Apparently the first week of July is a monumental one for me, according to FB history, anyway. Lots of emotions through the years... 6 & 7 years ago I was missing my baby girl when she visited her dad... Another time she went to Ohio to visit big Savannah. 4 years ago I was packing up my house into storage and prepping for a journey overseas. 3 years ago we were nicely settled in Chennai with a great church family and doing voice recordings for a film. I was enjoying work and our Indian life. The normalcy of chaos, structure of the night shift, and dependability of the Indian Stretchable Time. I learned patience, tolerance, and love, among other great life lessons. I learned to miss and appreciate my family, friends & home country. Then 2 years ago I packed it all up and headed back to Texas. Dynamo flew in his little bag and Savannah returned to a new norm. Not a norm I like or appreciate, but at 19 I don't have much say in that. There are emotional roller coasters in early July for me annually, it seems. Last year we started talking about buying a new home and this year I reflect in the home we decided on. There is much I miss from India. 2 years immersed in a very different culture gave me a love for spicy ftoods, sarees, elephants and bright colors. I miss my time with Sav but appreciate being home with Michael, close to my parents, and having the ability to keep my nieces for a night (and drop them right back off! Haha) Seeing the history of days documented by life in social media provides smiles, tears and "oh, yeahs!" While I'm a true believer that it's more important to stay focused on today and the future, I also know we should learn from the past to help avoid repeating mistakes and remind us how strong we can be, no matter what life throws our way. I'm missing India today. I'm missing Savannah today. I'm thankful our little doggy is well-traveled and we have a novelty story (or 20!) to go with him and his time with us in India. I'm thankful I still work with some of the best Indian friends a crazy American girl could ask for, and I'm just as thankful that those same friends enjoy working with me. I know ill get back to India soon. Not soon enough, and not for long enough, but soon. I'll eat biryani, Moti, visit Home church and hug some of my favorite people on this planet. But for now, I'll go hug my husband and eat some Tex-Mex, because that's not a half bad day on this side of the world...
Thursday, July 7, 2016
Tuesday, August 18, 2015
A Year in Retrospect. A Year of Ups, Downs, and Savannah.
It's been a while since I wrote... Over a year. But thoughts have been weighing on my mind and my heart. Nudges via friends on FB and in person led me back to the blog. So, what's gone on in a year? Here's a very high level detail for those of you not on FB or would like a reminder.
Savannah was getting a little resentful of the lack of time we were spending together. And hurt. But a teenager returning from a two-year stint overseas is going through a lot of emotions. Reverse culture shock. Learning where she fits in and feeling like it's not a lot of places or crowds that it used to be. She didn't communicate that she was hurting very often. We had a few nights of tears and tried to schedule time together, but she didn't like me having to "pencil her in" and became more and more distant. She worked lots and found reasons to be away. While I was in India, she was caught smoking pot with a friend. That was rough. 10,000 miles away with her in the responsibility of my parents and that message came through. Not a happy few days. I returned, we talked. Well, mostly I talked and she said it was a one-off. A few days passed and she was caught, again, smoking pot, but with another friend. It's a sad feeling when, as a parent, you realize your child is the common denominator of bad behavior. Illegal behavior. Irresponsible and disrespectful behavior. Savannah was grounded much of November and most of December, and spent weeks at my parent's house in an effort to avoid being home with Michael and me.
Time passed and January found her back in our home, against her will, but knowing she's my daughter, my responsibility and not for my parents to be handling during this difficult time.
She worked lots and lots of hours and didn't drive or have a car, so she had to be shuttled around from work to school and back again. She was not around much at all and began to disconnect more and more from family. Savannah didn't want to face her feelings so she escaped through marijuana use. She was hurt, sad, angry. Mostly at me, I suppose. I moved back and picked up right where I left off. I have the same terrific group of friends, a job I love, a wonderful husband and an amazing family. It wasn't hard for me to come back to all this. Savannah missed her church family she left in India. She missed precious Prasansha who passed in November, 2013. She missed the constant togetherness and friendship we had created in India. She probably missed her dad, too, but that's another blog.
Savannah has chosen to disconnect from her family and church friends and is now living with another friend about 45 minutes away from our home. I have seen her only twice since she left in May, both times when she was coming to pick up some of her belongings or furniture we were giving to her. She is angry... doesn't want to be "judged"... doesn't answer emails anymore.
I miss my girl. I cry when I am still long enough to let myself think. I stay busy during the week because it's easier. The weekends are hardest. When Haley is with us and we are out running errands sometimes it's all I can do to keep it together. Those were the things I did with Savannah. The little things. The family dinners to celebrate birthdays. The dance recitals for my nieces. Sunday lunch after church or a pedicure treat together. I miss my girl. Michael walks in a room and finds me crying. Often. He used to ask why, and sometimes still does, but, for the most part, he just knows now. I miss my girl. Every day. I check my email 100 times a day hoping she will reply. I watch FB for an update. A glimpse of hope that she's coming back around. Back to the mom and family that loves her so much.
She's lost. I pray for her every day. I pray for God to keep her safe - wrap His arms around her and protect her, even in the darkest choices she might be making. I pray for her heart to soften. Forgiveness to creep in, bitterness to seep out, love and happiness and joy to replace the anger, sadness and hurt she is feeling. For FEELINGS to be allowed back into her life. To quit numbing her emotions with vices and work through the pain. To come back to Jesus.
