Happy New Year!

If I'm coming in a little late on all the New Years well-wishing, it's because I was in Haiti for the past week and the internet at RENMEN Foundation (www.renmenhaiti.org or check out the Facebook page) was spotty to the point that I didn't even try to do anything web-related except send a message my friend Tiffany who left for the World Race on Tuesday (http://tiffanyhandley.theworldrace.org/).

New Years: a time for reflection and resolve to do things differently in the New Year. I've never been big on New Year's resolutions myself although I admire people who make them. I am someone who likes to have a good time on New Year's Eve. During most of my post-high school life, my New Year's Eves have been spent in Norfolk with my sister and/or brother. House parties at Graydon, leaving just before midnight to go see my boyfriend-of-the-time to give him a kiss when the ball drops, great dinners out with friends. New Year's Eve 2009 was fun. We were at the club dancing it out but we all missed the countdown because the TV connection went out. The staff got it to work and we all got champagne and counted down and then confetti got everywhere, even in our glasses so we couldn't toast with our bubbly. Good times, good times.

This New Year's Eve, NYE 2010, was different and somewhat unexpected. Half of Team Uncaged ended up returning to RENMEN for the holidays. As there had been a huge, all-night party on the 30th, the 31st was pretty quiet. We, however, were of course going to stay up until midnight. We grabbed some snacks, an iPod & speakers, and headed to the roof where we had slept in June. We stood there in the dark and counted down, quietly saying "Happy New Year!" since there were sleeping children right on the other side of the wall. I turned on "Auld Lang Syne" and we each ate a peanut M&M and toasted with our long Nibs ( a gift from Canada via Melly). It seemed that none of our Haiti brothers and sisters were up to celebrate but then at 1am, they all gathered in the courtyard to do prayers. It's been chilly at night so they were all wrapped up in sheets for warmth, giving their gathering an ethereal feel. The kids' beautiful voices rose into the night, welcoming the New Year by praising God. Many kisses and wishes of "bon annee" followed prayer when we all headed for bed.

I think it was the best New Year's Eve I have ever had.

PS: In all of June and this trip, the only time I have ever gotten up early enough to take part in morning prayers was on January 4, my birthday. After prayers were over, my Haiti family sang me "Happy Birthday." Could there be a better start to your 25th year than 50 orphans singing to you? I submit that there cannot. It was so incredible, I cried.