Vigelandsparken and randomness

This was the view from my window this morning..................at 5:30. Yep, 5:30. The sun came up around 4:30 I think and then woke me up. The sun "goes down" around 10:00 pm but it didn't get completely dark until midnight. I think I like having so much light, even though I am so very tired.

My brother and I went running this morning at Vigelandsparken park. When went back later as a family to check out all the sculptures. I guess many years ago the city of Olso contracted a famous sculptor to fill the new park with statues. He said he would on the condition that no one could see his work until he was finished. They agreed. On the day of the unveiling the city was SHOCKED to find out that all the scultptures are NUDE! Haha. It was a very concervative time and he was a very forward thinker. It caused a lot of controversy, but no one cares anymore.

"The Little Bad Angry Boy"

The other little bad angry boy

And this little kid made my day. Who knew you could ride a razor scooter before you could walk?!

Back to the Motherland

That's right. The Vogeler Clan is in Norway. It should be quite the adventure. I've never seen so many blonde people all together. This is my first time traveling to another country where I don't stick out. They just assume I'm from here. That is until they realize I don't even pronounce my own name right. No, but it's a beautiful country. I'm excited to get out and see more of it.

Bye Bye Puppy

After 14 years of being the best dog ever, we said goodbye to Zeus on Wednesday. My brother Eric is a way better writer than I'll ever be so here's a link to what he had to say about Zeusy.

Highlights from Haiti

I had big plans to post all about Haiti. But that obviously didn't happen. So here are some of my favorite pics.

Happy Easter

Click HERE for an amazing Easter message.

General Hospital

Probably the hardest day in Haiti was going to General Hospital to work in the abandoned children ward. They had maybe 10 cribs in a tiny room and at least 25 children staying there with new one's being brought in every day. Because of the poverty and starvation in Haiti, children are abandoned and left to die. Some are found by strangers and brought to the hospital. If they don't have disabilities the hospital can usually get them place in an orphanage. I'm not sure what happens to the others. Everything about it is heartbreaking. I know the pictures are pretty disturbing, but they don't even do justice to what it's like there. You have to add in the smells and sounds and the looks on faces.

The staff there can barely keep up with feeding and bathing so there isn't a whole lot of time given just to love. Talk about the risk of dying from failure to thrive. There was a little boy in the crib by the door with big, longing eyes. I went over and stroked his face. He put on a huge smile when I did that. So I started scratching his back and he just giggled and laughed. He was so starved for affection and it felt so good to him that all he could do was laugh.

B

B is seriously one of the happiest kids I've ever seen. He lives in an orphanage and has some physical disabilities, but they don't stop him. His best friend also has some physical limitations as well as mental ones, but B doesn't care. He loves life and wants to make others just as happy as he is.

My new boyfriend

His name is Elsu. He told me I'm beautiful and that's all it took. Oh, by the way, he's 6 and lives at an orphanage.

We made it

We made it to Haiti with no problems. I'm excited to be hear. We have amazing people on this team. There are UN trucks everywhere with soldiers carrying big guns. I'm not sure if that is a good or a bad thing :). Don't worry though, we are safe.

Haiti

I'm off to Haiti in the morning. I'll try to post while I'm there but I'm not making any promises.