Lots of love and joyful times and memories made over the last year. Lots of sadness, fear and hurt, too. I am thankful that I have a relationship with Jesus, because there are lots of conversations going on. Some angry, some desperate, and some rambling. He knows my heart and He knows the plan. I take comfort in Jeremiah 29:11 and remind myself His plan is there.
I am not sure why I felt the need to write all this, but maybe someone else out there is struggling with someone they love. I know I am not alone in this, and sometimes it helps to have a reminder. I am comforted through stories of friends who overcame their addictions or bad teenage-year choices. I am hopeful when someone tells me about someone they know and love who went through trials and came out stronger. Is it human nature to feel isolated, yet long to know there's someone else enduring a similar struggle? I don't know the answer, but I know if you are having a hard time in life, you aren't alone. Talk to someone. Don't turn to vices and don't disconnect from your family and, if you're a Christian, your savior. You are loved.
- July, 2014 - Savannah and I returned from our 2 year life in India to my parent's home in Spring, Texas until our container arrived.
- September, 2014 - Savannah and I moved back into our home in Spring when our container arrived. This was smack dab in the middle of a two-week workshop I was attending in Copenhagen, Denmark, so the frequent flyer miles were in full force.
- October, 2014 - Michael and I were married. It was one of the happiest days of my life and I thank God every day for sending this wonderful man to me. Second chances are a wonderful thing.
- November, 2014 - My boss and I spent 10 days in India visiting our Safmarine teams in Chennai (I got a weekend with friends out of this, too!), Pune and Mumbai. It was great to go back and see friends from work and church... and eat biriyani.
- January, 2015 - Michael and I honeymooned in California, starting in SoCal - Ventura - and heading up the coast along beautiful PCH and spending a weekend in the mountains, then back to LA.
- May, 2015 - Savannah turned 18. My baby girl decided she was no longer a baby and was making some very adult decisions. She decided to move out and start her life as an adult. (more to come...)
- June, 2015 - Michael and I decided to look for a new home to make our own. We are currently in the house I have lived in since Savannah was a month old. Traffic is a nightmare and it would probably do us both some good to start fresh, so we started looking around.
- Present - we have an offer on a house in Conroe and if all goes well, we will be in this time next month.
Savannah was getting a little resentful of the lack of time we were spending together. And hurt. But a teenager returning from a two-year stint overseas is going through a lot of emotions. Reverse culture shock. Learning where she fits in and feeling like it's not a lot of places or crowds that it used to be. She didn't communicate that she was hurting very often. We had a few nights of tears and tried to schedule time together, but she didn't like me having to "pencil her in" and became more and more distant. She worked lots and found reasons to be away. While I was in India, she was caught smoking pot with a friend. That was rough. 10,000 miles away with her in the responsibility of my parents and that message came through. Not a happy few days. I returned, we talked. Well, mostly I talked and she said it was a one-off. A few days passed and she was caught, again, smoking pot, but with another friend. It's a sad feeling when, as a parent, you realize your child is the common denominator of bad behavior. Illegal behavior. Irresponsible and disrespectful behavior. Savannah was grounded much of November and most of December, and spent weeks at my parent's house in an effort to avoid being home with Michael and me.
Time passed and January found her back in our home, against her will, but knowing she's my daughter, my responsibility and not for my parents to be handling during this difficult time.
She worked lots and lots of hours and didn't drive or have a car, so she had to be shuttled around from work to school and back again. She was not around much at all and began to disconnect more and more from family. Savannah didn't want to face her feelings so she escaped through marijuana use. She was hurt, sad, angry. Mostly at me, I suppose. I moved back and picked up right where I left off. I have the same terrific group of friends, a job I love, a wonderful husband and an amazing family. It wasn't hard for me to come back to all this. Savannah missed her church family she left in India. She missed precious Prasansha who passed in November, 2013. She missed the constant togetherness and friendship we had created in India. She probably missed her dad, too, but that's another blog.
Savannah has chosen to disconnect from her family and church friends and is now living with another friend about 45 minutes away from our home. I have seen her only twice since she left in May, both times when she was coming to pick up some of her belongings or furniture we were giving to her. She is angry... doesn't want to be "judged"... doesn't answer emails anymore.
I miss my girl. I cry when I am still long enough to let myself think. I stay busy during the week because it's easier. The weekends are hardest. When Haley is with us and we are out running errands sometimes it's all I can do to keep it together. Those were the things I did with Savannah. The little things. The family dinners to celebrate birthdays. The dance recitals for my nieces. Sunday lunch after church or a pedicure treat together. I miss my girl. Michael walks in a room and finds me crying. Often. He used to ask why, and sometimes still does, but, for the most part, he just knows now. I miss my girl. Every day. I check my email 100 times a day hoping she will reply. I watch FB for an update. A glimpse of hope that she's coming back around. Back to the mom and family that loves her so much.
She's lost. I pray for her every day. I pray for God to keep her safe - wrap His arms around her and protect her, even in the darkest choices she might be making. I pray for her heart to soften. Forgiveness to creep in, bitterness to seep out, love and happiness and joy to replace the anger, sadness and hurt she is feeling. For FEELINGS to be allowed back into her life. To quit numbing her emotions with vices and work through the pain. To come back to Jesus.
Lots of love and joyful times and memories made over the last year. Lots of sadness, fear and hurt, too. I am thankful that I have a relationship with Jesus, because there are lots of conversations going on. Some angry, some desperate, and some rambling. He knows my heart and He knows the plan. I take comfort in Jeremiah 29:11 and remind myself His plan is there.
