Wanted: Concentration

Yawn….

It was the dreaded morning after Spring Break… oh, it was so hard to get everyone, including myself, moving.  We had a good break.  What did we do?  Nothing really.  The boys just seemed very tired from the business of life, school, hockey etc… and seemed to really appreciate the down time of sleeping in, hanging out with no agenda and  having friends over.  I took this time to purge through each of their closets and get rid of clothes that didn’t fit or just weren’t worn.  I cleaned out the boys rooms and moved beds around, finding an abundance of socks under and beside the beds.  Add the fact that spring seems to have come early… and it made for a relaxing break.

Then the dreaded day before back to school… there is a dullness starting, the unwanted dreariness of preparing lunches, the annoying anticipation of the alarm clock buzzing  you out of a blissful slumber… sigh.  Monday has come.

My blissful slumber was interrupted quite a few times last night.  Zachary came into our bed, something he never does, which clued me into the fact that he just needed to be there, even if he didn’t really know why.  We have a king size bed.  It is enough for Sanj’s man-size  body, my body that automatically goes sideways once I am asleep and if needed a little body can be accommodated occasionally.  Here’s the thing… that occasionally has become almost every night for Josh.  He wakes up and screams a blood curdling scream that sends my body into a frenzy… even though it seems to happen with regularity.  The house wakes up.  Then there is the “Mommy, I want you.”  I lay with him till he goes to sleep then sleep walk back to my bed.  Yet… he wakes up a lot.  Until I finally bring him back into our bed and then he usually will sleep… although on occasion, he will still have a night terror but we can ward it off as we feel his body tense.  Last night with Zach in our bed, I went to Josh’s somewhere in the early hours.  It’s a twin.  He’s a big boy.  He snuggles right into my face.  I need space.  Much to Sanj’s chagrin, I hate spooning or being wrapped in his arms when I am really ready to sleep.  I take position, slightly sideways so our feet are touching and I am off to dream land. Josh doesn’t seem to understand this.  So, as his sweet breath fanned my face, I struggled to keep on the bed, ignore the hot flashes and was grateful when I would wake every little bit,  that the hands on the clock actually moved, meaning I had experienced some sleep, though it did not feel like it.

It was a rough start.  The house was a bit of a mess since last night we hung out on our bed and watched a movie together.  Then I realized as I puttered home from dropping the boys off that Sammy had an orthodontist appointment at 10:30 am and it was 9:30 am and I had yet to shower.  I hate days like this!

Tomorrow is a day off to Toronto for Max.  Part of me feels this is a pointless appointment because there doesn’t seem to be answers.  Yes, Max was a lot better but had started throwing up again… with more frequency… not as bad as before but not as good as it was.  Yet getting into Sick Kids was not easy so I feel I need to keep those doors open.  It means not getting home till after supper and all that jazz.

Funny how this week seemed wide open for me when I last looked!  Wednesday I made an appointment with my hair dresser to work some magic… and realized that for some reason my iPhone had “deleted” some of my appointments.  This likely happened when the boys were on it… an annoyance.  I often want to say they can’t play on my phone anymore yet it is such a diversion for them when I need a moment in public.  So Wednesday I have scheduled 3 orthodontist appointments for the other boys.

Tonight was one of those nights… you know the ones that play out on a sitcom… I went to the trouble of making Sanj a fancy dinner… just for him (knowing the younger boys wouldn’t likely eat it). Rainbow trout, whole, stuffed with shrimp and scallops that were sauteed in butter, onions, garlic, seasoned with garlic powder, chili powder, black pepper, salt and some other seasonings… then baked with a salad.  All presented in a lovely way.  I timed it knowing he would walk in starving.  I took it out of the oven.  Plated it.  Added lemon and garnish.  Then waited.  And waited. And.  Waited.

You get the picture right?  The candles have burned down to just wax.  I am unhappy.   Worried first.  Then call the office and then mad.  His hockey husband stopped by.  They were talking.  This is where in the sitcom the wife blows the candles off.  Dejected… goes to bed.  Me… I just get mad.  I message him a picture of his dinner and said “I’ve feed it to the kids or the dogs.  There’s lettuce for you in the fridge when you get home.”  I feel unappreciated.  And annoyed.  The BBQ knob is stuck and I can’t even feed the boys their supper as I needed the BBQ.  (It ended up being really stuck that even my hubby couldn’t open it).  He’s lucky that I will forgive him.  Well sorta.   It’s over the counter rotisserie chicken for him the rest of the week! And lettuce.

Then there’s my writing.  I’d better get serious.  My husband has dished out a lot of money for me… for my two writer workshops and years of listening about my “book” and yet in reality I have changed it so many times that I really don’t have too much concrete to show  🙁  He didn’t look like he believed it was ever going to happen… you know, me becoming a best selling author, making millions with my movie deal and us relaxing more… sunning on beaches… having a full-time housekeeper… meals and laundry a passing memory…  OK… I’d better start writing… for real!!!

Sigh.  There is just so much distraction out there.  You know, friends calling for lunch… or going to the gym and then lunch, my projects that are never-ending.  It’s SO HARD for me to stay at home alone and write.  I get lonely.  Maybe I need …  OK Sanj… I’m writing!!!

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Admire…

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! 🙂  

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Kony 2012

GO HERE and watch this video. 

Please.

Let’s make a difference!

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Project India

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.  

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Spring Break and Big Dreams!

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!

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30 Years!

I had a wonderful time in Florida.  

Every time I go back, I am always reminded how much I love it there.  I love palm trees. They are just so relaxing to look at.  They exude warmth and welcome.  I love the warmth and the blue waters.  Of course I do not like the intense heat that they have in the summers but … I love Florida.  Did you know that I lived in Florida for three years?  They were happy years for me.  My happiest memories as a child were there.  I had a best friend that I still have contact with and have the best memories with her and my cousins.

Then we moved.  I learned what loneliness and being on the outside meant.  Oh well… it made me so much more empathic to others. 🙂  At my writers workshop,  I had a great time.  I meant lots of fabulous ladies whose creativity astounded me.  Many of them were working on fiction… and their imagination was quite impressive.

