Missionary Children

My poor kids.

They get dragged around a lot to many many places - new and old. New people's houses, new Sunday Schools, all kinds of new things. But they adjust so well.

No crying when I leave, no begging me not to go, no whining when they hear. God bless them, they're just happy to play and be around other kids.

It's the "missionary" in them.

I am not exagerating when I tell you that E. can go anywhere - and have a new friend in under 60 seconds. Really.

They amaze me.

Breaking The Fellowship

The expression"breaking the fellowship"comes from my mom who considers people who watch TV in different rooms as "breaking the fellowship."

You see, mom will sit and watch a television program that she doesn't like just so she can be downstairs with my dad and not break the fellowship rather than go upstairs and put on something she'd like to watch.

You'd think that mom and dad rarely see each other since the evening fellowship is so important- Not So. Mom and dad have worked together in the same office 5 days a week since the early 1980s.

As for me, after many many years of the family not breaking fellowship, I've gotten in the habit of staying downstairs and watching TV with my parents too - when I'm in the US.

But I am here to tell you today-I'm not gonna do it anymore, or maybe I should say- I am going to break the fellowship from now on.

I just cannot emotionally take another CSI, Law & Order,Without A Trace or Cold Case. Oh Cold Case is the WORST. I sat watching it on Sunday night because that's what's on and what mom and dad usually watch and, as usual, I sat horrified at the plot. Horrified. I finally look over and BOTH mom and dad are asleep. Asleep.

I turned it off and put on the Food Network. Last week's Cold Case so traumatized me that I had hardly gotten over it when the new episode came around. Not anymore people. Not anymore.

From now on I am sticking to shows I like and that's it. Break the fellowship or not.

Extreme Makeover Home Edition - LOVE it. Love Ty.

What Not to Wear - Love Clinton and Stacy. (and my fashion sense has improved.)

Survivor - I'm so there.

Are we catching a theme here. Yes, I love reality TV, I'm not ashamed to admit it, but it's a whole lot better than shows about pedophiles and car wrecks and murderers in my book.

All except for the original CSI. I'll keep the fellowship for that one.

Life International

Having a third child has been much easier for me than say - having my first or second child.

It would be nice to have a third child First but that wouldn't make any sense.

Why things are nicer the third time around:

Instead of worrying and checking if she's breathing all the time, I just enjoy her. And look at her. A Lot.

Then there is also the benefit of 2 older siblings who actually do help and entertain (read: wear out) the new baby so that when you rescue her from their clutches the baby slumps down on your shoulder in relief and immediately falls asleep for 4-6 hours.

But I think the thing I like the most about being on my third is that the way has already been paved (by me) for all the stuff we have to do to live internationally.

For example, I know I have to get the birth certificate asap so that I can apply for the passport- asap - and then pay extra to put a rush on the passport so that we get it- asap- so that in the end we can turn around and rush the passport with the visa application to the Indian consulate and get that all important visa.

Yes, newborn babies need Passports AND Visas.

So, we have a little less than 2 months to get all this done. I'm not sweating it. I've done it all before.

1st Day of Church

G. in her 1st day at church outfit.

Look she's already praying!
We also took her passport picture in this outfit yesterday and it is a darn cute photo but I don't have a scanner so you're not gonna see it. Sorry.

The Sisters

The big question often is: How are E.& C. responding to the new baby?

Take a look.
C.- Look mom, no hands.

E.- The "Little Mommy" herself.

They like her. Me too.

Born On The "Ides"

Home on St. Patty's Day.

Welcome G. H. O. to our family. (Henceforth known as "G.")

Born on March 15th at 9:17AM.

Here she is a few minutes after being born.
Being admired.
Today with Papa.
She is perfect and healthy and happy. Thank the Lord. I'm feeling great too.

For more details - email or comment and I'll get them to you.

(I have no idea why it is underlined at the top.)

Almost 1 Week Late

Can you believe it?!

A week, a whole week late to have this baby.

Well, I've had severe back pain since yesterday and that is usually an early labor sign for me.

Yeah right, we'll see.

I honestly can no longer imagine what it is like to be Not Pregnant.

Visa Interview Results

We got the news this morning.

Out of the four men applying for the US visa, only one of them was granted it. To which my dad commented: "Weird."

