Nothing new, but we're all happy and healthy. The earthquake in Haiti has really been on our minds as Blayne and I both served missions in the Dominican Republic which borders Haiti and is home to many Haitians. One of the greatest new members I met on my mission was a Haitian man we called Cloudy. He was educated and a deep thinker. The Dominicans were very hard on Haitians - in Cloudy's neighborhood, there was one outhouse shared by a large group of people; they put a padlock on it so that Cloudy and other Haitians couldn't use it. Cloudy painted to earn money and could be found in his home (a concrete slab smaller than 100 sq. ft. with cardboard/scrap metal walls) painting nearly everyday. He'd take his paintings to the main tourist area of the country to sell them. The painting he gave me is my favorite item that I brought home. Haiti is a place where there was not even close to enough food and resources on any normal day. On top of that, third world countries don't have rescue teams, (legitimate) police forces, entitlement programs, homeless shelters, or other government resources. Any earthquake that might occur in the U.S. isn't even in the same realm as an earthqake occurring in Haiti. Just a reminder to think about what you can do to help those who are truly suffering.

And on a brighter note, this is a boy after his dad's heart: polishing up his piggy bank after he filled it with money.