If the time away, as well as the writer’s workshop wasn’t enough, my girlfriend drove the 2.5 hours from Orlando to spend time with me.  This was the icing on the cake.  Do you have a friend that you can just pick up as if yesterday didn’t go by? That you can talk non stop with … and sleeping seems to just get in the way?

My girlfriend and I were working on her passport application and I was filling out the information to be her guarantee.  “How long have you know this person?”  it asked. Well, high school started in 1982, which made the answer 30 years.  Then we both paused.  That’s not right.  SO out came the piece of paper and pen, then came the math… if it’s 2012-1982= it really does equal 30 years!  It was kind of a moment… you know the kind that is bittersweet?  How sweet is it that I have known someone thirty years?  That’s a long time.  Then again, 30 years?  It was a realization that we are middle age and old.  That didn’t really sit well.

Yet this is my friend that can get on the phone and instantly “feel” me.

It does bug me some times.  She’ll say “hi” and then “what’s wrong?”  I hate that when there is something wrong she can feel it or hear it.   We’ve been through the highs of first kisses, of puppy love, of heart break, of seeking the ‘happily ever after,’ of disappointments and the highs and lows that life likes to toss our way.  Our friendship has suffered it’s rough spots too.  Yet through it all, we have this incredible history.  Sure there are lots of people that I could say that I’ve known for thirty years but most don’t share and open up like we do.

What I miss is the really openness that most don’t know how to do or are scared to do.  You know, when nothing is off limits.  That’s real openness.  That’s when you can say “It’s real.”  I need that.  I need to be able to ask the ‘personal questions’ because that’s how I can know you.  The real you.  Too many of us hide that.

So while I hate the term “best friend” I realize that if you have one of those… a bestie in today’s cool lingo… you are extra blessed.  A bestie is someone that knows the inside of you as well as the outside.  Sanj is my best friend … in my everyday world.  I love that he is my friend as well as my husband.  I enjoy his company so much.  I love telling him my deep, dark secrets.  I am so glad that he is in my every day life.  Yet I am glad that I have a best of girl friend that I can tell anything to.

So, I was nourished… my soul.  I learned so much from my writer’s workshop.  Now I am eager to put it into actions.  A little scary.  My spirit was nourished by spending girl time.  I got very little sleep.  Yet sometimes sleep is overrated.  lol

I was sad to say adios to the beautiful palm trees that really do relax me in the deepest of places.  I came home to an immediate level of stress… and it seems like I was never gone.

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Stuff…

3 more sleeps!!!

Till what, you ask?  FLORIDA!!!  I am off to a writer’s conference… same retreat I was on last year… and to add to the wonderfulness of it, my bestie will be coming to join me during my free time… which means no sleep, exhaustion and yet totally rejuvenated.   I am not even grumpy as I get caught up on laundry, tidy and organize.

I am looking forward to eating at my favorite Olive Gardens (we don’t have it here) and enjoying the warmth of West Palm Beach.  Apparently on Wednesday before I leave we are suppose to get 15 cm of snow! A little bit of shopping, maybe, since my bestie does not like shopping.  Again, I have questioned how are we friends???

I am helping my 10 year old with his speech they have to do in grade 4.  His topic is on being a hockey family.  As we were counting games in ONE WEEK that is our commitment… I counted 14 hockey games (give or take) we have scheduled (no doubt Sanj will read this and correct me … but the correction will only be a higher count)!  CRAZY!!! NO wonder I go crazy!  No wonder I feel overwhelmed by the word HOCKEY.

I am going to leave it at that.  We are near the end of the season.  Thank you, Jesus.  I have to admit that I enjoy the play offs… they are more exciting as there is something more at stake.  I am constantly fascinated with the character of some hockey parents.  It is actually horrifying the bad behavior that occurs.  Sad.  Disappointing.  Appalling. Sigh.

I am so tired today, I stayed up watching the Oscars in the hopes that The Help would take it all home and was disappointed that a movie I hadn’t heard of won, The Artist.  Guess we don’t get that kind of movie here in Peterborough! lol  Anyway, after watching it till the end, 11:30 pm, I couldn’t sleep.  I kept tossing and turning.  Needless to say, I am so sleepy.  I spent today doing a ton of laundry and making chicken curry.  The boys were happy to come home to food ready (at 2:30 pm) which means they will be eating another meal after hockey.

This is a series of pictures with my weird child Maxwell with his very curly, long hair.  I love his shaggy head!  I wish I had it.  I wish I had the fullness of it. Sigh.  It is actually quite long and now he is ready to have it cut… short.  Bye curls.  I’ll miss you.  I wish I never took my healthy ‘thicker than it is’ head of hair for granted.  🙁  I went to the dermatologist last week in regards to these spots on my face and guess what… all the spots disappeared! Nice!  And I asked her about my hair… she told me the great news that I had female pattern baldness happening.  Wow.  Why me?  Obviously it isn’t hereditary … so this made me very sad.  I could take a med to stop the hair from falling out but I’d have to take it forever.

Indian people have been known to put oils in their hair.  I never understood the reason or I suppose never questioned it.  Not to long away, while at the Indian grocery story, I was told by a couple of friends that this hair oil, Amla, really helps promote hair growth and strengthens the hair too.  The only problem is that it is stinky.  I heard that emu oil is effective too.  Where do I get it and does it smell better?  Any thoughts?  I know that some just embrace their thinning hair but honestly, I am just too vain.  It really bothers me.  Cutting bangs really helps hide my thinning side to some degree… but I am only 43 years old.   Why???  Oh well… I will continue to search this out.

I hope your week is a great one!

xoxo

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Surrogates, Vomit, Idiopathic…

Have you watched the show 19 Kids and Counting?  For many reasons, this isn’t a show I watch.  The other night as I was flipping channels and paused on this show as they were asking FAQ.  One of the questions was if the mom ever lost it?  She, in her calm way, answered no.  She believed in talking calmly to her children.  Blah Blah Blah… the rest was lost to me and I changed the channel.  Maybe I feel so inadeqate watching that show.  Most of the time, I can barely keep up.