I am not sure why I felt the need to write all this, but maybe someone else out there is struggling with someone they love. I know I am not alone in this, and sometimes it helps to have a reminder. I am comforted through stories of friends who overcame their addictions or bad teenage-year choices. I am hopeful when someone tells me about someone they know and love who went through trials and came out stronger. Is it human nature to feel isolated, yet long to know there's someone else enduring a similar struggle? I don't know the answer, but I know if you are having a hard time in life, you aren't alone. Talk to someone. Don't turn to vices and don't disconnect from your family and, if you're a Christian, your savior. You are loved.
Tuesday, August 5, 2014
An Update from the USA
It's been nearly a month since my last post... I was emotional and weepy the last time I wrote. This time I am emotional and weepy. Some things never change. It reality, though, quite a lot has changed since we got back to Texas. We are staying with my parents until our container arrives and our house is vacant. Savannah, Dynamo and I are bunking with Mom, Dad, and their two dogs, ChiChi the alpha-female chihuahua, and Wiggles, the mentally challenged Yorkie. Their dogs bark. A lot. At nothing and at everything. My dog is learning some not so great life lessons from these pups. I am a little leery about taking him to our house at the end of this month. Sigh. Savannah and I are getting pretty spoiled by my mom. She is cooking breakfasts and brewing coffee and packing lunches and making dinners and doing laundry. It's kind of like being back at the Leela, but with a couple of yappy dogs. And my dad is driving Savannah around everywhere, which is kind of like having our little Murugesan back, except he speaks English and wants to talk a lot so there's no tuning out and jamming to the music on the phone or staring at Facebook while Dad is driving. I have to drive myself back and forth to work. And anywhere else during the week. It's awful. I miss Murugesan. On the weekends, though, I get to hand Michael the keys and hop in the passenger seat, which makes me really happy. I do not have tea or coffee delivered to my desk twice a day, but I can walk to the coffee machine and get my own whenever I want, which is almost as good. I am learning lots of great and terrific things about the world of exports and all about the new company that I am working for. Although still under our AP Moller umbrella, Safmarine has a different flavor and I am really enjoying it. The team welcomed me with open arms and they are teaching me all kinds of awesome stuff I never knew about the other side of the business. It's exhilarating and exciting and makes the days go by SO DANG FAST! Outside of work, I am busy annoying my best friend/wedding coordinator by making as few decisions about our wedding as possible. She is about ready to throw me off a bridge because she wants to know about the details... and I am SO not the details girl. My motto has been, "I don't care, just make it pretty. Oh and less expensive. Make it less expensive." She might revoke my BFF-ness if I don't watch out. In other news, Savannah has joined the ranks of the college-bound. Many thanks to the BFF's mom, Erin, she enrolled in FOUR classes at Lone Star, which is our local community college, for those not familiar. She will take English, Algebra, Intro to College all on campus on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and then Music Appreciation online. I am really proud of her, as she was only wanting to take 1 or maybe 2 classes, so this is a stretch, but I think it will be really good for her. She's been having a tough time since we got back home... I have been going non-stop between work and wedding and just having a lot to do and not enough time, and our time together has been lacking. She feels disconnected and a bit lost with her identity. Most teens probably go through this after graduation, but I think hers is coupled with being back in the US and seeing some of her friends going off to college while others are readying for their senior year. She's jumped feet first back into the youth group at our church, which is great, but is still searching for exactly where she fits in these days. She misses the kids and our church family from India. She was putting off job hunting because "when I get a job that means India is really over..." And the only thing I could tell her was that India really WAS over, at least for this season of her life. If she pursues this teaching degree she is beginning with and winds up overseas to teach English like she says she wants to, then India could be back in her future. Yes, we had a great time and made some wonderful memories and friends of a lifetime, but for now we are back in Texas and we have to move forward. There are a lot of great memories and friends to be made here as well. With that conversation and some tears behind us, we set out to find my girl a part time job. She has an interview tomorrow afternoon and is babysitting for a friend for a couple weeks in the meantime. My girl needs structure in her life, so working and school are just what the doctor ordered. I'll ask for your prayers to help her acclimate back to American living and feeling more at peace with her transition into adulthood.
Hmm what else? One of the things that is so different to me is the amount of variety. Too many options. I needed a refillable cup for my water at work. I ran into a store to pick up a plastic cup with a lid that won't sweat. I was overwhelmed and frustrated with all the options. Every different color lid you can imagine. Different patterns from colleges to football teams to abstract designs or butterflies or owls or... well, just about everything. I just wanted a cup. Seriously. Take me back to India where I don't have a choice and I take what I get and it probably leaks. LOL I just stood there and looked and looked and looked. It was like I was frozen in time and could not make a decision. I ultimately decided on a tall cup with peacock feathers and a light blue lid. Very Indian, after all was said and done. Ironic.
And staying with my parents is great, being spoiled and spending some quality time that we missed for two years, but it's lacking the quiet solitude we often had at our flat in Padur. There is usually a niece or two running around or a dog barking or the TV blaring an old John Wayne or America's Ninja Master or whatever that ridiculous show is that seems to play every.single.night.of.my.life. I try to find a quiet corner of the bedroom or escape to the porch if it's not too hot out, but sometimes there just isn't an escape and that, too, is overwhelming. Sometimes I just need quiet time. If only I enjoyed driving... then I could probably happily drive myself somewhere for the peace of it. Oh, well...
