The Good Or The Bad...

I'm sitting here contemplating where to begin. I've been blogging in my head lately, if you hadn't noticed. It isn't really all my head's fault - I was away for five days and when I was around my Internet was on the fritz.

But I am back! And more determined than ever to be a better communicator and to Spill My Guts.

Now the debate is whether to start with the good or the bad.

I like good news first, so here goes. Last week I spent a wonderful four days - without family* - in beautiful Goa. I was part of a women's retreat and what a retreat it was. The purpose of it was to just LOVE on us. Fifty women attended, twenty-five women flew over from the US to serve us and love on us.

I feel like my tank got filled up and not just a little bit. Our speaker was Sue Eenigenburg, the author of Screams in the Desert.I LOVE the name of this book. She was a fantastic speaker and so funny. Spoke right on our level. I think my favorite line of hers was... "One day due to power outages and lack of water, it took me ten hours to finish one load of wash. - I could have flown to Paris in nine." That still cracks me up.

I myself was blessed and blessed again and what a pleasure it was to see other women just transformed before my eyes. God moved mightily in our lives. Thank you to those who blessed me with this wonderful gift.

* Not even a single child screaming "Mommy" at me for Four Whole Days

Goa Vacation

We leave tomorrow night to catch the train that will take us to Goa in South India for our vacation this year.
We love Goa for its beaches and pools and yummy food and kid-friendliness.

This year our whole family cannot fit on one motorcycle so I'll have to drive a scooter as well. Hence I was up at 6AM this morning practicing on the open ground on my brother-in-law's scooter. Not a fun notion but I guess I really need to get over my road fear sometime...

I'll probably be away from the computer for 10 days or so.

Back To Goa

I am just on the road all the time these days. O. and I leave for 5 days in Goa on Monday. It's not a vacation but I'm sure it will be fun. We were invited by the Evangelical Fellowship of India for a Conference being held in Goa for husbands and wives who are leaders in different Christian ministries. (that was a mouthful) Apparently, there will be 3 couples from each Indian state in attendance.

I have to leave the girls behind which is heart wrenching since I was just away for a long time - not great timing, but at least it will only be for 5 days this time.

Thoughts On The Spiritual Life Of Goa

The Indian state of Goa was a Portuguese colony for about 400 years. The Roman Catholic influence of those 400 years of colonization is seen everywhere. Large ancient churches, small quaint chapels, "Christian" names on everything from people, to stores, to bars and restaurants*.

However, as far as zeal for Christ goes, the state is pretty much dead. Over the week that we were there we rarely passed a Hindu temple where some program or worship wasn't going on, whereas the numerous churches and chapels were closed and silent and shut up with big padlocks. Sad.

We even talked about what it would take to bring some of the light of Christ to Goa. One of the main drawbacks we were told is that the state has become so commercial and such a tourist center and vacation spot that even renting a small thatched roof huts to hold a church service is too expensive.

Ii suggested that there were loads of church buildings and chapels already built, literally on every corner - Not being used. Talk to whomever is in charge and at least they would be used for the Lord. That idea was shot down with a big - not ever gonna happen. Apparently the Catholics and Protestants do not work together in Goa.

On a brighter note, we had a lovely time on the train trip from Goa to Bombay and there were very nice people in our area of the train. One woman was a Christian (she had her Bible with her) and I observed her during the long train ride. At the end of our trip we had a chance to talk and she was a Goan Roman Catholic living in Bombay and she was obviously filled with the Holy Spirit and zeal for the Lord.

*for example: "St. Anthony's Bar."

Sleems

My E. is never ever sick.

Except when we travel. On those rare occasions when she does become sick, it generally starts with vomiting and diarrhea the morning we are scheduled to leave.

And as it was, after a week of eating every meal out, E. got the "throw-ups" and diarrhea the morning we were leaving Goa.

After throwing up numerous times E. and I had this conversation.

E: "I'm sick because you fed me those Sleems last night."

Me: "Sleems."

E: "Yeah, Sleems."

Me: "Sleems... Sleems... You mean Shrimp*?"

E: "Uh, yeah."

*We call them "Prawns" over here. And we ate lots and lots of them in Goa. G. even loved 'em and could chow down several fried sleems at one sitting. This was amazing to us since she only has 8 teeth. However, after two days of being bitten numerous times by my 14 month old, we discovered she has 2 new molars. This explained the three mysteries of vacation -1. Fantastic Sleem eating by Baby G. 2. G.'s vampirish tendencies on Saturday and Sunday 3. G.'s red raw bottom and miserable disposition during the middle of our vacation.

Update on E.: By God's grace she was fine by the time we got on the train Sunday morning and hasn't thrown up since. We're just continuing to avoid the sleems.

Home Again

We arrived back home at 5:45AM this morning. Our laptop caught a virus and was out of commision so I couldn't post anymore from Goa, altho I wanted to. I have more Goan thoughts and I'll get to them over the next few days.

For now, we're home, and there's washing to do.

Goa Girls

Dolphin Sighting

We left from here yesterday morning to go look for dolphins.
We saw some.

At least some of us saw the dolphins. Others of us - slept.

Us

I knew after I put up that last post I'd be able to start loading pictures.

Us. Last Night at sunset on the beach.
C., Rebecca, O., G., E.

Loading

I've been trying since last night to load pix from the vacation but it's not happening for some reason. I'll keep on trying.

A Sucker Born Every Minute

O. got a tattoo. A Henna Tattoo.

The guy applying it is using a stick and henna in an old film containor.
It's looks pretty cool and will last a month - so they say. It's a cross. On the other arm is a fancy "R."

Two, he got two.

G. Killed A Sandcastle

It was her first sandcastle ever.

G. took to the beach like she did to the water. She must have gotten some of her mother's blood after all.

What can I say about the beach? It's really sunny here. I need to change the setting on my camera.

This is where we are. Beautiful.
Beach Beauty.

Girls and Papa.

In Goa

It was an uneventful trip on the train last night and this morning, save for the woman who, although smiley and nice, continuously scolded my children and seemed way too happy that our station had finally arrived.

We are here in our hotel and it is pleasant and we swam all afternoon. G. took to the water like a natural born fish. Her little legs kicked with precision.

On another note, the principal of one of our schools has a house in Goa and he is here for summer vacation and he is lending us his motorcycle for the whole week. Isn't that nice.

Where We Are

We leave tonight for Goa. Our first family vacation since 2005.

We'll have the laptop with us so I think I can blog and email.

The Month Of May

Everyone is on vacation. Or going on vacation. Or acting like their on vacation already. May is so depressing. I love the hustle and bustle of the other eleven months. May is way too quiet (not to mention HOT) for me.

We leave for vacation on Saturday. A week in the South Indian beach state of Goa. We were there 4 years ago and loved it. I think we’re gonna have a great time. I’m a little apprehensive since it’s just going to be me, O. and the 3 girls*. No highchairs, no strollers. Nine days of lugging a 1 year around, with a 5 and 7 year old in tow. Doesn’t sound like a relaxing vacation to me, but I’m going with the flow and I’m sure we’ll have a wonderful time. I’ll probably even develop some arm muscles with a side of stiff neck.

*We’re all way too adapted to the communal living thing. Just the five of us, weird.