Father's Day Adventure: Hiking Haiti's Citadel

 This weekend we celebrated Father's Day with a family hike to Haiti's Citadel. This trip has a lot of memories for us since it's the place Ericlee proposed to me 10 years ago. We took our girls and parents last year for the first time.

As we started up the hiking path after our 3-hour drive to the base, I saw a familiar face. I was delighted to find my little buddy John. This sweet 12-year-old accompanied me last year when I was pregnant and hiking up the mountain. He was like my little angel guide, giving me a tour of all the beautiful plants and flowers and sharing some history of the place. He remembered us sharing sandwiches and praying with him last year. I would remember his smile anywhere.

 This year we took our whole team with us, including Stacie and Forest and their son, Nathanael, as well as Stacie's mom, Stephanie, and my parents. This was a fun way to celebrate the daddies and get in some quality time with each other away from the mission complex.

 Ericlee wanted to reenact the proposal from 10 years ago. We all had to laugh at the part where I said, "Are you joking?" Great response to a proposal. And my dad even got a little misty-eyed as he experienced it for the first time.

 Forest carried Nathanael up the steep path while Stacie encouraged her mom. We were so proud of Stephanie who took on this physical challenge of climbing when she didn't feel in shape. She put one foot in front of the other and made it to the top to enjoy the amazing view. We were blessed by her perseverance.

 Mom and Dad were troopers. I sure hope I'm hiking up mountains when I get to their age. Zayla enjoyed some time with her Nana and Papa. Happy Papa's Day too!

Here's our new family picture at the top. Maybe we'll make this one a tradition so we can celebrate our family as it grows. I am so blessed to share this grand adventure with Ericlee. He is such a wonderful daddy to our three girls and so many other kids here in Haiti. He is my partner, my teammate, my friend on this wild ride of following Jesus wherever He sends us.