So, yes, there are some things Savannah and I miss from India. Biriani. Our church family and friends. Simplicity. Peace in the midst of chaos. Set dinner plans after church and not having to make a decision about where we would go. Comfort... repetition... the norm. We have to make a new norm, but it feels as though that is out of our reach at the moment. The end of this month, while I know it will approach rapidly, seems just past our fingertips and too difficult to imagine just yet.
I don't know if I will continue to blog or not. It's been so busy, but I had a lot on my mind, so thought I'd put it out there. I'll take it one week at a time. In the meantime, here's a side note - I have been very out of touch - not a lot of Facebook checking on friends or texts or phone calls at all - with all my friends, near and far. Please know I am just, well, overwhelmed with so much to do and not enough hours in a day. Know I love you and hope to catch up very soon. Just need a little time to catch my breath.
Appreciate your love and prayers and support as we transition back to our American way of life and sending love and hugs back to each of you!
Hmm what else? One of the things that is so different to me is the amount of variety. Too many options. I needed a refillable cup for my water at work. I ran into a store to pick up a plastic cup with a lid that won't sweat. I was overwhelmed and frustrated with all the options. Every different color lid you can imagine. Different patterns from colleges to football teams to abstract designs or butterflies or owls or... well, just about everything. I just wanted a cup. Seriously. Take me back to India where I don't have a choice and I take what I get and it probably leaks. LOL I just stood there and looked and looked and looked. It was like I was frozen in time and could not make a decision. I ultimately decided on a tall cup with peacock feathers and a light blue lid. Very Indian, after all was said and done. Ironic.
And staying with my parents is great, being spoiled and spending some quality time that we missed for two years, but it's lacking the quiet solitude we often had at our flat in Padur. There is usually a niece or two running around or a dog barking or the TV blaring an old John Wayne or America's Ninja Master or whatever that ridiculous show is that seems to play every.single.night.of.my.life. I try to find a quiet corner of the bedroom or escape to the porch if it's not too hot out, but sometimes there just isn't an escape and that, too, is overwhelming. Sometimes I just need quiet time. If only I enjoyed driving... then I could probably happily drive myself somewhere for the peace of it. Oh, well...
So, yes, there are some things Savannah and I miss from India. Biriani. Our church family and friends. Simplicity. Peace in the midst of chaos. Set dinner plans after church and not having to make a decision about where we would go. Comfort... repetition... the norm. We have to make a new norm, but it feels as though that is out of our reach at the moment. The end of this month, while I know it will approach rapidly, seems just past our fingertips and too difficult to imagine just yet.
I don't know if I will continue to blog or not. It's been so busy, but I had a lot on my mind, so thought I'd put it out there. I'll take it one week at a time. In the meantime, here's a side note - I have been very out of touch - not a lot of Facebook checking on friends or texts or phone calls at all - with all my friends, near and far. Please know I am just, well, overwhelmed with so much to do and not enough hours in a day. Know I love you and hope to catch up very soon. Just need a little time to catch my breath.
Appreciate your love and prayers and support as we transition back to our American way of life and sending love and hugs back to each of you!
Sunday, July 6, 2014
An Emotional last morning...
I woke up extra early this morning to the rustling sounds of Savannah
getting ready for the last service at the Tamil church. I
heard the usual "getting ready" noises with a few extra tossed in - the
zipping of suitcases & clearance of items from the bathroom as it
was her last time to use the luxurious Leela super-huge bathroom. I
dozed back off after she left, but have since gone down to enjoy a nice
decaf cappuccino and fresh eggs at the beautiful breakfast buffet. As I
sat and waited on the faux caffeine, I began to think about this being
our last day in India together and I got a little teary-eyed. Although
most of our time was not spent at five star properties like the Leela Palace,
we did enjoy our two years here in Chennai. We used the opportunity to
grow our mother/daughter relationship. We traveled together. We got on
each other's nerves. We encouraged each other. We laughed together. We
cried together. We learned beautiful things about a new culture. We learned beautiful things about ourselves and each other. We
witnessed racism, and we felt it firsthand for the first time in our
lives. We fought battles, big and small. We spent time in an Indian hospital and faced separate health issues. We made friendships on the
basis of being American in India - and we know these friendships will be
lifelong because there's a special kind of bond that comes from being
away from "home" but connecting with people who share your "home". We found and
fell in love with a new church family. We held a beautiful young girl in
our arms and in our hearts and then laid her to rest. We helped the
other get out of our comfort zones on many occasions. We made memories
to last a lifetime.
I am sure we have done more as a team during this tenure, but any other thoughts escape me at the moment. I will be forever grateful to my girl for joining me on this crazy adventure. As the time comes to leave our Indian home and return back to our native land of the brave, I am overcome with emotion. I have done a pretty good job stuffing it down this week with only a time or two of the tears welling up, but I can tell it won't be that way anymore. The tears welled up at breakfast. Alone. Which means as soon as someone else is around to enunciate the words "today is your last day," they will come without the ability to keep them under control. But not yet.