Here’s something that happened last weekend… while we were busy with the Indian Dinner, Max was invited to his friend’s house.  He wasn’t really interested in spending the day being ignored and then hours at the school.  So off he went.  He came home and told me a little tale…  this friend’s mom looked at his winter coat, which is bright blue, checkered with white in there and asked him if he threw up on his coat.  It was filthy.  You know, it’s winter, my kids rub up all the time on the dirt off the van, among other things.  Washing their coat only happens if I am on a laundry binge and everything else is washed and caught up (you understand that never happens) … or that wash I do on the coats before putting them away for the winter ( and truthfully sometimes it doesn’t happen then).  Anyways, she proceeded to wash his coat.  Max, I think, wasn’t sure what to think.  Me… I laughed, really laughed out loud… and then laughed a little more feeling ashamed. Ugh.  His coat looked that bad?  Yikes, I didn’t notice.  Zach’s winter coat, which has a bit of white is filthy.  I wonder if I could send him to Max’s friend’s house this weekend?

Each of my boys has a surrogate family.  You know, they have a family that I can call and feel absolutely comfortable asking for help, the need to send them over night, knowing that they will be loved and cared for, sometimes as in this case, better than at home.

Sigh.  Thank you, God, for these wonderful families that love my boys and fill in without every being asked.  I’m so blessed, all around.

Thank you, Friends!

PS… Speaking of Max… he seems to have outgrow his throwing up.  For the most part, he has stopped.  We just have that occasional time he may.  It seems to have been an idiopathic kind of thing.  Thank you for all your prayers that you sent our way.

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Boys to Men…

I have struggled with this post, simply because to be true to me, I must be honest and yet to be honest seems to make me stick out…  you know, to admit that I am not a perfect parent or that my children are not perfect. Gasp.  Is that funny?  See I seem to have a fair share of friends with truly perfect children.  In their eyes.  I struggle with that.  I am not overly hard on my kids… they are not perfect.  2 are seemingly always fighting, name calling, teasing to tears.  They are messy.  They are lazy.  They never seem to hang up towels.  They disobey.  They more time than not have me questioning myself as to why I thought I could parent and then again 6 times over.

(The turban is just an added piece… the boys love fighting over it!)

Sometimes as I watch my friends with their perfect children, I wonder if it is not a disservice to hold them in that light?  One of the boys showed us a text of a few classmate… one who is perfect to their parents… and I was truly aghast and disheartened that such ugliness was going by un-parented.  And yet… it would be too uncool to tatter tale … but ugh I realized that I’d much  rather know and address the imperfections (especially racism and hatred) if they are factors in my children then live in lala land.

This said, I am going to be honest and say the last few years with my oldest were rough ones.  Many people who have girls and boys say that boys are hard in the younger years, as they are busy, messy and loud.  Then they say that girls become much more difficult in their teens as the hormones hit.  I would say that I disagree.  My boys are moody, their hormones seems to be in full swing and often times, we are not sure if it’s up or down.  Sigh.  I think that teens are, for the most part, a hand full.   And then I panic, thinking of living through with six teens.

Going to India… I had mixed feelings about bring the two older ones.  Part of me wanted to be selfish and enjoy this time with my brother alone.  Grown ups and me time.  Then the other part that obviously won out knew this would be a once in a life time experience.  Of course I had no way of  knowing it would a life changing for all of us.  I was a little uncertain about spending time with my teens… in a way that we never have… as grown ups.

Wow.  I wish I could find words to tell it all.  I wish I could have video taped the experience in its fullest.  Yet all I can say as through out this trip God gave me glimpses of how my little boys were becoming amazing men.  I found myself fascinated with the protectiveness that came out… such as insisting to carry my huge carry all with my camera and our cash… so that no one would target me.  As we shared a room and beds at families houses, I would feel myself being recovered with the blanket rather than it being pulled away.  I would feel a head on my shoulder, or find my own head welcomed on their shoulder as I struggled for comfort on the very long trips.  I saw gratitude and gratefulness for the life they are privileged to lead.

I saw my boys, especially my oldest, able to relate in an incredible way to people of all walks.  No judgement.  Acceptance.  I saw him coming down to the level of little children after taking their picture to show them, rewarded with a smile.  He understand what a reward it was to receive that smile.  I loved that they understand the gift of family.  They absolutely understood that the true gift of meeting family that may not be around too much longer.  They watched the tears on my face and I believe sought to truly understand all that emotion and confusion.  I loved that they embraced their heritage, their culture as theirs.  Sure, they are Canadian, their birth certificates say so  and yet they sought to embrace their roots.  I loved that.  I hated being different growing up.  I wished I was white.  Everyone else around me was.  And while I get that my boys may have had those same feelings on occasion, especially living where we do, I saw them embrace what took me till this trip to do… truly appreciate and cherish my motherland.  I loved that the boys were able to see so much to be proud of … to see past the negatives and grab on to the positives.  Actually I think they had an uncanny ability to over look the poverty, the filth, the discomforts and see the beauty of this motherland.

Upon return, as I listened to Sammy share his trip, I heard him talking about my uncle… except he said, “My Kumar Kaku…” My… I loved that it was his kaku (uncle).  It could have just as easily been my mom’s uncle…  I loved that he embraced this family … though separated by oceans… as his family as if they were in the next town.

I loved that as we saw needs, immense needs, the boys saw it and responded to it.  While in Calcutta at the temple, there were many beggars in this area… and we had been warned to not hand out money as we would be swarmed.  I loved that Tyler saw a little older lady, felt that tug and chose to break the rules and hand her a coin.  I love that seeing a little church on the roadside, that we stopped at, in need of seating (the members sat on the concrete floor), that my son said, “Mommy, I’d like to help raise money to buy benches.”