Yes, it is strange and we have formulated all kinds of ideas why one man got it and the other three didn't but who really knows? All we know and believe that it is God's will. Thank heavens for that.

We do praise God for the good news and thank Him for your prayers.

The man who got the visa is: Suresh Sawant, our Mission Director. See post below.

The other three men: Anoop, Aiyub and Praveen were not given visas for various reasons:

To Anoop: he applied too quickly after the last rejection (ummm, Suresh applied and was rejected in the same exact interview as Anoop the last time.)

To Praveen & Aiyub: Their paperwork was incomplete - or something- (altho they had the same exact paperwork as both Suresh and Anoop.)

It doesn't make sense. Random explanations is what it sounds like to me.

Once again, we are thankful for a faithful Heavenly Father who does all things well and right.

Please keep Suresh in prayer as he makes preparations to come.

Please also remember to pray for Anoop, Praveen and Aiyub who are probably feeling a little discouraged at the moment.

Thanks.

Meet Suresh

Suresh Sawant is the director of Missions for our organization in India. He oversees the pastor ministry.

He is a writer and a visionary. He spends some time in the mission field training our pastors during the year and has a new vision for a short term Bible training course for men and women. This would be for servants of God who are ready to serve the Lord reaching the unreached around them for Christ but need some Bible basics and do not want to/or cannot spend 1-3 years in a traditional Bible College.

He will be in the USA from after Easter until May 23rd when we all return.

Late

I was "due" to deliver yesterday but nothing. Nothing.

Both my first babies came on their Due Date.

I'm totally annoyed.

O.'s Birthday Cake

O.'s small birthday celebration.
Notice the little critters in the background who came for the party.
Blowing out the candles.

This Time Next Week

By this time next week we will know if any of the four men going for their US visas got them or not.

They have 4 separate appointments in Bombay next Monday morning but that is Indian time. I think we'll know before we go to sleep on Sunday night here on the East Coast of the USA.

Please keep praying this week.

Pregnancy Induced Laziness

Ever since I started having some contractions on Friday I've found myself unable to concentrate on just about anything else except having this baby.

Working on the massive amount of computer stuff I have to do? No.

Putting away the clean clothes in the proper drawers? No.

Wearing clothing suitable for the outside world? Not unless I absolutely have to.

Right now I desire nothing more than to have this baby and I plan to lounge in front of the TV and watch make-over shows and eat until then.

Due Date: March 8th- Thursday.

Photos From ...

...The school we started for the children living in the slums of our city- at last.

This is how close they live to the railroad tracks. The houses are in the background.
A typical home.

Math.
Kids and teachers.

A Baby In March

Since today is March 1st - it officially guarantees that I will have a March Baby.

Goodbye February.

There Should Be A Warning Label

O. and I took the girls to see "Bridge to Terabithia" yesterday as like a little outing.

I thought the movie would be a cute fantasy for kids and adults. There's not a whole lot out there in movieland these days worth seeing and this looked like an obvious choice.

Let me just clear something up - DO Not GO see this movie unless:

A. You LIKE being miserable

B. You are desperate for a good cry and just cannot find one anywhere else

C. You hate yourself

Why It's Hard To Post

When I am in India and want to write an entry for my blog it is so much easier - not just because of the massive amount of material I have to work with but also because I know that the people I write about will never ever see the blog. Hence, I feel the freedom to write whatever I please.

However, now that I am in the US, a lot of what I want to write involves people who I know read allthelittledetails.

Wish I had a picture of myself to insert here with a look on my face that says "yeeeee."

On the subject of pictures I just looked at picture that I took on Sunday of O. preaching and thought about putting it up. But even after cleaning it up on the computer, it is really too dark for publication. Sorry.

We did have a great time on Sunday visiting with friends from Grace Alliance and fellowshipping with them afterwards. O. preached like I have never heard him preach before in English. We laughed, we cried, we were inspired. It was anointed. Praise the Lord. Wish I had a picture.

I also wanted to take a picture of E. & C. today on the way to their "First Day of School." Actually, it's just a once a week co-op of homeschoolers at church and today was the first day. BUT- I couldn't find the camera (since been found) and Grammy took a picture anyway (non-digital) so this leaves us right back where we started - Pictureless.