Sleeping in Jeans

It's weird, but at almost every stressful/sad/uncertain juncture in our lives, my sisters and I have taken to wearing jeans to bed. We don't know why. You can be certain we've discussed it and come up with some theories, but in the end, it remains a bit of a mystery.

One possibility is that jeans make us feel secure or kind-of "hugged" in our sleep. Maybe we feel that we need that classic, cotton body-armor more in shaky times. Or maybe when we're a little torqued out of shape, we start to free-fall with self discipline. Curiously, sleeping in jeans tends to coincide with sleeping in mascara, and no one likes that.

All I know is, my sweet mother and mother-in-law have sent me several pairs of comfy/cute/practical pajamas since I've lived here. I've worn them on occasion and I'm darn thankful to have them.

But for the most part, I've been sleeping in jeans.

'Educational Fun'

While Cathy is staying with us, we've decided to watch American movies dubbed in Hindi since we all have to keep up with our studies no matter what. We've already watched Vertigo (Alfred Hitchcock) and it was fab. Tonight we're trying to decide on Gone With the Wind or Mission Impossible. What do you think?

Fun Times

My friend Cathy is here with me. The Typhoid One. She makes everything better. Plus! we got packages from Mamaw and Papaw, Shawn and Natalie, and Mimi and Papa. We are presently gorging on Dove chocolates, beef jerky, and reading People magazines feverishly (ok, that last one is just me). And Natalie, my hair is going to be shiny and gorgeous just as soon as J uses your color on it, so thank you. Thank you for keeping me in my thirties, when my hair clearly conspires to settle me firmly into the twilight years.

Bindi Baby

Does He...Need A Trim?

Problems...

We are having VISA issues. We have a baby plan, but it's young and immature, and needs to be fed every three to four hours to stay alive. There might be a way that you could help, other than praying (which is, of course, the most important thing). E-mail or Facebook me, if you'd like to know more about it...Love to all.

Because I Promised

At the engagement ceremony.

At the actual wedding ceremony. We all had to cover our heads.

The boys with their little Sikh buddy.

At the reception.

Trying to stay warm inside the hotel. It was freezing outside.

Laaaate at night, by this time, and trying to stay near the fire stand.

Wearing celebration garlands.

They had a great time.

Testimony

I want to take a moment to testify to God's goodness in my life.

One of the things I grieved most when I came to India was the knowledge that I'd miss the birth of my little niece. My sisters and I have shared, in some form or other, in the birth of every one of our seven children. Little Juliet would make number eight, and I knew that she'd be born without me.

Last night, we arrived in our city after a whirlwind week in Delhi. We were tired and a little sick. But I knew that Miriam would be in the hospital soon and that I needed to make contact, so I Skyped her. I got to talk with her about her pre-labor fears, about Braxton-Hicks contractions as opposed to 'productive' ones, about stretch marks...Just like I was there.

I fell asleep and woke up the next morning, anxious to call her again. The baby still hadn't come, but I got to talk with my sister again for an hour and a half. You know, the kind of mundane, distract-you-so-you-don't-focus-on-contractions talk that we'd have if I were holding her hand in the hospital room.

Finally, we decided she needed to rest, so we got off of Skype. In the meantime, the electricity in our apartment went out and I thought I'd be unable to talk to Miriam for who-knows-how-long. I thought, on a whim, that I'd call her using my cellphone, just to see if she was still ok. Nate answered the phone and told me that Juliet had been born moments ago and that it had been the easiest, most painless delivery ever.

Miriam was so happy, the baby was screaming in the background and I heard it all. Suddenly, the power came back on in our apartment, and I Skyped her immediately. My entire family got to see little Juliet over Skype, and we laughed and cried, and declared her Most Adorable of Babies.

And the best part? We were the only family members to get to see her, only minutes old, and we live in India.

Thank you, Jesus. What a sweet gift you have given me. Once again I realize that my life is in your hands.

It Was Good While It Lasted

We are headed back to our city tomorrow morning. Our time in Delhi was fun/stressful/productive/exhausting/worth it. I am so thankful to the Lord for what He accomplished during this time. And I'm thankful for Subway.

I'll post pictures of the blow-out wedding events we attended just as soon as I can get them edited and ready.

Thanks so much for all the prayers. By the way, my sister is about to have her second daughter any day now. Would you ask for the world's easiest/safest delivery? She deserves it.

Love!

Yes!

Our Hindi tests went great! Thank you, thank you, thank you for your prayers.

Whirlwind

So far, friends visited, beef consumed (at Hard Rock Cafe!), fancy stuff purchased for wedding. Check. Hindi test still to be taken (tomorrow morning), more friends to connect with, and actual wedding still to come...It's a whirlwind trip, but it sure is fun.

