Just wanted to share a few things I'm grateful for...
1. Spots for both the kids opened at the school nearby (have been on the waiting list for 10 months)! They start there on Wednesday. This is wonderful because it's a better option in so many ways. There are lots of families in our community with kids there.
2. Merry Christmas to me! I bought an oven. A real one. Though I am rather proud of the stunts I pulled off with our toaster oven (3 birthday cakes, many rounds of muffins, cookies--6 at a time, etc.), I am extremely glad to have a larger one for holiday baking and more. It's in the laundry room and I can use either the washer OR the oven, but I am happy to put laundry on hold.
3. I had a great appointment with an OB who's very nearby. She is from India and has recently returned after being trained and working in the UK for years. She is excellent, competent, and pleasant. She answered all my questions, reviewed my US charts and made pertinent observations. I am so grateful and relieved.
4. Felt the delight of the baby moving for the first time.
Thanks for sharing my joys.
Monday, December 7, 2009
Advent in India
I am aware that it's only December 7th and my thoughts may change as Christmas nears and as friends leave. But for now, I have to say we have really enjoyed Advent here.
Living in a predominantly Hindu culture, we are really responsible for our own celebration of Advent and Christmas. It's been a good exercise in intention and also an opportunity to strengthen our traditions without the onslaught of commercial American Christmas and the general busyness of the festive season. We're enjoying our Jesse Tree advent wreath, lighting the candles and reading together each morning as that's our family time together. It's been easier to do this consistently as other years have found us busy with evening activities.
We've loved reading all our Christmas books and listening to Christmas music.
We are grateful for the loan of a small, lit Christmas tree! And decorations for it (from another family!), too. I brought decor but didn't bring a tree or ornaments. I am so glad for these loans.
At the same time, it feels odd to wear flip flops and sleep with the windows open... to feel no climatic indication of seasonal change. It's odd to eat gingerbread in 75 degree weather. Don't get me wrong; the climate here is lovely and comfortable. But we do miss the seasonality, the change in foods, the change in light... snow... and fellowship with you, our dear friends and family.
Will send out a digital card soon... and would LOVE to receive your cards. If you need our address, please email me. It is a huge boost to receive mail from home.
p.s. Though most (read: all) foreigners around here head home for the winter holidays, we'll be in Bangalore through Christmas and then travel east to the beach, joined by my brother and sister-in-law.
Living in a predominantly Hindu culture, we are really responsible for our own celebration of Advent and Christmas. It's been a good exercise in intention and also an opportunity to strengthen our traditions without the onslaught of commercial American Christmas and the general busyness of the festive season. We're enjoying our Jesse Tree advent wreath, lighting the candles and reading together each morning as that's our family time together. It's been easier to do this consistently as other years have found us busy with evening activities.
We've loved reading all our Christmas books and listening to Christmas music.
We are grateful for the loan of a small, lit Christmas tree! And decorations for it (from another family!), too. I brought decor but didn't bring a tree or ornaments. I am so glad for these loans.
At the same time, it feels odd to wear flip flops and sleep with the windows open... to feel no climatic indication of seasonal change. It's odd to eat gingerbread in 75 degree weather. Don't get me wrong; the climate here is lovely and comfortable. But we do miss the seasonality, the change in foods, the change in light... snow... and fellowship with you, our dear friends and family.
Will send out a digital card soon... and would LOVE to receive your cards. If you need our address, please email me. It is a huge boost to receive mail from home.
p.s. Though most (read: all) foreigners around here head home for the winter holidays, we'll be in Bangalore through Christmas and then travel east to the beach, joined by my brother and sister-in-law.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Train trip to Mangalore
Shae and Hannah went to a Target employee's wedding in Mangalore a few weeks ago. Matthew and I stayed home as we were recovering from nasty colds and a sinus infection. It was an overnight (11 hour) trip there and then an 11-hour daytime trip to return. The city of Mangalore is due west of Bangalore on the coast. Hannah loved the wedding, saying that seeing the bride was the highlight. She also enjoyed the beach and special time with Daddy.
