Ready, Set,... Gone

My dad calls O. a "glutton for punishment" and it's really true. Literally hours after arriving home in India he had reviewed all the work and seen the new stuff and then was off to the state of Orrisa for a week long speaking engagement at a youth conference. He'll be home on Saturday.

It's really not bad. It gives the rest of us the opportunity to adjust at a slower pace. I can get the kitchen and living room painted, unpack, visit, shop. (By the way, E., C., and I have all been up since about 5AM, It's a good time to get stuff done.)

Saying that makes me think about the weather, it's HOT, but not nearly as hot as I had thought it could be, we're cooling down in preparation for the rainy season to start any day now.

Another thing about being up this early is that I can see that we have been infested. There is this nasty rodent here that looks like a combination between a rat and shrew and there must be at least 2 in my kitchen because I've been watching them in between typing and scratching my mosquito bites and they're skeeving me out. There's gonna be some killing going on - as soon as my sister-in-law wakes up to take care of it. Yeeee!

www.cherryberry.etsy.com

Just 4 days are left in May if you haven't had a chance to visit yet:

www.cherryberry.etsy.com

The Journey

Let me just say that Delta is going to get a nice long letter from me! The whole thing about G.'s infant ticket purchase at the counter not being a problem - Ha!

We had to stand and wait at the counter for 45 minutes while the check-in girl was on hold with somebody trying to figure out how to sell an infant's ticket. I neared livid, let me tell you.

We did eventually get it and they charged us $30 bucks less than it originally was so that was nice - we all ate dinner.

However, there was no infant seating left on the plane. There are only 3 bassinets on the entire plane and every one was taken. So, lots of babies - like mine had to be held for the entire 16 hour flight. Yeah. I was so - not happy. Hence the nasty letter to Delta, that is just unacceptable.

Once we dragged our ton of luggage and 3 children off the plane we did get ushered through Immigration lickety split - the perks of traveling with babies, but this was the part of the journey I was dreading. E. does not have an Indian visa, she has a visa extension on a piece of paper by the police station. I figured immigration would not like it and I was praying - man was I praying.

He did not like it but he let us go, she is only a 6 year old girl for heaven's sake. I let out a huge sigh of relief and didn't even take offence when he told us to stop increasing the population - he really did.

Back

We're back in India and happy to be here. More on the journey home later. Just wanted to check in.

Leaving - Today

I almost wrote, "Leaving Tomorrow" as a title but since it is after midnight, I guess we are leaving today.

Yes, we fly to India tomorrow. It is a 15+ hour flight. I don't worry about that, I am concerned about baggage check in, about immigration in India, about getting all our bags to the train and then out of the train and to our home.

I am glad I am not doing this alone. I'm happy to supervise the children.

Then there is the jet lag. But we'll all recover - eventually.

Pray for us. I feel pretty good, I know we are already being prayed for and that's the only thing that makes it all bearable.

Let's not even talk about parting from family at the airport...

Covered in Prayer - Literally!

The Ladies at one of our supporting churches made this Quilt for our family. I had the pleasure of spending 2 hours in the fabric store to pick out the material with them and I was able to decide on the design too.

The ladies did all the work. They went from 9 to 9 one day sewing and fasting and praying for us and for others in the Lord's service.

Whenever I lay under this quilt I will truly be covered in prayer.

To Finish Up

Back to my post of the other day about The American Museum of Natural History... I now know why they call the book, "Dinosaurs in the Attic."

All the dinosaur bones are on the 4th (top) floor. Naturally we worked our way up there and saw them last. Bad idea.

This, apparently is what everyone does because by the time we got there around 3PM - it was packed.

If you visit the museum (and I do recommend it) visit the 4th floor first!

A Dream Fulfilled

I had one big thing that I really wanted to do while in the USA during this trip. A visit to the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.

I thought of the person I would most like to visit the museum with and that was my friend, Kat. We had both read, "Dinosaurs in the Attic" by Richard Preston which is all about the museum and I certainly didn't want to go with my kids!

Kat was game and off we went today to NYC.

We had a fabulous time. If you are wondering, the movie, "A Night in the Museum" was to have taken place there. This was not the reason I wanted to visit, although it is a cute movie.

Oh no, it all started long ago with the novel, "Relic" by Preston and Child. But what really got me interested are Preston and Child's' later novels that have Agent Pendergast as the protagonist - don't get me started. OK, I won't since I am getting kicked off the computer - will continue later...

Counting My Blessings

I really am.

We just got our newsletter out by email for the 1st time and it came out the way I wanted it to but never expected could happen. Thanks to friends/family who took it off my shoulders and did it for me.

I have been praying for years for my E. who is as sharp as a tack but for whatever reason cannot retain the alphabet even tho she has been in school for 4 years. A wonderful family has offered (and is doing it) to tutor E. till we go to India.

Then there are my parents whom we have lived with for the last 4 months. How many people can stand to have their home invaded by 3 small and 2 big people for 4 months? Not many.

I am blessed. The list goes on and on.

Great Fun With Cousins

I took a bunch of Picture's over the Mother's Day weekend of my girls and my brothers' kids. We all had so much fun.

C. with cousin N.
E. with cousin C.
C. getting grass poured on her head by J. (She loved it!)
Six together minus G. and 4 in AZ.
The aquarium with J.

All My Ducks In A Row

I was feeling pretty good about having all my paper/legal stuff ready to get back to India. The passports, visas, tickets... Ahhh the tickets.

In the middle of April I called to purchase a plane ticket for G. As an infant she still needs a ticket although she doesn't get a seat and she can't check luggage. The lady on the phone told me they would send me a paper ticket for me and G. I distinctly remember this conversation since the rest of my family would have electronic tickets and I confirmed that that would not be a problem.

So, the other day we were driving somewhere and it hit me out of the blue... I never got G.'s ticket.

Long story short, I spent 30 minutes on the phone (most of them on hold) with Delta yesterday and found out that although G.'s information had been entered in the computer they had never charged me for her ticket.

So, 1. this throws off my family budget since I thought that money had already been taken out. 2. I now need to purchase her ticket at the counter next Wednesday when we fly.

I got angry with the guy. What if there is a problem? G. doesn't fly, I can't fly, and it all goes downhill from there.

He assured me that he would not have told me that it would be ok if it were going to be a problem.

Hmmmm.

The good thing was that soon after my budget did get back on tract. So, that's good.

Logging It In With God

We're going to the NJ Aquarium today with E., G., and C. and my 2 nephews.

My girls have been dying to go since we've been in the US. All we've heard about is "when are we going to see the water animals?" for months!

Today is the big day. I finally told the girls last night before they went to bed.

In C.'s prayers she prayed...

"Indecipherable babble...more indecipherable babble... mommy said we are going to see the water animals... weird words that have no meaning...Amen"

I think she was just locking that in with God in case - you know- whatever.

Aaak! May 1st

That was the last time I posted.

Too much. Just way too much going on.

I did spend the weekend in Virginia meeting old friends and family. We had a great time.

I feel like I spent most of this week at the dentist. Which was great since wonderful brothers and sisters in the Lord treat me and my family for free but, really, who likes to have that dental work done.

Basically I am in "get ready to get back to India mode" and blogging - well- it has been neglected.

Once I get back in India I'll be back on tract and, of course, there will be more interesting things to write. Unlike this boring post. Good for you if you got thru it.

Something To Check Out

Check out the following website. The sweet woman who runs it is donating all profits from the Month of May to our ministry.

http://www.cherryberry.etsy.com/

Thanks!