Ok...

We made it. Whew! More later.

Delhi

Tomorrow we leave for the capital city to A) attend a Sikh wedding, B) take a language exam, C) meet with our boss, D) meet some dear friends, and E) eat at the Hard Rock Cafe.

Please pray that we arrive safely as J will be driving, and driving in Delhi is...well...it's special. Also, we want to be faithful in this opportunity we've been given to share the Light we have. Finally, we want to rock this language exam. It happens on the 19th. Would you lift us up during this next week?

Thanks so much.

It Was That Kind of Day...

One Rainy Winter Morning

PTL!!!!

Cathy's MRI showed that her brain looks normal (insert huge sigh of relief). The doctor said that the swelling on her optic nerve is just a side-effect of a very bad case of typhoid. Everyone has told her that she should have come in and been treated earlier, but Cathy is a nurse and is, as I like to say, "hardcore."

Please continue to pray that she'd bounce back quickly from typhoid, as hers is a bad case and it often takes weeks to completely heal from it. Pray that she'll be encouraged as she waits things out. She's being released from the hospital today.

Thank you all for caring!

Cathy

I have a dear friend and co-laborer here who has come down with Typhoid Fever. She has spent several days in the hospital but was told she couldn't be released because she was seeing black spots. When she had her eyes checked, the test showed that she has a lot of pressure in her eyes. This means she has pressure in her brain. She went for an MRI today, and she'll receive the results (hopefully) soon.

Oh, please pray for this girl. She's one of my dearest friends and she has seen me through some tough times in India. I'm swallowing a lump in my throat as I type this. She has a sweet spirit and a sincere faith. She spent most of our conversation a few minutes ago consoling me. Just please pray.

Different

I don't like interacting with people I don't know very well. I kind-of hide from the ones I do like here. Is that bad when our business is people? I already know...

I need help to be a different kind of person.

Lost in Translation

We try to teach our kids to respect one another. We believe that men should respect women, and women should respect men. Grown-ups should love and understand their children, and children should obey their parents and honor them. So why do I hear conversations like this?

C: Stop it, G. You aren't respecting me! And when you grow up, you won't respect your husband.

G: Nuh uh. I just don't respect you, that's all.

C: Well, I'm...I'm...When I grow up, I'm gonna marry a really aggressive wife and tell her to beat you.

Oh my goodness. Something went terribly wrong.

Dangerous

We have a slow pace of life in our house. We talk a lot, read a lot, talk some more. It's the way we do things. Often it's when I listen with half an ear that my kids feel free to bare their souls, intimate their greatest fears. We have conversations like this one:

Oldest Boy: Mom, do you know what the most dangerous sport is--I mean, in the world?

Me (busy puttering around): Um, no. Let me guess...fencing? Bear wrestling?

OB: No, Mom. It's ballet. My teacher told me that you can land wrong after a jump and crush your feet and mess up your legs. It's the most dangerous. And that is why (moment of silence for increased effect) I will never do ballet. Never in the universe.

Check that off my list.

The Beautiful Side

Me and My Friends

Our Hindi Week

Our makeshift classroom/dining room

On break.

Gracie loves these two.

Being silly.

They were so much fun (even when they were scrambling our brains!)

Our dignified teacher in a 'lighter' moment--wearing a redneck hat with long hair. Sooooo ugly.

Day Five

Day five: Hindi mumbled, Hindi understood, head foggy, eyes heavy, law of diminishing returns, thanking God for these friends.

Day Four

Day four: Hindi spoken, Hindi understood, Hindi improved, Hindi loved, Hindi forgotten, Hindi hated--again, Hindi nemesis. Friendship going strong. Day. almost. done.

Day three

Day three: Hindi spoken, head pulsing, eye twitching, dead (bilingual) man walking, day survived. Friendship thriving.

Day Two

Day two: Hindi spoken, Hindi botched, Hindi reviewed, Hindi loved, Hindi hated. Friendship remains.

Day One

Day one down. Hindi spoken, food made and eaten. Friendships solidified. Good day.

It's Coming and I Hope It's Good

We have a big week ahead of us. Our Hindi teacher and his family will be here in the morning, and that will usher in several days of all-day Hindi speaking, all-day Hindi learning, and lots and lots of chai. We are excited about it. Of course, it's coming off of two weeks of having other guests (and we loved it!).

I guess I'm saying what I often say: we need your prayers. That our kids will behave themselves when both Mom and Dad are studying, that our guests won't freeze in their (very cold) hotel rooms, that the time will honor the Lord, that we'll learn tons of Hindi...

I'll let you know how it goes...

p.s. 'bout to get my nose pierced for the fourth time. Good times...