The photos show the beautiful foliage and terrain of the Western Ghats (mountains), my crazy husband letting my daughter lean off of the platform, the toilet, a train that perished at the bottom of a ravine.
The photos show the beautiful foliage and terrain of the Western Ghats (mountains), my crazy husband letting my daughter lean off of the platform, the toilet, a train that perished at the bottom of a ravine.
Hannah's End-of-the-Year Ballet Show
Here are some shots from Hannah's ballet show. She LOVES to dance. At this point, it's the fun of the tutu, the music and the pinkness. She had a wonderful time and her brother was pretty cute in the audience.
Indian finery
This is the saree I bought to attend a wedding last month. Sadly, I wasn't able to go, but finally tried it on (mostly for you, Mom :)).
Will post some photos of Shae & Hannah's train trip to the wedding soon.
Will post some photos of Shae & Hannah's train trip to the wedding soon.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Snakes in India
Snakes have been on my mind recently. We see them occasionally. A water snake (not poisonous) was caught in a neighbor's garden across the street last week. A cobra was caught on the driveway of the kids' school several weeks ago. Saw a snake slither across an empty lot yesterday. The photos in the adjoining post are from another Target family who lives 1 street away... this snake was found in their garage in October. I have been very wary of entering our garage since. Apparently, though, snakes come in only during certain seasons (monsoon, when eggs hatch, etc.). Still, I'm not terribly reassured. Many people living nearer to water or with big gardens find them in their homes occasionally. Happily, we are in neither category.
What's been interesting is the response of people here to snakes.
Snakes are considered good luck and are actively worshiped in Hinduism.
An excerpt from Wikipedia:
Snake worship refers to the high status of snakes or (nagas) in Hindu mythology. Nāga (Sanskrit:नाग) is the Sanskrit and Pāli word for a deity or class of entity or being, taking the form of a very large snake, found in Hinduism and Buddhism. The use of the term nāga is often ambiguous, as the word may also refer, in similar contexts, to one of several human tribes known as or nicknamed "Nāgas"; to elephants; and to ordinary snakes, particularly the King Cobra and the Indian Cobra, the latter of which is still called nāg in Hindi and other languages of India. A female nāga is a nāgī. The Snake primarily represents rebirth, death and mortality, due to its casting of its skin and being symbolically "reborn". Over a large part of India there are carved representations of cobras or nagas or stones as substitutes. To these human food and flowers are offered and lights are burned before the shrines. Among the Dravidians a cobra which is accidentally killed is burned like a human being; no one would kill one intentionally. The serpent-god's image is carried in an annual procession by a celibate priestess.
Another informative site:
http://hubpages.com/hub/THE-SNAKE-GODS-OF-HINDUISM
What's been interesting is the response of people here to snakes.
Snakes are considered good luck and are actively worshiped in Hinduism.
An excerpt from Wikipedia:
Snake worship refers to the high status of snakes or (nagas) in Hindu mythology. Nāga (Sanskrit:नाग) is the Sanskrit and Pāli word for a deity or class of entity or being, taking the form of a very large snake, found in Hinduism and Buddhism. The use of the term nāga is often ambiguous, as the word may also refer, in similar contexts, to one of several human tribes known as or nicknamed "Nāgas"; to elephants; and to ordinary snakes, particularly the King Cobra and the Indian Cobra, the latter of which is still called nāg in Hindi and other languages of India. A female nāga is a nāgī. The Snake primarily represents rebirth, death and mortality, due to its casting of its skin and being symbolically "reborn". Over a large part of India there are carved representations of cobras or nagas or stones as substitutes. To these human food and flowers are offered and lights are burned before the shrines. Among the Dravidians a cobra which is accidentally killed is burned like a human being; no one would kill one intentionally. The serpent-god's image is carried in an annual procession by a celibate priestess.
Another informative site:
http://hubpages.com/hub/THE-SNAKE-GODS-OF-HINDUISM
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