Living Loving Breathing Boys

It’s Saturday!  The sun is shining though it feels a little chilly still.  Nothing on the calendar today… Wahoo!  I do have a few projects that have to get done but no where to go.  Tuesday is the day of my hysterectomy … round two.  I told Sanj no matter what… I’d better wake up with it GONE. So much to get done before we take off.  First of all, the hospital is in Kingston, which is 2 hours away.  This means even more prep leaving the kids.  It’s all good.

The super moon is  tonight.  They say the best to time see it is just after sunset.  This picture was from last year… in Washington DC:

I also love this one… beside the St. Michael’s Tower in Glastonbury Tor, Somerset…

Last week my mom who is visiting and I were at the Mall and it happened to be around lunch time.  My mom went to Subway to get a sub.  She ordered a veggie sub.  The lady serving her had been handling meat before my mom’s order.  My mom told her she didn’t want her to handle her veggie sub with her meaty gloves.  The lady was rude.  She took the tub that holds the lettuce and dumped it on my mom’s sub, despite the fact that the container held water.  My mom asked her to please make her another sub.  The lady said there was nothing wrong with her sub.   My mom asked how much her sub was, handed the lady the four dollars and told her she didn’t want it.  Now, the other worker told the lady helping my mom, “I told you that you shouldn’t be handling a veggie sub after the meat.”

My mom walked away. Now, of course, this riled me up.  Rudeness and unacceptable behavior.  Later when I went to the mall for hair cuts for the boys, I stopped by the Subway and asked for the manager.  As I begin to retell my story, she told me she had already heard what happened.  She leaned over, slowed her speech as one might for a young child and said, “Language Barrier was the issue.”  This manager is ignorant and for lack of a better word just plain dumb.  She obviously didn’t hear the philosophy that the customer is always right.  She had a hearing problem, that was obvious.  And if she had any skills at all.. I should have left there with an apology to my mom and a free sub… or something to make me feel better.  Instead I left there absolutely offended.

My mom has been in this country over 40 years.  Seriously Lady… language barrier?  Ignorance is a barrier too.  I called the Subway phone number and was told that I’d have a call back within 72 hours.  Sure enough, yesterday the owner called me.  Funny enough, her husband is Pakistani.  I told her that the manager is not someone I’d want representing my store.  I am not sure what will happen.  And yet I have done what I can.  I  will never return to that Subway nor will my family.  I still feel like it wasn’t resolved.   The owner should have done more than say that she’s speak to them.  I suppose I want to hear back… or something.  Shouldn’t we have at least received a free sub?  lol

“There is nothing more frightful than ignorance in action.”

-Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

A couple of weekends ago, when the weather was Gorgeous, while we were down to just three kiddies, Sanj and I took our half-sized family to the Warsaw Caves.  With us, Jordan, Zachary and Joshua… we made our way to the various caves…

This is a picture of Josh entering the first cave.  As you can see, he is very tentative and really wanting to be brave (as Indiana Jones would have been) and yet there was fear threatening to take over… and yet he did it!  It was so dark!!!

As we continued exploring, we heard a loud rustling and there in front of us was a HUGE porcupine racing up the tree!

There is something about being in nature… of exploring and learning that just seems to calm the rowdiest of boys!

I braved a few of the caves, freezing because I didn’t really dress appropriately for the cold caves that still had snow and ice in some of them.  It was SO DARK in there and narrow.  Being a fearful creature naturally, I was constantly thinking of cave ins and bears. Were the bears all awake from hibernating?  Lots of prayers were flowing through me as we wandered through the dark spaces.  I was also so grateful to not come into contact with the dreaded bats either!

Thankful for the flash on my camera… kind of a cool picture.

As we ventured further into the park, we came upon my boys heaven… an area with rocks to climb and a creek of sorts with all kinds of fun things to catch.

After we walked by the lake, skipped rocks, identified some tracks in the mud, we made our way back to the truck.

On our way home, Josh declared, “This was the best day ever!”

Our family was invited to brunch at the Chandras.  All I can say is that we were spoiled.  The best restaurants had nothing on the fare we were blessed with!

The pictures tell the story:

I’m getting hungry all over again!  Best of all, over the delicious food was the company!