I love that this trip opened my eyes to the boys I have been raising, that drive me crazy on a daily bases are growing up to be good men.  Boys to Men.  Good Men.  I love that God gave me this assurance with these little peeks into their character.  I love that Sammy  put his arm around me as we were visiting family and said,  “Mommy, thanks for bring me on this trip.”  I love the he loves wearing his Indian outfit, that he is able to stand out and be different.  I love that confidence.  I love that!  I love that they are eager to return again, soon.

I love that God gave me the privilege to be these six boys’ mama.

I love my boys.

ps… if you would like to help the boys with their fundraising for benches for the church they saw… email me at sukreema@hotmail.com.   And thanks!

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A Taste of India…

It’s midweek… and yet it’s a short week so all is good with the world.  Monday was Family Day here… a good day.  Friday is a day off for the younger four boys, which means sleeping in (well, the reality is that as history shows, this is the day they will all be up and at it before 7 am, no doubt).

The Taste of India went well.  I had a lot of fun that night.  I got dressed up, hair done and felt like a working princess.  🙂  I used to hate when my parents made me wear a sari, those few times I had to, as I hated being different from everyone else.  Now being different isn’t so bad.  I am, there is so much about me that is uniquely me, why not? 🙂  One of the reason I disliked a sari was that I was always scared that it would come undone with my clumsy self.  I went to Scarborough, one of the many trips to the Little India there, the last week, and found a lady that makes the sari into a ready made one.  The pleats are sewn and the wrapped part is made into a skirt that wraps around.  I loved it.  I loved the sari that I bought ( I bought none from India for me…unfortunately I discovered this new love upon return).  I found all sorts of accessories to go with my sari from things for my hair to jewelry.  Oh the fun!!!

Here are some pictures from the Taste of India:

The evening started with some of the students walking around with appetizers, samosas, just to tease the taste buds of the guests.

This is a form of art done with shredded coconut or sand … done by one of the Indian ladies in the community.  I can’t remember the name of this art…

This was our Indian Bazaar… things we bought back from India: scarves, shawls, saris, decorative pillows, tea… all to sell and make money for some of our Indian projects (which I still have yet to post on).  What a cute sales man, eh?

I love these ladies.  They are my fellow co-horts, my Indian posse, my friends, who love me and while often, may silently raise a quiet eyebrow to some of my ideas and thoughts, support me with their love, energy and friendship.  Thank you, Jesus, for my sisters.

Take notice of our beautifully decorated gym stage… done by many hard working volunteers… an amazing sitar player and this beautiful, desperately in need of carbs, dancer.

I am so proud of the boys. They did fantastic, fending for themselves till close to midnight.  Aren’t they so cute?

Another item that was happening in a corner was mendhi done by one of our super talented graduates.  This was a big hit.

Aw… the better part of me… my biggest supporter, financially, emotionally, physically… he never doubts me.  He believes in me, never says no… like paying the silly amount for me to have those plastic plates that looked like china… what’s a few more dollar… understands my need for immediate gratification and is proud of me.  Have I said how much I love this man?

Sigh.  All in all… it was a great night.  I had a lot of fun.  I felt like hostess with the mostest.  I love this school of ours and I love my motherland.  I loved bring those two together.  Ultimately, I learned that educating others on the beautiful country that is India was a bigger motive behind this night then the funds it raised.

… SHOW ME THE MONEY!

Photo Credit and Thanks to Mark Chandra… the man who always can be counted on to document the event.

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Happy Valentines’s To You!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

I was nursing a headache and felt the need to bury my head under the blankets and disappear for a bit.  On the other hand, I should really have done  something romantic or semi-romantic for my sweetheart.  I was thinking of putting together a lunch (I may or may not make) and taking it to his office and having an indoor picnic.  I was thinking of his frustration of finding underwear this morning… and thought of a little gift for him.  Days of the week underwear.  If you were a girl in the 80s, you’d remember those undies, right?  I thought of being him 7 underwear and writing the days of the week on them…

In the end, he switched up his normal lunch of chicken caesar salad from McD and took me to a real restuarant and came home with a lovely dozen roses.  (I love getting flowers)! And among a few this and thats I made him  just one day of the week undie! lol

Of course this day seems to focus on lovers, (thanks Hallmark for nothing) but I love reading all the love being passed around (on Facebook status’)… love to children, siblings, friends… they also make our world go around.  I’m so grateful for all the love in my life.  My cup overflows with the best of friends, near and far.  I  love you girlfriends!

Hope you know you are loved on this day!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

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The Weather Outside is Delightful!

Today was so gorgeous!!!

The sun just beamed down on us and kept us smiling and warm.  I love days like today… it’s a tease that spring is around the corner.  I had so many things that I needed to do and yet felt like I accomplished very little… but because it was so beautiful outside, I didn’t care.  There’s always tomorrow.

We were driving to school and Zach and Josh were playing Rock, Paper, Scissors… and then I hear “Jesus!” lol  Guess Jesus trumps rocks, paper and scissors!  When that didn’t work, I heard Josh say, “God!”  I wonder how Jesus feels being trumped by God?  Zach didn’t let Josh have it though, saying they are the same!

I love some of the stuff that comes out of their mouth and puts a smile on my face.  So cute!

As I was de-cluttering areas of the house, I was beginning to make a list of things that need to be done.  We plan on remodeling our kitchen sometime… with the plan of adding a huge slab of counter  for all the activity that needs to occur in this vicinity.  You know, breakfast, snacks, homework, projects… the hub of the house.  I can’t wait.  I just want us to have that space.  The rest I’m willing to wait on (gasp!).  I am constantly revamping the boys rooms to make them functional for our family.  No one really uses their rooms as their own spot, well, perhaps Jordan.  Rather the boys seem to hang out with us or each other (and then fight).  So, I am eagerly looking forward to making this all happen.  Guess I’d better check my lotto ticket.  I think it was $50 million.. and yes, I can imagine the freedom! lol  Sanj came home today to our friend who owns Focus Flooring (they have the most amazing backsplash, tiles, flooring… check them out if you are local… and say I sent you!)… anyways, Doug was over measuring and Sanj walks in and says… “Nooooooo…” knowing this is the beginning of some craziness for sure! lol

Max and Jordan had to wake up at 5 am today to be at the school by 6 am for a hockey tournament out of town. Yuck.  Everyone is tired.  I didn’t get back to sleep too well after that.