Our last week included packing our apartment into 62 boxes to be shipped back to Houston. We caught up and had dinners, lunches and coffee or tea with many of our friends and coworkers. We had a special appreciation ceremony for our driver with Maersk and his company's owner. We watched the clock and counted the days, with both anticipation and trepidation. How quickly this week went at times, while other times ticked away ever so slowly. (I could actually say this for the past two years... not just this week!) The roller coaster of emotions tends to do that, I suppose. Speaking of ticking clock, it's about time for me to move from this soft bed and begin my getting ready process for the day. The last day... at least until Safmarine sends me back, which I look forward to, and softens this leaving scenario in my mind and heart. It it much easier to say "see ya later" instead of "goodbye." And with that thought, I will leave you with God's great blessings, hugs, and request for prayers for our safe travels home. We depart, with Dynamo in tow, at 1:50 AM IST, 3:20 PM CST and will land in Texas on Monday around 1:30 PM. Thank you in advance and big love & hugs, once more, from Chennai!
I am sure we have done more as a team during this tenure, but any other thoughts escape me at the moment. I will be forever grateful to my girl for joining me on this crazy adventure. As the time comes to leave our Indian home and return back to our native land of the brave, I am overcome with emotion. I have done a pretty good job stuffing it down this week with only a time or two of the tears welling up, but I can tell it won't be that way anymore. The tears welled up at breakfast. Alone. Which means as soon as someone else is around to enunciate the words "today is your last day," they will come without the ability to keep them under control. But not yet.
Our last week included packing our apartment into 62 boxes to be shipped back to Houston. We caught up and had dinners, lunches and coffee or tea with many of our friends and coworkers. We had a special appreciation ceremony for our driver with Maersk and his company's owner. We watched the clock and counted the days, with both anticipation and trepidation. How quickly this week went at times, while other times ticked away ever so slowly. (I could actually say this for the past two years... not just this week!) The roller coaster of emotions tends to do that, I suppose. Speaking of ticking clock, it's about time for me to move from this soft bed and begin my getting ready process for the day. The last day... at least until Safmarine sends me back, which I look forward to, and softens this leaving scenario in my mind and heart. It it much easier to say "see ya later" instead of "goodbye." And with that thought, I will leave you with God's great blessings, hugs, and request for prayers for our safe travels home. We depart, with Dynamo in tow, at 1:50 AM IST, 3:20 PM CST and will land in Texas on Monday around 1:30 PM. Thank you in advance and big love & hugs, once more, from Chennai!
Monday, June 23, 2014
Countdown is On!
As I type this it's a little past midnight on Monday, June 23 morning. - As a side note, today would have been Maura deSouza's 28th birthday... here's to Maura, celebrating in Heaven angel-style with Jesus. - This is also significant because in two weeks from right now, Savannah, Dynamo and I will be at the Chennai International Airport waiting on our flight to Frankfurt, Germany and then onwards to Houston. I know I said it last time, but there are an enormous variance of emotions running through us... I spent yesterday sorting my bedroom into piles - donate or share locally, pack in container for ocean transit, pack in suitcase for short term living. Our apartment will be packed up and we will move to a hotel next Monday or Tuesday. I will spend a few hours each day this week doing the same with the rest of our stuff, leaving Savannah to make decisions about her clothes. Next weekend will be it - finality with decisions for ocean or air and saying goodbye to our little place in Padur. As I was sorting yesterday I could not help but think back to my moving-Nazi, AKA BFF, Danielle (whose birthday is still today in the USA, by the way - June 22 - Happy Birthday, BFF!) and how she made me do this same type of exercise just a little over 2 years ago as we prepared for the move FROM Texas. And it just seems like yesterday... Yet, here we are, 24 months later, and preparing for the move TO Texas. It just feels like the blink of an eye. It is exciting to be heading back to our friends we left behind and the family, not to mention the fiancee. But we have made some amazing friends here, too, which we will now leave behind. And our church family. And while I am thrilled to begin my new role in Houston with Safmarine, I am leaving my Maersk team over here, which is tough... Quite the roller coaster of emotions. As I sorted through my things I took some time to look through a book my team in Houston gave me before I left. It was filled with laughs and smiles and great memories of recent years in and out of the Maersk office. Not surprisingly, I cried a little bit as I thought of the great memories, laughs and smiles I'll be leaving behind from this Maersk office. And then I told myself that was enough and time to get back to business. Then a little while later I came across our entry ticket stubs for the Taj Mahal and sat down to reminisce about that trip that Savannah and I took. What an experience of a lifetime and how vivid are the awesome memories we made - so fortunate and blessed to have been able to see such a beautiful wonder of the world and visit India outside Chennai! Lots of smiles and maybe a few tears as I thought of the changes we have in front of us. I am not scared of the change, and looking forward to starting our new life with Michael and his daughter, Haley, but a little sad to leave behind our Mommy/daughter time we became accustomed to over here. I also spent some time thinking about the great friends we have made and know from all over the world, from our gulf coast in the US all across our great nation to the new friends we have in Canada, the UK, Turkey, Nepal, and of course India. I am sure there are more places, but that's a good start. We could not have survived this great adventure without the love and support from a wonderful group of friends, near and far. We are blessed beyond measure and, not surprisingly, I was moved to tears thinking of all the wonderful people in our lives. Lots to think about...
Other than preparations to depart, I have been recovering pretty well. Fortunately no more pain and only low energy. Hoping that gets back to normal pretty quick - lots to do and not a lot of time to get it all done! Savannah did complete her graduation, YAY, and has spent her time after school as an intern at a friend of a friend's new daycare/activity center she opened up in the city. She has loved her first experience in the work force, although an unpaid gig, and she is learning a lot about what it takes to survive. She comes home tired and complains that work is tough. Duh. haha When we get back to Texas there is lots to do for her - enroll in community college, learn how to drive, help with my nieces a day or two a week, and job hunt. She wants to save money so she can travel next year while taking online classes in the spring, since she will be on my mom's retirement flight benefits and have the luxury of no/low cost travel.
