Homeschool

A little while ago, I was given the topic, 'Homeschool,' and a deadline. With a few other Sunday projects mixing around, the homeschool story got bumped ahead a week. So, after getting initial information for the story, I made some additional contacts and spent several hours one day at a homeschool co-op in Midland that meets on Tuesdays. From there, I met Kelly Aguilera and her 8 children between preschool and a senior in college and was able to hang out with them yesterday. I wish I had more time, but so it goes sometimes.

Arriving to their (new) home

Ty Buckingham, 17, sits with Armon, 5, at MBS International Airport Wednesday afternoon after arriving back to Midland from Florida. In 2008, Buckingham's mother, Jessica Archer and husband Rob Archer, began the adoption process of Armon and Elmise, 7, two children from Haiti. Prior to the earthquake, Armon and Elmise were children in the Three Angels Orphanage in a suburb of Port-au-Prince. Last Wednesday, the Archers joined with members of the Midland Free Methodist Church during a special prayer service for the people in Haiti, just after they found out Armon and Elmise were alive and safe. On Sunday night, after two years waiting and going through the adoption process, the Archers received word that the children's visas were being expedited and they would arrive in Florida over the next couple of days. The Archers were told to be ready to leave at a moment's notice to fly to Orlando, then drive to pick them up in Ft. Pierce, Florida.





Armon seeing snow up close and touching it for the first time.



Elmise touching snow for the first time.



Rob Archer and family walking to their van.

Praying for Haiti

The Midland Free Methodist Church has many members who are either in Haiti or have been there many times on mission or service trips over the years, so they held a special prayer service tonight to pray for the people of Haiti.

Jessica and Rob Archer had adopted two Haitian children before the earthquake and recently found out both Elmise, 7, and Armon, 5, were alive.


Cherilyn Slowey use to minister in Haiti and speaks Creole fluently. "I don't even know what language to pray in," she tried to joke. "A piece of her heart is there," her friend Leah Kessler said.


Dale Kessler knows some people that go down on missions from the church and said he had friends that are in Haiti.


Krista Strickling said she helped with fundraisers for mission trips.





Jerry and Anita Archer have been to Haiti twice to help build a church and have sponsored Hillaire, a Haitian boy, from the time he was a baby up to studying at a university in Port-au-Prince. They haven't heard from him.


Tennille Coston's husband, Nate, had been to Haiti 8 times to help with various projects. A recent building he helped build was leveled.

1, 2, or 3?

Any opinions or thoughts are welcome! I can't decide, out of the three of these, which I like. I originally chose photo 1, but looking back through old work, I'm second guessing myself because history shows I'm my own worst editor.

Two Takes on a Feature

Detainment Follow up

This letter was on my desk the other week and the effort taken to look into this is greatly appreciated. I only hope the incident won't happen in the future. In a few days I'll repost my account of what took place. I had it on my blog originally that same day, but decided to take it down until I researched a little more about my rights and we discussed it further at the newspaper.

Masks for Janus

First day back from a pretty spectacular/awesome/rad/amazing/fun/radical/relaxing/perfect vacation. Pretty cool day hanging out with an art workshop in a cool studio with some cool people.