Just writing… nothing to exciting to say… although I had an epiphany about my dad.  I realized that he made a great Mr. Mom.  He really did.  While I wish he could have held a regular job, I see some of the blessings.  I learned a lot about my dad while in India, that I have been processing.   I know that my mom isn’t the most organized person.  I think that living with my mom was likely trying for my dad’s personality.  Of course, he didn’t have to beat her.  As I get older and and see things, I can see how they were just so wrong for each other on so many levels.  My mom really needed someone laid back.  My dad wasn’t.  He liked order and practicality.  He didn’t get my mom’s lack of having organizational skills.  I don’t think that he understood how someone just couldn’t be organized.  As a grown adult, when I run into this now, I find it frustrating.  I find myself understanding my dad’s frustration more.  I just wish he knew how to channel that aggravation else where.

Even know, when my mom is doing something and I get frustrated she’ll hold her ground and say, “Let me do it my way.”  In other words, butt out! lol

Funny, the little things that suddenly seem big.  Having my dad as a stay at home dad gave us some unique experiences.  When he was in a normal frame of mind, he was fun.  He would take sheets and make us these crazy forts that would have my heart palpitating just at the thought of my kids doing this.  He would make cleaning the kitchen floor and event.  (Sorry if I am repeating stories).  I have such a clear memory of sliding across the kitchen floor that was very wet and full of suds.  He always packed us elaborate lunches, with cut mangos (yum), for example as a snack.  He cuts of mangoes were unique.  They were all so uniformed in size.

I have been thinking of calling my dad to chat about my trip to India.  I haven’t yet.  I wish it felt easier than it does.  I wish…

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Happy Birthday Dear Hubby!

It’s February 5, which means only one thing… it’s my dearest hubby’s birthday!

How lucky am I?  Where do I even begin?  Well, the story has been told, many a time, of this cute Indian boy that caught my eye and eventually my heart.  I saw a good thing in this man… and then the chase began.  He was a good runner and tried (hard) to keep me

Sanj as a young boy... not! This is Max's contribution to my blog post... lol

from nabbing him but… eventually I won!

I was writing on my Facebook wall that it was Sanj’s birthday… and wondered how I could convey my feelings for him… and yet realized it is simply said… “I love you, Sanj, with all my heart.” 

How lucky is he to have his birthday on the biggest sporting day of the year?  I know it’s the Super Bowl but truthfully, I didn’t even know which teams made it until today when the boys asked which team I am cheering for.  This year I can’t even pretend to get into it.  I cleaned…  the basement which looked like a hoarder’s garage throw up in our basement… so that Sanj could enjoy the bigger screen tv downstairs, then I cleaned the main floor including the pantry… and cooked.  I made pulled meat to go on buns, potato salad, veggie tray, chips and salsa, cheesecake… all the yummy stuff.  I invited some guys to stuff their faces with Sanj and the boys and I am looking forward to retreating upstairs with my book unless something other than the Super Bowl catches my attention.

Did you know… on Super Bowl Sunday 71.4 million pounds of guacamole and  14,500 tons of chips are consumed.  Antacid sales rise by 20% on the Monday after the Super Bowl… a 30 second commercial cost $3.5 million (up $400,000 from last year).

Oh yah, if you are like me, it’s the New England Patriots and the New York Giants that are battling it out on the field tonight!

Happy Birthday, dearest Sanj.  May your team win!  That would be the Patriots!

xoxo

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Obedience…

It’s midweek… and it’s harder and harder to get the troopers up and at ’em.

Mommy, I feel sick” interpreted “Mommy, I’m tired and don’t want to get up.”  Sigh.  It’s grey outside and I too, want to just bury my head under my covers and hit snooze.  My kids seem to dislike school.  Especially my younger ones.  Josh complains about what a long day school is.  He is a home body.  I really do feel for him.  It must really stink to do “work” 8 long hours a day, especially when you just want to play.  I wish my boys liked school.  It would make life a lot easier.  Usually in January, the boys have a PA day but not this year… so January seems longer.  Maybe what we need is a vacation!

I’m in the midst of planning the second annual Indian dinner with my Indian posse.  This is to raise funds for technological advancements at our school.  Tick Tock… the clock is ticking and the dinner is just around the corner! Yikes!  Last year was a huge success.  I hope that this year follows suit.

I just booked my spot in my second writer’s retreat for March.  I’m so looking forward to it.  I didn’t like the staying by myself in a hotel bit (as I am a scaredy cat) but I learned so much.  I’m looking forward to getting back into writing.  It seemed that so much got in the way after my last retreat.  Mainly, Max being sick.  How is he?  Surprisingly, much better.  He has stopped throwing up after each meal or after a drink.   Now it is just an occasional thing… which is so much better than throwing up after every meal!  Thank you for all your prayers.  I think that this is an idiopathic thing and something he’ll just end up outgrowing.

This week Sammy asked me if he could try out for the Red Bull Crash Ice.  Hum… if you know what it is about you’d likely think, “How crazy!”  He thought the try out age was 16 years old.  I said, “Sure.”  I mean  the boy is a crazy good hockey player.  He skates better than he walks.  Why not?  I asked him, “What if you get hurt?”  I loved his answer… “Than I get hurt.”  As we planned to go to TO where the try outs were being held, I felt so proud of him for being brave and going after what he wants.  This particular goal will have to wait till he is apparently 18 years old, as we found out after double checking.

It made me think of all those kids that stand in line, as American Idol hopefuls.  Everyone has a dream… and it just takes one chance, with skill and a little luck, for someone’s dream to come true.  Go Sammy Go.