We have more visitors in from the US for the Safmarine migration at work last week and this week, which is always nice. They get to meet the team and impart some great knowledge with some "front office" style that will surely help make our team here stronger. We joined them for a fancy brunch today, along with the Toms and Cherie (whose birthday was yesterday!), at the Leela Palace hotel. Then we did a little shopping and they joined us at church. After a little while at one of the nearby beaches and a lot of walking, we were pretty worn out and returned for a nice Indian dinner and called it a night. Savannah is already sleeping (it's hard being a working girl - just ask her!) and I am winding down, myself.
Many thoughts and plans are running like a ticker tape in my brain which makes it hard to sleep lately. I make a lot of notes on my phone and send emails to myself to remember to do this, check that, call here, pack this, remember that. We are trying to fit an awful lot of social time with our Chennai friends into the calendar before we leave... there just don't seem to be enough meals or days to get it all in. On that note, I just thought of a few things I need to jot down so I'll wrap this post up. I'll ask for your prayers for us as we prepare for the journey home... peace, energy, emotional balance, as a start. Throw in anything else you can think of; we'll sure take it :) Thank you for your thoughts and prayers, as always! We love you!
Other than preparations to depart, I have been recovering pretty well. Fortunately no more pain and only low energy. Hoping that gets back to normal pretty quick - lots to do and not a lot of time to get it all done! Savannah did complete her graduation, YAY, and has spent her time after school as an intern at a friend of a friend's new daycare/activity center she opened up in the city. She has loved her first experience in the work force, although an unpaid gig, and she is learning a lot about what it takes to survive. She comes home tired and complains that work is tough. Duh. haha When we get back to Texas there is lots to do for her - enroll in community college, learn how to drive, help with my nieces a day or two a week, and job hunt. She wants to save money so she can travel next year while taking online classes in the spring, since she will be on my mom's retirement flight benefits and have the luxury of no/low cost travel.
We have more visitors in from the US for the Safmarine migration at work last week and this week, which is always nice. They get to meet the team and impart some great knowledge with some "front office" style that will surely help make our team here stronger. We joined them for a fancy brunch today, along with the Toms and Cherie (whose birthday was yesterday!), at the Leela Palace hotel. Then we did a little shopping and they joined us at church. After a little while at one of the nearby beaches and a lot of walking, we were pretty worn out and returned for a nice Indian dinner and called it a night. Savannah is already sleeping (it's hard being a working girl - just ask her!) and I am winding down, myself.
Many thoughts and plans are running like a ticker tape in my brain which makes it hard to sleep lately. I make a lot of notes on my phone and send emails to myself to remember to do this, check that, call here, pack this, remember that. We are trying to fit an awful lot of social time with our Chennai friends into the calendar before we leave... there just don't seem to be enough meals or days to get it all in. On that note, I just thought of a few things I need to jot down so I'll wrap this post up. I'll ask for your prayers for us as we prepare for the journey home... peace, energy, emotional balance, as a start. Throw in anything else you can think of; we'll sure take it :) Thank you for your thoughts and prayers, as always! We love you!
Wednesday, June 4, 2014
Manic May... came and went
Really? May has already passed? Is it seriously June, 2014? This reality fills me with emotions - excitement, anxiety, fear, anticipation, disbelief, sadness, happiness, giddiness, nervousness, regret, and so many more I can't think of right now. I'll try to explain them all a bit...
Things have been very busy at work, as well. We had visitors from North America, my new team, actually, come to help train the new Chennai team and get them ready for some transition of work so Savannah and I played hostesses on the weekends and showed them all around the area. We had a great time and even fit in a couple senior portrait sessions for my girl. Oh! Big news is that the SAT results came back Friday and Savannah will be a high school graduate THIS FRIDAY, June 6. Amazing how all the stress and nerves around this graduation process wound up just as we knew it should... it was just getting to this point and going through the mud and the muck of it all to get confirmation and approval and so on that was such a headache. So very thankful that is behind us and in about 45 hours my kiddo will be walking across the stage with her entire class. All four of them. Haha Regardless, I am super proud of Savannah. She put in a lot of hard work this year and over the summer to make sure she had good grades and enough credits to make this early graduation happen. Hard work pays off!
One last significant event in May... my parents came to see us one more time! This was completely unplanned and unexpected, but wound up being necessary and I cannot begin to put into words the gratitude for my wonderful parents dropping everything to fly around the world when we needed them. Is this a long blog? Oops, it's about to get longer.
