Last week was a hectic week, school pictures, back to school night, LOTS of work in the office, getting used to new schedules with the kids. September from that view point is a busy month! First day of school was Sep 9th.
We came back from a vacation in Poona, India on Sep 6th where are last week was filled with things we never planned for! Rohun was sick with high fevers, dehydration & tonselitis & ended up being admitted to a hospital for 2 days. There was a lot of support from family & friends. Since mine was a part work part vacation time in Poona, my original plan was to take the last week off & just shop & pack & finish tying up some lose ends on things for my parents. All that went right out the window. Rohun's doctor the best pediatrician in Pune (Dr. Anand Pandit) & his team provided excellent care but had reservations on our long flight to the US the day after he was released. Rohun was an excellent sport through it all - had the IV going for 2 days, had to have it transferred from one hand to the other, loved the attention he got & wondered if he could use a wheelchair to go a great south indian restaurant right across this hospital. This place called Shalini was owned by a neighbor & I have fond memories of that family as we were growing up. He also had great suggestions on how the hospital staff could go about their work more efficiently as he was quietly observing them go about their work :-)
The previous Saturday we had a family get together with some members of my parent's prayer group. We had a great time meeting & fellowshiping with everybody followed by delicious biriyani & cake! That day Rohun also participated in a local chess tournament & fared well - but it was a long day for him & that night he became sick.
Our entire time in Pune this time is filled with beautiful memories, meeting some folks we don't normally get to - eating GREAT food - so fresh & tasty its really awesome! Kids had the best time with my parents, my Dad who was still weak from his bout of sickness the previous month was at the beck & call of his oh-so-precious grandkids, taking them for art classes, getting them fresh mithai & treats every single day!
I took the kids to visit Mukti mission - had blogged about this place when I visited it last December. I did not influence them too much on my feelings for this institution because I wanted them to make their own opinions. These kids went beyond my expectations in their compassion & impressions of this wonderful place! When we landed in Poona we prayed that on this visit Lord show us things we need to see through your eyes, ways in which we can make a difference. Even in large cities & little suburbs there is so much that I wanted my kids to experience - how many of the less fortunate live, how the fabric of society is so varied, what values do people have, how they relate to each other & contrast it to their own with the ultimate desire to enrich their life with experiences in different parts of God's World! I will post the article that Rutha whipped out in 2 hours after our short trip separately.
We also went on a short trek to Purander Fort - a short drive from Pune - a place we learnt in our history books but never visited! The place reminded you of Ireland - green, mossy, wet & muddy.
The trip was thanks to a family friend who took us there with his family - they work for Campus Crusade in Poona with teens & young adults - taking them on treks to this place too. The fort area also had a church which is now just a bare building covered in rich vines & moss.
We had a great time at Nisarg - a seafood restaurant in Poona with my brother Vijay & his family. Although I worked from there I enjoyed every minute of the weekend with family & friends - enjoying their fantastic hospitality & good food!
This summer before our India trip was a very busy one. Lots of fun activities with for the kids, great times with my mother who was here for 7 weeks, a trip to Toronto to visit my sister & cousins. Rutha went to 3 week John's Hopkins Center for Talented Youth camp on Introduction to Biomedical Science at Carlisle, PA. It was a awesome time for her - she learnt so much & it triggered some exciting interests in higher gear for her - she researches diseases, symptoms, cures with passion now. She made good friends & it was overall an excellent experience for her! Another great week was the time she spent at a LIFE conference in Bethel, PA. Last November Rutha submitted a story titled "Above the Clouds" and this summer she received 5 printed copies of it! The story is about a racy kid adventure funny & pretty cool - believe it or not I only got to read the published copy this summer so was pleasantly impressed. She wrote this book in about a week - 25000 words - and finished it literally 20 minutes before the competition deadline. The one thing that I am so blessed to see in her is the way she totally makes the most of her opportunities! She gets 100% out of it every time! Knowing how I am now its quite a feat & I hope it lasts for her lifetime :-)!
On the knitting front, my other great love, I am currently working on a baby blanket for a dear friend & his wife who are expecting their first child anytime now! Rutha has been whipping out these lovely scarves! I finished the Milk Run Shawl for Varsha, whom I had a great time with when she visited in July. July also saw the culmination of a long Indian dance journey by friend's adorable daughter. Its years of training that ends with a 3 hour performance - just like the finish of a marathon! She was superb in her performance clearly showing complete mastery of the art!!
Finally, feel a bit caught up with documenting my life over the past few months every moment of which I am deeply grateful for - the good times & the bad times that have taught me lot!
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