Mark and my dear Jyoti – picture from the Taste of India.

xoxo

Weekend Surprise…

Yesterday, we went to church, Sanj took Zach to his hockey game, I brought the rest of the boys home for lunch and then it was that kind of day that everyone was vegging out.  The phone rang and David, my adopted dad from my university days, called.  First he called to say hey and ask when all the boys would be home so he could call to say hi to them.  I said 5 pm.  At 5 pm he was distracted when he called.  I said so and said that I’d chat with him later.  Maybe 2 minutes later, Josh came up the stairs to our room,   “Uncle David just drove into our backyard!”  What!!!  There behind Josh is my crazy adopted dad, all the way from Alabama!

Crazy!  I love his crazy, unannounced visits!  Of course my house was kinda messy, piles of laundry awaiting me to sort and fold, dishes from lunch sitting in the sink… you know, the house in a lived in state when company wasn’t expected…  Of course that was all forgotten and soon we were at the table laughing hard at the silly stories that bind us.  History.  I absolutely love the relationship that has been passed on to the boys with this family I absolutely adore.

“Family isn’t always blood.  It’s the people in your life who want you in theirs;  the ones who accept you for who you are.  The ones who would do anything to see you smile and who love you no matter what.” 

-Unknown

 This week my baby turned seven years old!

Of course, this child of mine looks nothing like a seven year old.  He is a big boy!    He took FOREVER to come out!  Sammy was a 12 hour labour, pretty normal for a first child.  Zach, my number five son, came out like the speed of light.  It was actually scary.  So, when we were preparing for Josh’s arrival, everyone was sure he would be quick.  So… everything was in place… so that I could have a safe delievry.    Josh had other plans.  First, he decided to come three weeks early (this part I was thrilled with).  He came Easter weekend that year.  I remember being in the bed, totally thrilled that I was having this baby and ready!  Since Zach was 2 hours, I was counting down.  Nothing.  I remember contracting every 5 minutes all night long!!!  Sanj was asleep, snoring on the rocking chair.  Every little bit he’d wake up and ask if I was ok.  Dumb question.  NO!!!

Sigh.  At 8:30 am doctor on call finally came in and said, “I heard about you.  If we give this babe a sniff of pitocin, he’ll shoot out of there.” Sigh.  Sure enough, Josh shot out within a half an hour.  There he lay…screaming.  I remember being so annoyed with him. Why did he have to take so long coming out!!!

Since then, he has become my side kick.  I mean, where do I begin when I speak of this child?  He is such a contradiction in every way possible.  He is a big boys in size and yet he is truly the youngest, the baby of the family in every sense of the word.  He is a child that will smother you with love and yet, look out… this boy has a temper!!!  He has no fear when it comes to being himself… in fact he can be down right rude.  And yet he is the biggest scaredy cat (to the point that his brothers get much pleasure teasing him).  He still loves dressing up and yet has no trouble being covered in mud.  He loves to snuggle.  LOVES it!  “Snuggle?”   It’s his constant question.  He can’t go to sleep without being wrapped up in someone (usually mine) arms.  And yet, since he has gone into grade 1, a hug or kiss at school is too embarassing. He loves to tell me that he loves me more after I tell him I love him.

I can’t imagine our family without this trouble maker.  I love that he doesn’t let size or birth order dictate his actions.  He has a name that he knows will upset Sammy and that will get him beat up… and yet he will still call Sammy this name, giggling the whole time, knowing he is going to get it!  He has a great giggle!  The boys love taping him on their phone… to capture that giggle.  He loves his brothers to death.  And they, each of them, love him back.

Tonight is his party.  He is SO excited!!!  We are going to play lazer tag to feed into  his love of guns and violence.  I love his excitement. I just hope and pray he behaves.  Last time he had a party, if he didn’t like the gift, he didn’t hide it too well!

I love this boy.  I am grateful for his presence in our lives.  I am honored to be called mommy by him.  Even at 2 a.m.

Happy Birthday my beautiful Joshua.

What is the most important thing any wife can do for her husband?

According to Andy Andrew… admire him. (Click on his name to read his post).  It sounds simple and weird all in one doesn’t it?  Often I think that Sanj must get enough accolades from  his patients.  I mean, every time I walk into the office and hear how amazing my husband is and how lucky I am … so he must know right?

According to Andrews, men are really little boys inside, trying to jump higher than all the other little boys and wondering if we are watching.  I guess I often think that someone so talented as my husband must know he is awesome. Right?  Do awesome people walk around all day just knowing?  lol  Well, just in case he doesn’t… here are some of the things that I admire most about the man I am lucky to call my husband…

***I’ll start with the obvious… he is a very good looking man.  From the day I spotted him in the copy room in Bell Hall at Andrews University, he made my heart pound a little faster.  He is a good dresser, which of course adds to his fine looks.  He likes the nicer things in life.