Since about February or March my lap band port (you might or might now know I had gastric-banding surgery about 6 years ago) has moved a little bit and been uncomfortable at times and visible as a protrusion in my abdomen, but not an issue. I was waiting until I got back to the US to address the issue and likely have it moved back into place. About a week before I went to Copenhagen, though, it was red and causing a little bit of pain. I sent a couple photos to Danielle's dad, and he said I needed to get into the doctor and it was likely infected. Sure enough, I had an abscess that required draining (gross and painful!!) and some antibiotics. No problem, though, travel still OK, so off I went. Redness subsided within a few days, but then came back. I went back to the doctor and he cleaned again and gave a stronger, longer round of antibiotics this time and advised to come back in 7-10 days for a follow up. I went in 10 days later, still with a red spot in the area, for another cleaning, draining and discussion. The discussion included two further treatment options: Option 1 - conservative approach that would be IV antibiotics to start with an exploration procedure to see if the port area and connector between port and band at the stomach both have infection around them. With treatment, the infection would (should) go away and all would be well, but the likelihood of a subsequent infection in 3-6 months is high. There was a high possibility I would need the lab band removed or the infection will keep coming back. Option 2 - Aggressive approach - go ahead and surgically remove the lap band to avoid further complications. Either way, the doctor would have to do a CT scan with some dye through an IV and ingestion of some sort to look around and see if there is inflammation all around the areas where the lap band, connection and that could show requirement for removal right away or possibility to treat the conservative manner. Since I am a wimp, I don't want to do the IV unnecessarily. I decided to go ahead with the band removal but worried about the possibility to gain the weight I had lost back and all the unhealthy things that come with that. He suggested replacing the band with a newer surgery, called gastric sleeve. He could do it at the same time so it's one surgery as opposed to one now to remove the band and then possibly another later... So, I did some research and scheduled the for last Tuesday. I was admitted Monday for the IV/CT stuff, blood work and other pre-op testing with surgery Tuesday late morning. Obviously all went well, as I am writing this blog now. But I won't lie. This past week was HELL. Lots of pain, lack of sleep due to pain, difficulty moving due to the pain, and not enough medicine to kill the pain. The first night I was vomiting from the anesthesia wearing off, which hurt because my stomach was all inflamed from the surgery. I got zero sleep. During the day, the IV pain meds helped and I slept off and on. The next night they were trying to wean me off the IV nutrition so I could being sipping liquids, but I could not get enough, so I was thirsty all night. Another zero sleep night. About 4 AM they hooked me back up and I slept for an hour or two. Then they took the IV and pain meds away as they prepped me for hospital release. The pain was brutal. Mom stayed with me at the hospital while Dad stayed with Savannah so she could go to school and complete her exams. Gideon helped coordinate every aspect, of course... and checked in often. Friends from church stopped by and messaged Mom, although I don't remember a lot of that. Savannah and Danielle gave lots of updates here and stateside. I am thankful for such loving family and friends. And I am thankful that a week and a day later the pain is less and the sleep is more, although I have seriously low energy and a mini-walk around the flat almost requires a nap. A shower definitely requires a nap. Hoping that changes quickly. I am going back to the doctor Saturday and crossing my fingers for enough energy and progress for a release back to work on Monday. I would appreciate your prayers for continued lessening pain and increased energy along with patience of those around me (ahem, Savannah nearby and Danielle, Michael, Mom via text/phone/chat) to put up with my whiny-ness, as there is a lot of it. I am a pretty bad patient. But surviving.
So all in all, a busy May. With a busy June catapulting us into JULY. Countdowns are going on... emotions are high... we yearn for July while we want to drag out June. Irony at its finest. Here's hoping your June is filled with laughs and love and blessings. Thanks for your prayers and love!
- excitement - looking forward to the move back to Houston with a new role in the organization, a wedding in the not-so-distant future, and being around old friends and family again
- anxiety - only one month left here in Chennai and I feel like there is so much to do to prepare for the big move
- fear - what if reverse culture shock is worse than the original for Savannah? or me? or both!?
- anticipation - so much to be getting ready for back in Texas
- disbelief - have we really come to the end of our two-year term here?
- sadness - we have THE most amazing church and church family here. I have some awesome co-workers turned friends, too. It will be very difficult to tell them goodbye.
- happiness - did I mention I get to be on the same continent as my fiancee?
- giddiness - did I also mention I am marrying said fiancee in October?
- nervousness - what if life back in Texas hasn't changed a bit? And we have?
- regret - So much more to do and see over here in India and southeast Asia. We began our travels so late...
Things have been very busy at work, as well. We had visitors from North America, my new team, actually, come to help train the new Chennai team and get them ready for some transition of work so Savannah and I played hostesses on the weekends and showed them all around the area. We had a great time and even fit in a couple senior portrait sessions for my girl. Oh! Big news is that the SAT results came back Friday and Savannah will be a high school graduate THIS FRIDAY, June 6. Amazing how all the stress and nerves around this graduation process wound up just as we knew it should... it was just getting to this point and going through the mud and the muck of it all to get confirmation and approval and so on that was such a headache. So very thankful that is behind us and in about 45 hours my kiddo will be walking across the stage with her entire class. All four of them. Haha Regardless, I am super proud of Savannah. She put in a lot of hard work this year and over the summer to make sure she had good grades and enough credits to make this early graduation happen. Hard work pays off!
One last significant event in May... my parents came to see us one more time! This was completely unplanned and unexpected, but wound up being necessary and I cannot begin to put into words the gratitude for my wonderful parents dropping everything to fly around the world when we needed them. Is this a long blog? Oops, it's about to get longer.
