The story of how we met.

(Christmas 2005 earliest picture of us I could find)

We met for the first time at the little airport in Port de Paix, Haiti in May of 2000.  Janeil was the son of a missionary man and was very well versed in Haitian life and super comfortable with all that it entailed.  I was very, um, not that. It was my first time on a plane, first time out of the country, first time dong mission work. janeil says that I needed someone to help me understand the deep emotions that I was feeling and he was just being a good servant.

Backing up a bit, I graduated from college in Dec 1999 and traveled to Haiti that next month to visit with my brother and sister who were both living in Haiti at the time. Always felt the Lord pour his heart on me for children, I was not shocked at how I was so drawn to the orphanage. I was shocked, however, at the number of tears that were falling and how the thought of leaving them was tormenting me. Leaving Haiti that next week, I was fully aware of a calling that was now over my life. Finding the inner strength and obedience was now the issue.

I spent the next 3 months raising money to be able to go back to Haiti.  Doing everything that I could to release the pounding inside me.  The Lord provided a way for me to spend the summer there going back and forth to the orphanage everyday with my buddy, Beth. Towards the end of July, Janeil started saying hello to me and trying to get to know me. He had no idea what he was getting himself into!  A well versed young man with striking blue eyes.  He had a way of getting me to believe everything that he was saying.  As a practiced cynic, I was trying hard not to fall for it!!  HA!  The games we play.

Three years prior to my trip to Haiti, I had made a commitment to the Lord. I was not going to date and continue to give pieces of my heart away. I promised Him that I would wait on the man that he had chosen for me and prayed daily for that man, whoever he was.

My first reaction to Janeil was, “WHOA BUDDY! Slow down!” It was not possible that this was the man and the life that God meant for me. Not possible at all. Great guy, but seriously, not for me.

(insert many details that I will share with you personally)

After much anguish, many long talks, and getting in trouble with Miss Pat more than I got in trouble from kindergarden through my senior year — janeil got my “ok.”

Poor guy, I made him work so hard.

I went back to the States in September of 2000 and moved to KY to be closer to Janeil. That next summer, we both went back to Haiti. close to a year to the date of our first “talk” Janeil proposed to me.
In front of 2000 people. I am/was the most introverted shy behind the scenes person and he made me walk to the front — through the Sea of people. MORTIFIED!  So much so that I don’t remember much of what happened or what was said, except that when he went to grab my hand he took the right hand and as he was saying, “Heather, will you….” I was saying, “Janeil, you GOT THE WRONG HAND!”  That made me even more mortified.  Why did I do that?

(more details here as well)

And so began my life with this big man who only does big things!

Janeil and I were married on November 9, 2001. We honeymooned in Vegas and gained 100 children at NWHCM’s orphanage in the first month of marriage.  (for all the young girls out there wanting great adventure and life experience….I don’t recommend this!)

Our first child was born in Dec 2004 – Payton Ja’Nee
Second child born in Dec 2006 – Josiah Janeil
Third child born in Oct 2008 – Ruby Renee
Fourth child born in Nov 2009 – Zebadiah Lee Arthur

(this story is really long and ongoing I will continue to write. I’m tired and a little bored right now!)