***He has a big heart.  OK, most men probably wouldn’t want you to say this about them but if you spend a few minutes with Sanj, you will see his heart.  He usually can’t help wearing it on his sleeve.

***He is committed.  Now this is a quality that I appreciate so much as he is committed to our family, to me and yet it is also my pet peeve, as he usually will never cancel something he is committed to.  (Like Hockey… how many people do you know that have six sons in hockey, committed to taking them to games and practices, coaches many of them and then… yes, coaches a group that we have no kids on because no one else will do it??? Crazy, right?!!!  (Sigh).

***Loyal.  He is loyal to a fault.  Do not cross him or someone he loves because you will be out of his book of the good ones.  And he does not forget.  Ever.

***I used to always complain to God that He forgot to give me some talents.  You know the obvious ones… musical, artistic, athletic…  I know why now.  He gave them all to Sanj. I used to go to the worships in University and sit there and love listening to Sanj play the piano.  He is a gifted musician.  Not only can he play the piano, guitar, tuba, trumpet, (and countless other instruments) but he can sing like an angel.  Wow.  He can also draw and play sports.  It’s a good thing I adore him because otherwise I’d be busy hating him for taking all the talents away from me.

***Smarts.  One of the things that I admire and yet find annoying is Sanj’s smarts.  He has the ability to know the most craziest facts.  He is a walking thesaurus.  While I would use a simple word, he can throw around words with 5-6 syllables, which mean the same thing.  He is the man that acquired (I decided to use this instead of “got”) his Doctorate while working full time, hockey and dealing with his family of seven too.  He is a motivated businessman, always will to learn and achieve.  He is the kind of person that complain that he only got a 99.5% on a test. Ugh.  I hated people like that.  Now I have to love one of those kinds of persons.

Do you hate him yet?  Lol.  I know.  It’s really something that God gave one human being all these gifts.  And I am stopping… I could continue to tell you many other things that I admire about this man that I am lucky to call my husband.

I admire him so much.  I often wonder what I did to get so lucky?  I love that today, after over 25+ years of knowing each other, he still makes my heart pound a little faster.  I love that I have someone that I can lean on whenever I need a pillar of strength.  I know that he will move mountains to give me what it is I need or want.  I love that I am married to someone with integrity and goodness.

Sanj Sukumaran… I adore  you.   I admire you.  I am so proud to call you my husband.  I love you… usually more than the day past!  

GO HERE and watch this video. 

Please.

Let’s make a difference!

It seems strange to say this but I miss India.  I miss being there.  I miss spending time with my family there and getting to know my motherland.  Is that strange?  How could I live a life away from there and yet feel that void after just a short time there?

I really hope to go back soon.  I felt something there that I have not found here.  What is it? I am not sure.  Yet I felt something…. that I have felt missing since my return.  I found that while in India my pulse seems to quicken.  I felt alive in a way that is different here. Oh, my pulse quickens often enough but it is usually caused by my boys stressing me out. I guess I just needed more time to take it all in.  There was so much of India that I haven’t seen.  Actually, I only saw a smidgen of it.

I am missing it though.  I miss having family close by.  You know the gatherings full of food, yummy food, of hugs from aunties and the laughter of hanging out with cousins.  I miss that.

Right now my boys are hanging out with their cousins.  I want them to have those memories of playing, fighting and laughing together.  The boys love when we go to DC and they get the chance to hang out with family.  It is one of their most favorite things to do in the world.

I have been planning on writing a post about our projects in India… my brother did a great post on this and so I am going to copy his post.  I know we each have our charities and causes close to our hearts that we give to.  Yet if you can consider this… The project about the benches is the one the boys are working on… if you have an extra $20 or $100 (or anything in between) for this project, please message me (sukreema@hotmail.com).  We can make should a difference.

(This is the little church in India with the Pastor that the boys are raising money for benches.  The picture below is the inside of this church. Members sit on the hard concrete as they worship).

Our Projects in India

Written by Rajkumar Dixit

Dear friends, as you may know, I spent a few weeks in India in January.  I went there originally for a speaking appointment at Spicer College. In addition, I was working on a pre-trip to plan an evangelistic series next January.  

