After 11 months of not a single blog post, I am need of some serious blog therapy. This is the second night of four nights that my hubs is out of town. It's his first big trip away from us since we have been back in S. Asia and my first time alone with all 5 of my munchkins for days without family there to help me. We've been back in S. Asia for 6 weeks (minus two weeks in Thailand), moved to a new city, new house, and just now able to start striving for some sort of routine.
I find I am talking to myself a lot these days. Narrating the experiences I have as I go, wishing I could connect my brain to a blog post instantly. It helps me to process by imagining I'm telling someone else what happened. I find myself laughing over things that could just as easily make me cry. So I've decided that it's not just enough to do it in my head. Others should have the joy of laughing with me, or at me, in many cases.
Coming back to S. Asia, after a 7 month stay in the States, has given me new eyes and a fresh perspective. We kind of have an ideal situation because we have the experience of our previous 3 years in India and all the familiarity with culture that comes with experience, yet we have a fresh start in a new city, new team of coworkers, and really, a whole new family.
We left S. Asia as a family of four, not knowing what the future would hold for us, but trusting God with all the uncertainties lying ahead. We've returned, somewhat miraculously, as a family of 7! We are all changed, and all experiencing more adjustments than we even realize. I am grateful for the fresh start in a new place. And I am amazed at my own change in attitude towards S. Asia and living here. When I look back at the emotions I had during those first couple years here, I am thankful I am not experiencing all those culture shock moments now. I get to have the newness and excitement, without the shock and awe of being totally 'green' to life here. Finally, I'm having my 'honeymoon' experience with the culture and living here.This change in attitude has also helped me to laugh at situations that are actually quite stressful. I hope that response continues as it's so much more enjoyable than crying!
After being back in the US, I also realize that my everyday situations and experiences are very different than my life in the US. And people actually want to know what it's like to live here, day in and day out. I hope to do a better job of sharing with others as things are fresh on my mind. So, big and small, humorous or horrifying, I am gonna share it all and hopefully find some therapy for myself along the way.
PS-a LOT has happened in this past nearly one year of 'blog neglect' (spent 7 months in America, had a baby, added two more kiddos to our crew, traveled a ton) and I do plan to fill in the gaps. It just might be a bit sporadic and random as I don't want to put off sharing things that are fresh on my mind for chronology's sake. I am still processing all that the Lord has done this past year and will write about it as I go.
OK, one quick funny story before I sign off and try to sleep a little in prep for another day of hearing "mom, mom, mom" 2,000 times...
A few days ago, I was home alone all day with the kiddos. Now, imagine my newly "settled" house (as in, I have the clean underwear in separate piles from the dirty AND I have what I need to serve my kids waffles and hard boiled eggs for nearly every meal)...It's mid morning, which means I am still in my pj's and glasses, looking amazing, while up in my room nursing Deacon. While nursing Deacon, I am also listening to two of my kids, who are on my bed, asking me to read a book to them, AND trying to correct and discipline (haha) my oldest son for doing something mean and awful. (For some reason he saw me weak at that moment and chose to resist his assigned 'time-out in your bed' instructions. He's a bright kid.) Then I get a phone call from my hubs, telling me that a pastor friend of his, whom I have yet to meet, is at our door, knocking, with his wife, and that I need to go answer the door. Yeah...good timing, or what? So I ever so graciously thanked my husband for this awesome news at this awesome timing (or some similar response), and made my way down stairs. I may have had to stay up a moment or two longer to check my attitude, pop a vein back into my forehead, wipe my sweaty brow and find a smile to put on my face. Despite not having anything but two rickety wooden chairs I bought at a junk market for them to sit on (and me on the floor), we had a really good impromptu visit (S. Asian norm) complete with chai (as a good S. Asian host I forced them to have), bananas, and biscuits (which I stuffed my face with as soon as they left.) After all, I was repeatedly scolded for not eating enough and looking too weak to take care of 5 children.
Not really sure what spiritual application I drew from this but I did learn some practical lessons. 1) People will drive two hours to see you without giving advance notice, so always be home and ready! 2) Get into decent clothes before 10 in the morning and at least brush your teeth. 3) Children have in an innate sense of when you're going to be asked to give another adult attention and when that sense is triggered, they will all fight for your attention and choose that time to disregard everything you say. 4) Don't even pretend to act like you have everything together, because it's obvious to everyone within earshot and eyesight that you are a sweaty mess, look like a bum in your pj's at 10am, and your children think you're a push over. (But your sweet baby adores you, so just enjoy it while it lasts and he's too sweet to disobey!)
OK, one quick funny story before I sign off and try to sleep a little in prep for another day of hearing "mom, mom, mom" 2,000 times...
A few days ago, I was home alone all day with the kiddos. Now, imagine my newly "settled" house (as in, I have the clean underwear in separate piles from the dirty AND I have what I need to serve my kids waffles and hard boiled eggs for nearly every meal)...It's mid morning, which means I am still in my pj's and glasses, looking amazing, while up in my room nursing Deacon. While nursing Deacon, I am also listening to two of my kids, who are on my bed, asking me to read a book to them, AND trying to correct and discipline (haha) my oldest son for doing something mean and awful. (For some reason he saw me weak at that moment and chose to resist his assigned 'time-out in your bed' instructions. He's a bright kid.) Then I get a phone call from my hubs, telling me that a pastor friend of his, whom I have yet to meet, is at our door, knocking, with his wife, and that I need to go answer the door. Yeah...good timing, or what? So I ever so graciously thanked my husband for this awesome news at this awesome timing (or some similar response), and made my way down stairs. I may have had to stay up a moment or two longer to check my attitude, pop a vein back into my forehead, wipe my sweaty brow and find a smile to put on my face. Despite not having anything but two rickety wooden chairs I bought at a junk market for them to sit on (and me on the floor), we had a really good impromptu visit (S. Asian norm) complete with chai (as a good S. Asian host I forced them to have), bananas, and biscuits (which I stuffed my face with as soon as they left.) After all, I was repeatedly scolded for not eating enough and looking too weak to take care of 5 children.
Not really sure what spiritual application I drew from this but I did learn some practical lessons. 1) People will drive two hours to see you without giving advance notice, so always be home and ready! 2) Get into decent clothes before 10 in the morning and at least brush your teeth. 3) Children have in an innate sense of when you're going to be asked to give another adult attention and when that sense is triggered, they will all fight for your attention and choose that time to disregard everything you say. 4) Don't even pretend to act like you have everything together, because it's obvious to everyone within earshot and eyesight that you are a sweaty mess, look like a bum in your pj's at 10am, and your children think you're a push over. (But your sweet baby adores you, so just enjoy it while it lasts and he's too sweet to disobey!)
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