We Brought a Piece of YOU

We knew we would miss you so we packed a little of YOU to go.  These things that we brought to help us remember people and moments we miss, to give us a little hug from you when we need it.  We also have portraits but these are little things we see in our home that remind us: of a neat gift made by a nephew, grandmother, close friends, or a Godfather.  A trip we made with cousins to get out of the blistering heat, in home parties we had and attended with friends, little gifts from friends, souvenirs of places we love.  We simply remember our favorite things and then we don't feel so sad.

We miss you, we remember you, and we love you!

Our Ship Has Come In

Our ground shipment that is.  We received our belongings from our stateside home a week ago. 

(above) Our GREAT room not looking so great.
Kid three has called this the Wii shipment since it left the house and is anxiously awaiting my approval of location where the Wii will be set up in our new home. 

(above) Wii waiting for the proper plug arrangements to be made in the India home. This could qualify as Christmas number ten.  We wanted hangers, real hangers with the neck and all, now we finally have some.

(above) I was warned I would want hangers, the real ones we know and love, so I packed them, and then I missed them.  It is sort of like the multiplication by 9 tricks.  You hear about it and maybe are a little curious about it but until you really know and experience it, you truly don't understand how wonderful it really is.
Kid middle recovered from her stomach ailment in time to join the fifth grade class trip to Ronthanbore and took some impressive photos.

(above) A view from above in Ronthanbore.
She saw many birds and learning the appreciation of bird watching from her grandparents. She snapped many photos of different birds.

(above) a peahen

(above) a partridge

(above) a Tree pie

(above) a spotted owlet

She also saw a lot of other wild life;



And what everyone goes to Ronthanbore to see...the tigers, she saw prints to show tigers had been here.

(above) and even a tiger on one path.  An unbelievable experience!



She recently was put in touch with a viola so she can start to play again here in India.  She has missed her instrument and it feels so cruel to tell a child you can't play music when there is such a desire to do so.
Kid one now has a transcript from her stateside school showing she completed the first semester and has grades to prove that accomplishment.  She is now a full time student at AES and only AES which is a load off her plate.
The mister and I have been buying furniture to store our belongings in.  Closets are not something Indian homes have much of and we are finding we are quite fond of putting things out of sight.  Shopping for wardrobes and cabinets has become our weekend habit.

Hello to Scouts!

We received a nice package from Girl Scout troop *916 this week.  That would make it Christmas number 9 but it really was a Valentine's theme.  Kid middle came home from school sick the day it arrived and was able to open the package, see the contents and read the messages some before she had to retire to her room for the night with stomach flu (affectionately called Delhi Belly in these parts).  The package was filled with fuzzy socks and a cozy blanket, sports team cups, it was as if the Scouts knew just what to send for that very day.  Always be prepared, right Girl Scouts.
I celebrated my birthday with a tour of cities one and two from a seven cities tour group. I was fortunate to join this group for the spring.  Throughout the ten weeks that we meet we will visit the seven cities that have made the history of Delhi what it is.  I was part of a Las Madres play group with kid one when we lived out in Northern California.  This is my equivalence to a play group for me in New Delhi.  The city was fun and the tour was well done but the people are what I will post here.

(above) Kids being kids, this group was visiting the city while we were there.  My kid one pointed out the boy picking his seat on the right. (kids being kids)

(above) A woman buying flowers at a local flower market.

(above) These little girls wanted me to take their photo and show them how it looked on my camera.

(above) These school children are walking to a picnic area inside some ancient ruins.  Must be field trip day.

Kid three is in full swing with a Cub Scout pack here in Delhi.  He did a camp out with the older boys of the pack in the yard of one of the members.  He took pictures so he could give a shout out to Pack 155.

 (above) This is camping in Delhi, India in February.  A little different camping experience than the February camp held for his US pack.