Lately as I try to get back into my everyday groove, something I’ve found hard to do since returning from India, I can’t stop thinking of things I saw on the other side of the world.   My boys were sure I was going to pack a baby girl in my suitcase and bring her home.  It didn’t happen exactly that way… but once I got home and started working on my India:  To Do list… I couldn’t get that little girl out of my mind.  As I called and found out details to have her sent to one of the REACH INTERNATIONAL schools, where she would be feed, clothed and get attention for any health issues, I couldn’t imagine one of my boys going to a school as an orphan.  I felt the need to at least check into adoption.  Sanj’s answer was, “Check it out.”  Have I said how much I love this man?!!

I had mixed feelings.  One, I feel like I’ve closed that door on having a daughter.  I’ve put all those emotions on a shelf, dealt with them as much as I can and shut that door.  Lock it.  Hidden the key.  So… understandable, I had a lot of trepidation to even open that door.  I tried to rein in my overactive imagination of packing a suitcase to bring with me of girl clothes, of maybe getting an American Girl Doll that looked like her (I don’t even know her name)… of her holding that doll as we embarked on our adventure together of coming home.  I thought of taking Zachary with me, as he is close to her age and a friendly chap.  Sammy, already begged to go with me.  I imaged giving her a good bath.  With bubbles.  I imagined even turning my office into a bedroom.  I imagined what it would feel like to hold her hand.  I wondered if we would connect immediately or if it would be a slower process.  I imagined…

And yet I also knew it would be a rough road, a long road.  As the call was made… my heart started pounding.   I am not a patient person.  I waited.  When the phone rang, I felt myself deaden a bit… (is that even a phrase)?  Then I heard no.  The pastor and family plan on adopting her.  She has just turned 6.  They will educate her.  They want her.

I’m glad.  Really I am.  At least she is lucky.   She is wanted.  She will hopefully be loved.  She will hopefully have a life that isn’t filled with fear and loneliness.  She will have a life.

I have six boys that fill my world with craziness.  I have things that I need to accomplish.  I have my India: To Do list.  I have my regular TO DO list.  I have a lot going on.

Why God?  Why did I feel You asking me to even go there?  As I asked that, I heard “Obedience.”  Is that weird?  Sure I could have imagined that.  Yet I think I was being asked to obey.  Lucky for Sammy, at least it wasn’t like Abraham! lol

I’m shutting that door again.  Maybe this time I’ll throw away the key.

My next post will be about my India: To Do List.  Check it out.  Maybe you may be interested in some of the projects.

xoxo

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Elephants, Where Are You?

Of course I should have known better!  It’s Friday… (did I mention our cleaning lady quit… apparently to go back to school…but I’m not sure really…), since returning back from India, I’ve had sick kiddies and have not really had the time or limbs (since I have had a kid attached to them) to get much else done.  Today… I made myself a vow to tackle the house, the floors, the toilets, the laundry… today, after sending ALL the kiddies to school, finally!

I awake and realize that busses are cancelled.  Outside is pure ice.  I watch the dogs slipping their way around. Sigh.  Do you think that the boys, who never wake up until being hollered at 50 times, would sleep in?  NOPE!  They are all bouncing on my bed, waiting to hear if the school hockey tournament is cancelled.  All are home. Yay!  Well normally, but I really wanted an empty house to clean.

Sanj woke up sick. 🙁  Today he took off to work even harder putting up boards for the outdoor Under the Locks hockey tournament this weekend.  He will freeze all weekend, putting up boards, helping organzine the teams, be a human zamboni all day and then in between hearing comments of ungrateful parents, will then be there till late Sunday, tearing down the boards and helping clean up.  Crazy.

Oh well… as I sit here, avoiding the mess, watching the snow fall with a fury, I am grateful for all my blessings… a house, heat, food, stuff, lots of stuff that causes messes and love.  Lots of love.

While in New Delhi, I asked our guide/driver, Santosh, where the stereotypically  elephants were.  You know, in movies, you always see the token elephant wandering on the streets.  He seems baffled.  “Elephants, Ma’am? Elephants in the ju.”  (Later we interpreted “ju” to be zoo.  Elephants are in the zoo! The boys and I had a good laugh about this.  I’m sure Santosh was thinking, “Crazy Canadian!” 

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Oh God….

On our last day in Calcutta, we had hired a guide and car to show us some of the sights of this incredible city.  We told our guide that we would like to see Mother Teresa’s home, a temple and go shopping to get out souvenirs.

Getting anywhere in Calcutta is a exercise of patience as the traffic is something out of this world.  The temple we went to is the Kalighat Kali Temple.  The Goddess Kali is visited by thousands daily who bring the goddess their domestic problems and prayers of prosperity as well as returning to give thanks when their prayers are answered.

As we got to the temple, we had to remove our shoes.  We entered the temple, barefoot, being caught up in a frenzy of bodies anxious and eager to get a view of the goddess.  There were 100s of bodies, almost caught up in a dance of eagerness to reach the doorway.  Image a $50, 000,000 winning lotto ticket floating in the breeze and the reaction of humans in a small room all trying to reach that bill.  There was such a sense of desperation.

As we were taking through this room into another part of the temple, there was a little baby lamb, a man sharpening a very large knife and the family that offered the lamb for a special blessing.  We could have stayed and watched the lamb being sacrificed yet I’m grateful we didn’t.  I’m not sure what I would have done with that image.

Of course as we navigated through the mass of bodies, I was left with the feeling of gratitude that I have a God that I can call upon at any time, with out an intercessor.

It almost seems weird to say but as I felt the energy that was in this temple of human longing and desire, I felt God… my God, flood my being and remind me that I am never alone.  I wish I could have shouted out, “STOP!  I have something to tell you…”  and shared with this crowd of people that there is hope.  There is a God that lives and that they can go to on their own.

It will be an experience that I will not forget in a long time.  I wish I could have captured this on film (no cameras allowed).

We have such a blessing knowing and believing in a God that lives and hears us and one that we can go to Whenever, Wherever.


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India: Through My Eyes

In another life, I have a dream of being a National Geographic photographer.  Travel the world, see all the exotic places, try the exquisite foods, meet the  most amazing people and document their incredible stories.  Of course, this would have only been a slight possibility if I gave up my life’s desire of being a mom and wife.

