Sweet sleep
Today is officially the best day ever. I forgot what it felt like to get a good night’s sleep. My bed, my sweet bed, is so unbelievably comfortable, and I forgot how the hum of a fan soothes a tired mind. Add freshly washed sheets and pillow cases and you have heaven on earth!
After the earthquake I spent a week sleeping in my truck, or not sleeping at all, depending on the day. Our staff housing building was checked out and deemed structurally sound after the quake, but it took me 7 days to work up the courage to sleep inside again. Just my luck, the day I get the guts to sleep inside again was the same day we had the major aftershock and I woke up with the bed shaking and glasses crashing. That was enough to put me over the edge. I decided that morning I would officially be moving into the tents with the kids.
This past Monday I had a family meeting with the kids and ‘mommies’, the title we give all our live in caregivers, and told them Friday we would be sleeping inside again. I knew they would need fare warning to mentally prepare themselves. I told them that the boys and babies would be moving into the school building right across from the orphanage and the girls would be moving back into their dorm.
Yesterday we worked hard all day moving the boys bunk bends and lockers into the school building. By the end of the day all the boys were really looking forward to sleeping in their beds again. The girls were not so much, so we gave them an extra night in the tents. We will be moving them back in today.
I was nervous all day, but was determined to sleep inside once again, knowing that the longer I waited the harder it would be. Before I crawled into bed I made sure my escape route was clear. I left my front door and bedroom door open, I pushed the kitchen chairs in tight to the table, to keep the path to the door clear. I carefully choose my sleeping attire, in case I had to run outside in the middle of the night and finally crawled into bed. As I lay there staring at the crack in my ceiling I felt the bed shaking. Knowing it was all in my head, and determined to stick it out I rolled over and let exhaustion take over.
I woke up bright and early this morning feeling great! Having a safe and comfortable place to sleep is something I have taken for granted my whole life! I feel completely renewed and energized this morning!
I hope some day soon my Haitian friends will be able to enjoy a good night’s rest indoors.
Peace, love and fluffy pillows,
Rachel
After the earthquake I spent a week sleeping in my truck, or not sleeping at all, depending on the day. Our staff housing building was checked out and deemed structurally sound after the quake, but it took me 7 days to work up the courage to sleep inside again. Just my luck, the day I get the guts to sleep inside again was the same day we had the major aftershock and I woke up with the bed shaking and glasses crashing. That was enough to put me over the edge. I decided that morning I would officially be moving into the tents with the kids.
This past Monday I had a family meeting with the kids and ‘mommies’, the title we give all our live in caregivers, and told them Friday we would be sleeping inside again. I knew they would need fare warning to mentally prepare themselves. I told them that the boys and babies would be moving into the school building right across from the orphanage and the girls would be moving back into their dorm.
Yesterday we worked hard all day moving the boys bunk bends and lockers into the school building. By the end of the day all the boys were really looking forward to sleeping in their beds again. The girls were not so much, so we gave them an extra night in the tents. We will be moving them back in today.
I was nervous all day, but was determined to sleep inside once again, knowing that the longer I waited the harder it would be. Before I crawled into bed I made sure my escape route was clear. I left my front door and bedroom door open, I pushed the kitchen chairs in tight to the table, to keep the path to the door clear. I carefully choose my sleeping attire, in case I had to run outside in the middle of the night and finally crawled into bed. As I lay there staring at the crack in my ceiling I felt the bed shaking. Knowing it was all in my head, and determined to stick it out I rolled over and let exhaustion take over.
I woke up bright and early this morning feeling great! Having a safe and comfortable place to sleep is something I have taken for granted my whole life! I feel completely renewed and energized this morning!
I hope some day soon my Haitian friends will be able to enjoy a good night’s rest indoors.
Peace, love and fluffy pillows,
Rachel
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