"The years went by, and the seasons changed, until at last the friends had all grown tall, and one by one, they moved away to other houses, to other towns. So you might think that was the end of Roxaboxen - but oh, no. Because none of them ever forgot Roxaboxen. Not one of them ever forgot." -- from Roxaboxen
The past few weeks I've been making a list of the reasons I'm thankful for our time in Haiti. Since the story didn't end the way I wanted it to, it would be easy to chalk it all up to failure. I'm dramatic and ridiculous that way. Instead, it's been refreshing to acknowledge all the beauty our time in Haiti has added to each of our lives. We did not return home the same people. I never want to downplay that miracle.
One of the most priceless gifts Haiti has given us is our furloughs on this farm. For two summers we lived here, right across the driveway from my brother, sister-in-law, and their four daughters. Two summers (plus this month we've been home) have meant long, extended times when eight cousins have practically lived together. They see each other every single day. They have spent hours and hours...uncountable hours playing, scheming, shoving, swimming, exploring, arguing, laughing, and apologizing. This precious farm is a storybook setting for a group of cousins to connect and bond with one another.
Isn't this a rare gift in our world today? When we decided to sell our house, uproot our lives, and "go" I had no idea how much these every day, concentrated months of time spent together with their cousins would shape our boys. It seems like we were allowed to step back in time a hundred years when families didn't wander far from one another. Cousins doubled as neighbors, played outside from sun up to sun down, and truly felt their place and unique, important position within their extended family.
Very soon we'll go back to our real lives. We won't live right across the driveway from our family. But I'm positive that this time with their cousins has enriched our kid's lives, and I find myself hoping and praying that strong bonds between these crazy cousins have been forever-formed on this farm.
Elections, complete with speeches, were held in Roxaboxen today.
Every town needs a city manager who is big on trash cans and recycling.
And a sheriff who promises to maintain order and prevent bullying.
Hayden became the mayor of Roxaboxen. He told everyone about his undying love for this town, and how he thinks about it all day long. Once he mentioned that he had four hot dog buns in his Roxaboxen back pack to share with everyone, he was a shoo in.
These kids have been busy planning their city. A gym, city hall, recycling center, community garden, donation center, art gallery, and a language institute are in the works. They are creating laws and writing them on a big piece of wood.
Law #1. No littering or composting in the streets.
I'm not sure whether to chalk that first, most important law up to them being raised by semi-hippy mothers or the fact that some of them just returned from a place where littering and composting in the streets was not frowned upon so much.
When I checked in on them last, they were working on Main Street and asking for material to make a flag. They made a community calendar with events planned all the way through this summer.
"Mom. Are you crying?"
"No. I just yawned, and my eyes watered up."
I lied.
I was blinking back real tears. Because this world that's theirs is unbelievably cute, and I'm so thankful.
"..None of them ever forgot Roxaboxen. Not one of them ever forgot."
























