Back in the saddle

I have been needing a big kick in the pants for weeks now. I'm not sure what happened. Post-holiday blues, cold winter weather, hitting the six month point of being in India, or just simply my innate sense of laziness. Most people enjoy the New Year and use it as a reason to turn over a new leaf or start new projects. Not me. I pulled up the covers and went into semi-hibernation mode. No new projects, no shopping, and no new blog posts. My apologies to my family and friends who look to the blog to see what new and interesting is going on in India. Call me a late-bloomer or what you may. February 1st is now my New Year's or starting fresh date for 2011. I'm getting back in the saddle and out of my rut. The weather is beautiful. I have started exercising again. I am back in a prayer time with God routine. I am doing my Hindi homework and starting to actually learn some. I have volunteered to work with Gurgaon Connection, the expat group, and will be helping new arrivals in India and Gurgaon with their adjustment. And with this short, sweet post I am getting back into the blogging groove. I have pictures from Thailand, Bangladesh, and the whole month of January to share with all of you. See you soon....

Fa-la-la-la-la

We found the boxes containing Christmas decorations and ornaments. I allowed the girls to unpack them while I made dinner. This happened in ten minutes. How can four little hands leave such a path of destruction behind?

Rebekah's box of ornaments or the ones that Rachel didn't want. Poor little one. She even gets hand-me-downs (or handy-downs as she calls them) when it comes to Christmas decorations.

When it came to putting them on the tree, she didn't seem to mind though.

Rachel was thrilled to go through the box and pick out all her favorite and special ornaments.

She is becoming very particular about where everything goes. Maybe next year I won't even have to go back and move them around after the girls go to bed.

Finished tree with ornaments and our two beautiful princesses.

Side note: Too bad the converter we bought doesn't work with the lights. The tree just doesn't seem the same without the lights on. Maybe next year....

Rebekah's Point of View

Rebekah is in that stage where she really doesn't need a nap anymore. If she does nap then we are both up until 11:00 or even midnight. This said, you can probably guess that I will do just about anything to keep her awake in the afternoons. This is a very difficult feat as we drive to Delhi four days a week to pick Rachel up from school. (I say "we drive" but have to admit that I don't drive in India. Nemlal drives and Rebekah and I ride along.) The drive can take anywhere from 40 to 90 minutes each way. Today the method to keeping her eyes open was my camera. These photos are Rebekah's point of view of our drive home from school.

Starting with a picture of Rachel being her normal nutty self.

Rebekah's self portrait

The setting sun from the freeway.

The always present sippy cup.

The toll booth man.

Rebekah's favorite sparkly shoes. She insists they go with every outfit.

Almost home....

Yes, we can see home out the right window but it still takes ten to fifteen minutes to get there as this is India and there is always traffic.

Being Thankful for It All

I have so many things in my life to be thankful for.... a wonderful husband, beautiful, healthy children, amazing immediate and extended family, good friends all over the world, and the adventure that Dan's job has allowed us to live for the past 16 years. There are days that I get caught in the moment and tend to forget so many of these positives. Life in India is a roller coaster to say the least. I have developed a love/hate relationship with the country. Most days it is more love but every so often those "grrrrr get me home days" creep in.

So, along comes the holiday season. Halloween was all about the kids. I was nervous about having seven families with a total of seventeen children at our place, but it went off with a bang. Friends included us in their Diwali celebration showing us the traditions and joy of this important Indian holiday. Then along comes Thanksgiving. A truly American holiday that I have always loved. Growing up, Thanksgiving was full of aunts and uncles, cousins, and friends. We would eat at lunchtime, then play games, watch football, and pull out the leftovers at dinnertime. Great memories. When we lived in China, most of our friends were American. This meant that Thanksgiving was similar to the way we would celebrate it in the US. Close friends with good food, getting together, being thankful for everything God has given us and creating more precious memories. Our first Thanksgiving in India comes along without any plans. Sadness sets in while thinking of the four of us eating fried rice at home just like any other mealtime. An American friend, who was feeling the same way as I, came along and and bam....let the celebration begin.

We used the clubhouse at our complex which opens onto the playground. We rented a bounce house for the kiddos. No Indian celebration seems complete without a bounce house.

I ordered a turkey with the fixings from the club at the American Embassy and everyone brought their favorite dish. Yummy!! We even had apple pie and a gingerbread house. There were families from all over the world....America, Canada, India, Denmark, UK, Germany, Australia, Sweden and probably one or two more that I forgot.

I think Rachel and her friends put a little of each type of dessert on their plates.

The kids had their own area to sit and eat.

And...the men found a corner to sit in and discuss "man stuff."

I am so thankful for where we live, our friends and neighbors. Every time I am on the hate side of my relationship with India, one of my friends comes along with a smile, an offer to join them for dinner, some much needed advice, and/or a shoulder to lean on. I couldn't ask for anything more.

Preschool field trip to India Post

What's better than a preschool field trip? Well....tons of things actually....but, thankfully, it doesn't take much to get a group of three year olds excited. So this expedition to the India Post branch near the school was a big hit.

The bicycles that carry our mail from the branch out into the community. After seeing these and the way the post was piled haphazardly onto the bikes, I understand why most things mailed to us never make it.

The mail sorting area. Yep, laundry baskets full of it.

The class even got to meet the postmaster. He may have been the thinnest man I have ever met.

Rebekah with her stamp. The three year olds had made Diwali cards earlier in the week. They got to put the stamps on them and post them. Thankfully, ours arrived a few days later. Rebekah would have been very disappointed if it hadn't made it.

Showing off the cards with stamps all ready to go into the mailbox. (Rachel was off school that day and got to tag along. She enjoyed being the big kid in the bunch.)

Into the post box go the hand made Diwali cards.

Diwali Celebration

Our wonderful neighbor, Vanessa, had a group of us over for a delicious Diwali dinner. She spent all day cooking for six couples and seventeen kids under the age of ten. This was our first Diwali in India. Many of our friends and neighbors were traveling due to offices and schools being closed for the holiday. We are very thankful to Vanessa for including us in their celebrations.

The children's table.

Zara, Versailles, and Rachel heading out to set off firecrackers.

Rebekah and Torrin ready for some sparklers and crackers.

Rachel and Versailles

Let the celebrations begin!!

Below is Rebekah's first experience with a sparkler. I was nervous, of course, but she loved it. Rachel on the other hand wouldn't go anywhere near them. Dan had to hold her during most of the fireworks. I guess the fire safety section at school really had an impact on her.

It's beginning to look a lot like Diwali....

The holiday season has arrived in India. Diwali is a five day festival for Hindus, Jains, and Sikhs also known as the Festival of Lights. Many aspects of Diwali remind me of Christmas in the US and Chinese New Year in China. Families travel from distances to be together, eat a big meal, and exchange gifts. People decorate their homes with lights. Shops have huge Diwali sales with sweets, gifts, decorations, cards, and clothing.

Rebekah and her diya she made in preschool. They are commonly filled with oil and a wick but we opted for the tea light instead.

Rachel with the Rangoli she made in Indian studies beside a large one on campus at the American Embassy School.

Following the theme of the Festival of Lights many homes are decorated for the holiday.

Looking up at our building with all the Diwali decorations.