I'm home! I returned from Haiti on Thursday evening and other than picking Sunday up from my mom's on Friday, I have had absolutely nothing to do all this time. (Eh, nothing pressing on the calendar, anyway.) It's been awesome and I definitely plan to give myself a lot of time to settle in after future trips out of town! I didn't realize how much I needed it.
So... it's definitely easy to say Haiti changed my life.
I am going to Haiti tomorrow.
Tommy and I made the decision at the last minute (one week ago). I have been invited to join the Allow The Children team in Haiti as their photographer for a week and grateful doesn't even begin to describe how I feel. I am overwhelmed in a lot of GOOD ways and I hope my presence will be only helpful and uplifting. My goal during this trip is to capture the essence of Haiti as it is and to help raise awareness of the desperate need for support for their country. Specifically, though, in the children's orphanages.
I've spent the last week trying to get all of my work tasks taken care of while balancing my need to research and prepare for my trip AND get in good, quality time with the family. I've been learning about the history of Haiti and where the country stands now, having lengthy discussions with Tommy about what I'm nervous about and what I'm excited about (and how jealous he is of me), and trying to figure out how to get all of my work done before I leave while also taking breaks to snuggle with Sunday.
It's been a busy week. But so worth it. I am very excited. And nervous. Oh, so nervous. I cannot recall many times in my life when I have felt genuinely fearful for my life... but I will share that the last time I traveled to a third world country, I spent almost the entire trip in prayer. I was scared. I hope I won't feel this way again, but I do know I am stepping out of my comfort zone and that alone is not a fun thing, per se.
It is surreal... knowing my life will never be the same again after today.
I will try to put into words what my experience is like after I return, but no promises. I remember being fairly speechless after my trip to Nepal in 2009.
I'd greatly appreciate your prayers for our team and all of those we will be connecting with... and that my camera equipment will not malfunction while we are there. (I'm scared of that, too.)
I’ve battled with a desire to leave Facebook for years. When you run a business almost exclusively by word of mouth, Facebook and other social media sites become a large part of your marketing plan. Actually, it really doesn’t matter how you market, Facebook has been THE game changer in the world of advertising and marketing and everyone is playing by its rules. Naturally, for a long time, I thought I needed Facebook. I thought it it was impossible to leave Facebook and still run a Facebook business page.
So yesterday I wrote about all the things I experienced and learned in 2013. There were a lot more - obviously - but I did keep some things private. :) Continuing with Lara’s Powersheets, today I am moving on to the next steps of the Goal Setting process: Defining my word for 2014 and Deciding what my Radical Goals will be. As I make the list of goals, I am thinking about big goals that require a lot of small steps. But these are steps I plan to start making today. I don’t know that I will achieve all of the big goals this year, but making small steps throughout the year gets me closer than I am today. And that’s what I’m all about!
So, first. My word for 2014 is LESS.
“Liz Cook is an incredibly talented and attentive professional. Her sweet and gentle countenance is paired with her ability to capture the most tender and joyful moments of the births that she photographs. Liz’s photos will bring you years of enjoyment as they draw you back to the delight and bliss of your birth experience.”