While I was there, I learned so much about the gospel work that is taking place in India.  Did you know that in the last ten years, the membership in the East Central India Union has grown from 180,000 to 900,000. Could you imagine if we had that rate of conversions taking place in America?  

 The church in India cannot keep up with the paying regular wage scales to their pastors or bible workers.  In fact, they have been hiring lay pastors on a stipend basis to oversee several churches at once.  Each of these contract Bible workers will care for two to four congregations of new believers.

 I am working with Pastor Ron Watts (former president of the Adventist church in India) on providing bicycles to 73 lay pastors.  They often travel long distances, many times taking a bus overnight to visit a church or village. A bicycle would be a great relief to these workers as they do ministry.

 The cost of a bike is $85US.  The monthly stipend of a bible worker is $65 per month.  As you can imagine, this is a difficulty for them to purchase.   A bicycle will enable these gospel workers to give Bible studies to new prospects and existing members. Riding the bus is very time consuming and restricts their movements.

 The total cost is $6,205 for all 73 bicycles.  How many bicycles are you willing to sponsor? 

 You can inbox me if you are interested in sponsoring a bike, or numerous bikes.  I will give you the details as to whom to make the check payable to, and the address.  

 If you are interested in some other related projects:

 Church Benches:  I am also raising funds for the Manapuram Church, near Visakhapatnam.  This church has no benches for the members to sit on.  This is a very poor, farming community, whose income is so little, they will never be able to pay for benches. The members are mostly elderly, yet very faithful, and sit on the floor, for now.  They hope to build teak benches.  $50 per bench.

 Funding Gospel Workers:  The North East Andhra Section of India is trying to fund 23 workers at 1000 RS (equals to $20 US per month) to serve as contract ministers.  For $240 a year, you can support the salary of one contract pastor who will be able to do evangelism and pastoral duties.  

 Car for the Conference:  The North East Andhra Section leaders are requesting a car so they can visit all of the churches and missions that are under their territory.  These conference presidents (and leaders) are dependent on public transporation to oversee the gospel work.  I don’t have figures for a vehicle, because the email just came to me this week, but if you are interested, please inbox me, and I’ll follow up with you.  

 Thanks for giving this consideration and making a sacrifice for the gospel work in India.  Feel free to message me, if you have questions.  

IT’S SPRING BREAK!!!

Today was day two of the boys break.  This means sleeping in and NO lunches!!!  Well, of course we’ll have lunch but I won’t be making those boring lunches that they never seem to eat anyways!  Today was the first Saturday in forever that we had no where to be!  This meant Sanj was up and fiddling on the computer, making some hockey movie and blaring the music SO LOUD that I had to come down and shhhh him but by this time all the boys woke up. (So not cool).  We had yummy waffles for breakfast and then every one seemed to veg out in various parts of the house.  I finished my book.  Then we headed to Toronto to the Toronto Marlies hockey game.  I didn’t have too high  expectations of this game but it was rather awesome.  We had amazing seats, second row from the glass, so the players and pucks were constantly banging (loudly) into the glass.  What an exciting game too.  It went into overtime… with the Marlies winning.

I loved watching Zachary… he just loves and understands the game so well.  He’s only 10 years old.  He has dreams of making it in the NHL and I found myself scowling at Tyler as he told him it was not likely.  Why burst his dream?  And who knows?

There was a time, I reminded my Tyler, that he thought that he was going to be a goalie for Toronto.  He looked at me and said, “I still am!” Hum…

Max was tired of his do and had it all cut off… now he feels bald.  It is quite a drastic change so he needs some time getting used it it.  Max is such a funny child.  He is forever saying thing that have me cracking up.  I said, “I love you, Max.”  I waited for the response back.  Instead he kinda nodded his acknowledgement of it.  When I said, “Hey…” He laughed and said, “What?  If I responded to everyone that said that to me…” and then ended up laughing at the reaction on my face.  lol What a child!

Not sure what this pose was about… except that it’s Max!The after shot of his mane shaved off.

I remember as I prayed for my babes, the one thing I prayed for specifically was they grow up with confidence.  I love seeing the boys believe in themselves.  Not to say that they each don’t have their insecurities (well, I don’t think Max does… lol) but I love that in so many ways they believe in themselves too.  I hope this continues as they grow.

I love these boys.  They do drive me crazy more than they don’t but yet they do fill my heart.  Keep dreaming big, my boys!