when family and loved ones live so far away...something is needed! The following is my latest update email. I thought this would be a better way to update you on what has been going on with us Lemans!
ps. I'm new at this so be patient...I've got to figure out what all these buttons and options are!

So, to catch you up on everything Dan and I have been up to since my last update!! First on the list would probably be Haiti. It seems so long ago. I’ll just touch on the highlights.

We arrived in Haiti and after finding that the hospital that we were planning on working at was well staffed, we went to a mountain hospital called Bonne Fin. (about 1.5 hours from my family in Cayes.) Before heading up to the mountain we stopped in Cayes for lunch. Dan and I ate with my family and were lovingly greeted by all! Joel was the funniest! He loves us so much! Especially Dan J. When we left after lunch he just stood at the gate crying, with the most angry and hurt look on his face! It was sad but at the same time so funny!

We spent the next week working around 16 hour days. It was exhausting and yet so rewarding. We saw people who’s limbs had been crushed by falling roofs…so many limbless people. So much pain. We did 80 some surgeries and did who knows how many dressing changes. I did a lot of translating for the doctor who did daily rounds and Dan did dressing changes and took people to and from surgery. The team we worked with was fabulous. They were so caring and worked hard to be respectful of the Haitian staff and not step on their toes. It was a week of seeing a lot pain and suffering.

Tent City in Port-au-Prince

A collapsed building (pics are blurry! We were on top of a vehicle!

And the stories! One woman self-amputated her own arm in order to free herself. One little girl had her leg amputated and was in traction. I commented how beautiful her hair was and her grandma looked at me sadly. “You should have seen her older sister,” she said. She pulled out a wrinkled photograph and revealed three beautiful little girls. “My granddaughter lost her two sisters and her pregnant mother,” she said sadly. “They were in the same room as her.” I just looked at her in shock then pointed to a man resting on an empty bed near his daughter. “Her father?” I asked. She nodded. This was the same man that I had seen juggling for the children in the ward singing and laughing. Wow. That man just lost his pregnant wife, two daughters, and his only daughter left was missing a leg. And yet, he was smiling and singing for the children.

The week soon was over and we said goodbye to the team and headed to Cayes. After getting rested up we helped change some dressings at the local clinic and also helped organize medical supplies. A week after being with my family we went back up to the mountain hospital for a few days. We saw such a difference from the first week we were there! So much healing had occurred! God had been at work!!!

Of course we relished the time spent with my family! Dan helped Derek with his homework often and Alisha, Mom, Dan and I played A LOT of Rook! We were blessed so celebrate mom’s birthday with her…on the beach with a lobster dinner! J We spent the night on dad’s sailboat one night too. So fun! We soaked up the time with the family and thoroughly enjoyed being with them again!

Dan and B getting some quality bro time in

Due to American Airlines canceling our flight we left the country a few days late via a Methodist aid group. We flew to Turks and Caikos to refuel then to Nassau Bahamas for the night. It was our 2 month anniversary and the day before Valentine’s Day so Dan jokes that he took his wife to the Bahamas for our anniversary. We celebrated by sharing our late and expensive dinner (thus the sharing!) at the only restaurant still open. Dan was really sweet about it all…it was a tiring but lovely anniversary. He’s a dear.

So, life in Colorado! We realized that when we returned from Haiti we had been out of the country more than we had been in it as a married couple! Life returned to normal with Dan working and me trying to find a job. Which I recently found! I’m going to be a nanny for two little boys ages (2) and (4). The family is really nice and are really willing to work with me on days and hours and such. We’ll have a zoo pass and they have a pool near them too so this summer should be fun! I’ll be working 2-3 days a week with longer hours. It should be perfect. I start April 1 and the job ends August 15. We’ll see what happens then. But I’m still praising God for a job!!!

A couple weeks ago my dear friend Chrisite Wray (missionary friend from Haiti) came down from her home in BC, Canada for a mission trip! Her and her boyfriend were doing a project with habitat for humanity in Denver, CO! They were able to come over one night for dinner…it was so good to see her again! It’d been over a year since I’d seen her.

My Dan teaching Christie's Dan how to play the mandolin.

We spend a lot of time with friends and family. Dad L. (mountain dulcimer), bro-in-law Jake (guitar), cousin Fred (banjo), Dan (mandolin and learning violin) and I (guitar and learning mandolin) have started Thursday night music nights. It has been so fun! We had some friends over last night for games and homemade pizza. We’re both still involved with girls and guys and YG Bible studies.

Homemade pizza. Mmmmm..finally found a crust recipe that I like! (its about time!) Today French bread is on my list to make. :) Taking it to Mom Leman's for supper tomorrow.