In India, I had the luxury of pretending to be a photographer… of capturing India through my eyes, making up stories of people and their circumstance.  I had the privilege of seeing children living with the barest of necessities yet living as only a child can, laughing and playing, not missing a beat.

These are some of my favourite pictures…

This is my favourite random picture.  My brother and mom were chatting with a the pastor of a little roadside church as I saw this man walking by, with his herd of cows.  I asked him if I could have a photo and he graciously complied.  I love his face… his eyes tell a story of struggles and yet if you look at his mouth, you see a bit of a smile… who knows, he may have been laughing at me!

This little girl was living with the pastor and his wife at the church I just mentioned.  Her dad was dead and her mom was ill and couldn’t take care of her.  I fell for her immediately.  I love her smile.  She has such strength.  There is such beauty in her eyes.  My brother and I are committed to see that she gets educated … I just wanted to bring her home… and yet she is obviously happy in spite of her trials.

I love to read, as you know.  I love books that are set in India, that offer me glimpses of my culture.  As I met people, I would ask if they were of a love marriage or arranged marriage.  I was fascinated to see that most were arranged marriages.  Not the usual arranged marriage you may read of in books, yet, there was the introduction… then the getting to know each other and then, if both were willing, the marriage.  For us in North America, it seems like a strange thing… yet there is such a reduced rate of divorce.  I think it’s because 2 people enter into a partnership of sorts, then friendship and for those that are really lucky, love follows.  Yet, friendship can be a blessing too.  As we were visiting one of the sights in New Delhi, I loved this sight of love, in the open.  Such intensity.  What were they saying?  I love how their hands are intertwined.

Photo credit goes to my brother, Kumar, as I was too paralyzed to move.  On a side street were chickens, alive, tied together, as this man flipped them over his hand bars to take them to their fate… someone’s dinner.

This little boy was playing with a coconut in the dirt right by a busy intersection.  Of course his beautiful face was just begging to be photographed.  As I started clicking, out of nowhere, his brother, no older than 7-8 years old shows up and is chattering away at me, obviously not happy.  He wanted money, if I was going to take his brother’s photo.  My brother shows up, oblivious to all that has occurred and begins to get his camera out.  As I explained, my brother told the boy, ok.  After taking his photos, he handed the boy a bill.  Out of no where comes another boy, trying to take the money out of his hand.  This boy, the 7-8 year old, took his hand and slapped this other child on his face.  The other boy walked away.  It was a little startling and comical all at the same time.  What a sweet face!

Of course I have 1001 pictures but these are some of my favourites.

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Family…

Surprising my mom in India was fun.  She had no clue, in fact, she looked at the boys and walked past them until they called out to her.  It was so fun for the boys.

India… I was overwhelmed with so many emotions while there, yet and really had no words to begin to express all the emotions that seemed to bombard me constantly.  The first few days in New Delhi, we were just tourists, the boys and I.  It was a shock to all our senses, the sounds, the smells, the colors, all just overstimulated us as we acclimatized ourselves to this new environment.

As we flew into Kolkata (it will always be Calcutta to me), we entered another world.  This was a place where my past and my present collided.  Here we were spending time with my Dad’s family.  We were waiting for my dad’s youngest brother to pick us up.  Immediately I saw a man in front of me that looked like my memory of him, except that my kaku (uncle) would have had grey hair.  As my brother phoned, this man picked up the phone and began looking around.  It was him! (The grey hair magically had vanished…lol).

I was overwhelmed at the connection I felt immediately towards my Uncle and Auntie, as if 35 years had not past, as if I just saw them for dinner last week.  I was crushed into a hug that washed away all the times we weren’t together and took us back to being family and together.

This feeling was there again, as I walked down the a path to where my dad’s oldest sister lived.  Suddenly I was in a little village or town, a place that I would have longed to be as a National Geographic photographer (a dream of mine in another life where I am not a mother)… I was in the heart of a village, where children stopped playing to stop and stare at us, obvious strangers to their home, where life was happening as only they knew and as I never had seen.  I was struck that here, a place that I had yearned to stop and snap photos along the way was suddenly the place that my family lived.

My dad’s oldest dede (sister) lay under a mosquito tent, napping, as we entered her world, taking her back to her brother, that lived on the other side of the world.  I found myself flooded with emotions I didn’t understand.  Family.  Here I was meeting my Big Pisima, for the first time in my adult memory and at the same time, as I watched her, 80 years plus of age, I realized that more than likely my last time.  Her siblings teasing her into eating and chatting with her.  She was so aware of us and who we were.  She understood we were my dad’s children.

I was mesmerized by genetics, as we met my dad’s other brothers, my oldest cousins, at the obvious family traits that were so strong.  My uncle was making the same expressions that my dad does, or just the resemblance of family that was so strong!  It blew me away.  Family… it really is a tie that binds… even across the world… I have family that lives … sharing the same DNA.

I loved just staring at my uncle, the youngest of my dad’s family, enthralled that he was so similar to my auntie in Florida.  There is no denying they are siblings.  We surprised my dad’s oldest brother at his work in a laboratory, at 80+, he looked fantastic.  The boys were fighting over who would get his genes.

I loved every minute we spent with my family here, mesmerized by so much of what makes my dad who he was so much a part of whom his brothers were.  I found a understanding of my father… of who he is was so much of where he came from.

I found myself laughing as my brother would pinch me, as my uncle would say the exact thing my father has said many a time.  I found it fascinating… and overwhelming all in one.

I found that I was eager to hear bits of my dad’s life as a child, as a teen and even as an adult.  Were my questions answered? Not really rather it seemed to explode into more questions.  Yet I found a kind of peace being here, that surprised me.  I found a kind of acceptance for all the things that will go unanswered. Maybe because I saw much of my father in all his siblings and found comfort in that.

I found myself missing the chance of connecting with this family of mine.  I left longing for heaven, again, for being reunited without sickness or sin… and wonder at the amazingness of that reunion in heaven.  I left with a longing… for something that can’t be described with words… yet a longing that taps at me, reminding me that it’s there.

