Blessed

The Internet is down for the time being which should be fine but I'm wide awake at 2 a.m. so it would have been nice to be able to make some phone calls and check some things out on the World Wide Web but instead I'll just type up a blog to post later.

I gotta say, things are really going great! Now, before I sound all super-human, I have to preface this with the fact that I know there will be major hard times to come and I know we are not above culture shock and Delhi belly and days when we just want to come home but at this point we are taking it one day at a time and this day is great.

Not to say there aren't trials because there are. But, there are so many joys to go with those few trials that right now it hardly feels like a sacrifice.

We were blessed with a beautiful home! Sure, one toilet is a squatty potty, the power will go out unlimited times during the day (but we get an inverter to help with times like that), we get a fridge but it seems like it won't do much seeing as how the power will be out fairly often, but did I mention that the house is truly beautiful?! Something I really prayed for that I would be able to make my home feel like home and I am pleased to say that the prayer was answered.

Jason is totally in his element here. He's loving the challenge, making some really funny mistakes (I'll let him tell his own stories), and really just doing a great job as usual. I just love him!

And both girls are doing well! Kamden is tired, hot, and four. Four being the most difficult of those ;)! But she's doing great. And Kiley really seems to be loving it! Their favorite part of today was that mommy was their teacher (I taught science and gymnastics to all 5 girls today) and Kiley was most thankful that when her tummy hurt today that I cuddled her and made her feel better! So, I'm pleased with those few little accomplishments!

Jason spent most of the day at our new house listening to people "discuss" home improvement repairs in Hindi. It was quite humorous to try to ask a simple opinion of someone and that get turned into a few nationals arguing over where the curtains needed hung in a completely different room. Explanation needed? We were curious if a curtain was needed in the girls' bathroom. So, in English I asked "do you think we need a curtain in here?" So, to elaborate I pointed at the window I was discussing and then walked into the next room and pointed to the curtain that is already installed. And then pointed back at the other window. Simple enough? Nahi! (That means no, by the way, in Hindi! ;) Suddenly, there were 5 nationals crowded around using hand motions, talking all excitedly about that window in that room when that decision had already been settled! Ha! We just stood back, nodded, and smiled!

I did have one major accomplishment! I successfully asked my landlord's wife if I could watch her make chai! :) and I got across the point that "KamKam piar chai!" (KamKam loves chai!) That's what they all call her here because Kamden is too hard to say.

The girls are opening up to the landlord's little girl and Kamden at least let a few people hold her and give her hugs. She's four, people, what more do you expect! ;)

Like the name of a store here, "all is well"! Oh, and, by the way, the name of our town means "place of revival"! How cool is that!

So... Are we tired? Yes! Getting over a cold? Yes! Dealing with minor adjustment issues? Yes! Struggling with the silly dupatta falling off all the time? YES! But are we thankful to be here and excited about what's next?!? A resounding yes! It doesn't hurt that our team leaders are fantastic either! Or that we have amazing people praying for us constantly! So we are blessed! So very blessed!