There is so much of my trip to India to share and yet this 48 hours that I shared with family was a trip all unto its own.  I felt some healing happening… I felt some of the confusion be filled with acceptance of things unexplained.  Family… Heritage… History… can be a healing balm … can help sooth the aching of a soul.

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A Life Time Ago…

After 35 years my mom is off to India for a visit.

 

Can you imagine?  35 years is a few year shy of my whole life!  So much has happened in that time.  She was very excited!  Her immediate family have all lived in the States for many, many years.  As she goes back to her town, she will meet cousins and extended family.  My mom probably hasn’t comprehended the extent to which her country has changed.  As my brother and her were planning things, she would mention that ‘there’s a great eatery here” … probably not realizing that so much time has gone by.

I hope it is a trip that is full of good health and she doesn’t get sick.  I hope that her heart is full when she leaves of amazing memories.  A trip of a lifetime.  I wish …

Well life is funny how things turn out.  The last time I was in India, I was 5 years old.  I have some select memories of things that happened.  I remember us boarding a train from one town to another.   We all got in except my dad.  He got left behind, for some reason.  I remember the look of panic on my mom’s face.  I remember eating Tang on the train.  Obviously my dad found us and all was well.  I remember us climbing stairs to my grandma’s apartment.  We knocked.  My dad’s mom, Takuma, as we called her, had no idea we were coming.  When she opened the door, there stood three kids.  She had never met us.  Then my dad came around the corner.  My grandma started to cry.  I love that memory.

My dad’s whole family, with the exception of one sister, still lives in India.  It is kind of weird to think that I have a whole bunch of aunts, uncles and cousins who I don’t know.  I love that through modern technology, Facebook, I have “seen” some of them.  I love that we can at least have a superficial relationship, with the occasional chatter.

It’s funny… for so many years, well for my whole life, I thought that so many of my parents quirks were just them.  You know how especially as a teen you see your parents as strange?  The funny thing is as my curiousity grows about all things Indian, I realize that so much of their quirks were really just part of their culture.

I can’t wait to go to India.  Soon… very soon… Well, here’s hoping!

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Jesus, Help me.

Happy New Years!

I haven’t been writing lately.  I even wondered if my blogging days are over and would it matter?  Partly because my computer in my office as been at the “shop being fixed” for a long while and I’m so frustrated with the whole process.  Then, there’s stuff that I really do want to blog about yet can’t really put that stuff out “there.”  So then, I wonder what the point is of writing nonsical stuff.  Is that a word… nonsical?  According to spell check, it isn’t!

How were your holidays? Was your Christmas merry?  How did you welcome in the New Year?  Ours this year was best described as low key.  (Well as low key as is allowed with six boys in the house).  Christmas, I already blogged about.  It was nice having Sanj around puttering for a few days.  Then there was the never-ending question of New Years.  What will we do?  Over the years, we have had a party, the boys invite friends for a sleep over and we have friends over.  Usually during the day, before the party, we rent ice and have a family skate.  This year, we (I) decided that we were going to be low key.  What low key meant, I wasn’t sure.  Part of of me wanted to be invited somewhere. (We hardly get invited… as a family… more on this later).  Whatever we did, I wanted it to be as a family.  (Well, Sammy was partying with friends… this is just a fact of life).

Finally, we decided to to to Whitby, pick up Sanj’s cousin (who is here from India, to live and staying at his parents house) and go see Mission Impossible in Imax.  Very cool.  Parts of it made my stomach sick- heights is obviously an issue for me!  We munched on movie theatre snacks, expensive but yucky pizza and enjoyed the show.  We, then opted to avoid the lines and crowds at restaurants and raided my mother-in-law’s fridge. We then came home, hung out on the sofa and watched Ryan Seacrest/Dick Clark’s Countdown.  Very low key.  I found that we seemed to all need the chillaxing.  Just like that, it was 2012!

New Years Day Sanj’s parents came to spend the night.  I feel the pressure of entertaining when they are here.   I think it was a God thing when the thought of home movies popped into my head.  Perfect!  We spent many hours watching the boys as babies, watching clips of Sanj’s family’s trip to India and getting excited about the thought of visiting there myself someday very soon.

It was interesting to watch some home movies of Sanj with his family before I was of any interest to him.  There is a home movie of the Christmas before me.  Then, 6 months later we would become a couple.  How weird it was to watch… How much has happened since then.  How much we went through together as a couple… the growing and maturing we did to become who we are today.  Sanj found it disturbing to watch.  There was a lot of drama over the years as my in-laws learned that I was here to stay… as we all learned our roles in the new version of family.

Sammy bought a friend that was a girl over to the house… who ended up going to the dinner and movies with us.  It was all fine.  She was a nice girl… as we chatted, Sanj looked at me and laughed and said, “You are going to be some mother-in-law.” Hum… was that a compliment? lol  I do pray that God blesses my boys with amazing ladies in their lives.  I do pray that we love each other and that these girls are loving, kind, gentle, generous, thoughtful, giving, exciting… to my boys.  My journey into marriage and learning to deal with all things in-laws has been quite a ride.  Until recently… not a pleasant one.  My mother-in-law never liked me.  Why? I dunno.  My short answer as I understand it is that I “took away” her son.  Never mind that we/he did everything to make it good… it was her mind set.  I suppose after we learned to turn the other cheek, we learned to let things roll off our back, it didn’t hurt so much.  Or maybe we got better at pretending it didn’t.  As we watched home videos, I noticed that BR (Before Reema) my mother in-law was a happy, it seemed, person.  AR (After Reema) she become unhappy.  All the time.  Hum… It’s hard not to take that personally.  Never mind that I made her son happy.

That whole mother/son relationship is a weird wacky one.  Even with my mom and my brother.  So… am I doomed?  I see/hear some talk of their MIL with love and affection.  I really hope that I will be one of those MIL.  I certainly lived thorough and understand the kind of MIL I don’t want to be.

And yet, as I watched my sons and the girls that seems to make their world go around… the certainly have interesting choices. HUM… So, as of lately, I find myself uttering, “Jesus, Help me.”

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