Since about February or March my lap band port (you might or might now know I had gastric-banding surgery about 6 years ago) has moved a little bit and been uncomfortable at times and visible as a protrusion in my abdomen, but not an issue. I was waiting until I got back to the US to address the issue and likely have it moved back into place. About a week before I went to Copenhagen, though, it was red and causing a little bit of pain. I sent a couple photos to Danielle's dad, and he said I needed to get into the doctor and it was likely infected. Sure enough, I had an abscess that required draining (gross and painful!!) and some antibiotics. No problem, though, travel still OK, so off I went. Redness subsided within a few days, but then came back. I went back to the doctor and he cleaned again and gave a stronger, longer round of antibiotics this time and advised to come back in 7-10 days for a follow up. I went in 10 days later, still with a red spot in the area, for another cleaning, draining and discussion. The discussion included two further treatment options: Option 1 - conservative approach that would be IV antibiotics to start with an exploration procedure to see if the port area and connector between port and band at the stomach both have infection around them. With treatment, the infection would (should) go away and all would be well, but the likelihood of a subsequent infection in 3-6 months is high. There was a high possibility I would need the lab band removed or the infection will keep coming back. Option 2 - Aggressive approach - go ahead and surgically remove the lap band to avoid further complications. Either way, the doctor would have to do a CT scan with some dye through an IV and ingestion of some sort to look around and see if there is inflammation all around the areas where the lap band, connection and that could show requirement for removal right away or possibility to treat the conservative manner. Since I am a wimp, I don't want to do the IV unnecessarily. I decided to go ahead with the band removal but worried about the possibility to gain the weight I had lost back and all the unhealthy things that come with that. He suggested replacing the band with a newer surgery, called gastric sleeve. He could do it at the same time so it's one surgery as opposed to one now to remove the band and then possibly another later... So, I did some research and scheduled the for last Tuesday. I was admitted Monday for the IV/CT stuff, blood work and other pre-op testing with surgery Tuesday late morning. Obviously all went well, as I am writing this blog now. But I won't lie. This past week was HELL. Lots of pain, lack of sleep due to pain, difficulty moving due to the pain, and not enough medicine to kill the pain. The first night I was vomiting from the anesthesia wearing off, which hurt because my stomach was all inflamed from the surgery. I got zero sleep. During the day, the IV pain meds helped and I slept off and on. The next night they were trying to wean me off the IV nutrition so I could being sipping liquids, but I could not get enough, so I was thirsty all night. Another zero sleep night. About 4 AM they hooked me back up and I slept for an hour or two. Then they took the IV and pain meds away as they prepped me for hospital release. The pain was brutal. Mom stayed with me at the hospital while Dad stayed with Savannah so she could go to school and complete her exams. Gideon helped coordinate every aspect, of course... and checked in often. Friends from church stopped by and messaged Mom, although I don't remember a lot of that. Savannah and Danielle gave lots of updates here and stateside. I am thankful for such loving family and friends. And I am thankful that a week and a day later the pain is less and the sleep is more, although I have seriously low energy and a mini-walk around the flat almost requires a nap. A shower definitely requires a nap. Hoping that changes quickly. I am going back to the doctor Saturday and crossing my fingers for enough energy and progress for a release back to work on Monday. I would appreciate your prayers for continued lessening pain and increased energy along with patience of those around me (ahem, Savannah nearby and Danielle, Michael, Mom via text/phone/chat) to put up with my whiny-ness, as there is a lot of it. I am a pretty bad patient. But surviving.
So all in all, a busy May. With a busy June catapulting us into JULY. Countdowns are going on... emotions are high... we yearn for July while we want to drag out June. Irony at its finest. Here's hoping your June is filled with laughs and love and blessings. Thanks for your prayers and love!
Friday, April 25, 2014
April Travels...
The last time I wrote was a month ago. Savannah and I were preparing for our journey to meet my parents and Michael in Thailand. What a trip that was – full of beauty and great experiences, such a nice time with the family. We started out meeting up in Bangkok since we all got in overnight hours. We spent a few hours sleeping and then took a van to Pattaya, which is a beach area on the Gulf of Thailand, just a couple hours from the city. We stayed at the gorgeous Amari Ocean Pattaya, which was overlooking the Gulf. It was perfect. We spent two nights in Pattaya and loved every minute. We went to Coral Island for a day, which included parasailing, an underwater walk and a glass bottom boat ride. We enjoyed traditional Thai seafood and “the best rice ever,” according to my mother. We lazed by the pool, were pampered with a Thai massage (OH MY GOSH, seriously THIS was the best massage EVER!), spent time shopping at the local markets and rented a moped for a scenic personal tour. Unfortunately the moped led to a ticket (you tricky Pattaya police department set us up!) but it was only about $12 and Michael took care of it pretty quickly, so I guess it was a fun memory after all. Speaking of fun memories, something that will always be special to me about Pattaya is that Michael asked me to marry him on the beach after dinner on April 1. He completely surprised me with the proposal, but I don’t think I quit smiling for the rest of the week. Or since then, for that matter. I am very thankful to have such a supportive, encouraging, understanding, loving and persistent fiancée… The man who encouraged me to listen to God, follow His will around the world and make a life for Savannah and myself in India for two years. The man who, when it was so difficult a transition and acclimation to Indian life, would not let me give up on the long distance relationship even when I tried so hard. The man who loves me despite all my craziness, insecurities, confusion, indecisiveness, and so many other lovely qualities I possess. The man who loves me even it’s not me, but my teenager making it difficult. We will be married a few months after I come home and we are excited to start this wonderful chapter of our lives together.
After Pattaya, we went back to Bangkok and had a blast at the floating market – seriously, so much fun! – and a tour of the village by water. We stopped at a Tiger Temple and made a few new friends. Another day took us on a temple tour, where we visited some huge Buddhas and added learnings of Buddhism to our varied religious palette. Finally, we visited the Grand Palace. And “grand” doesn’t do it justice. Amazingly beautiful architecture, murals, and jewels as far as the eye could see. Perfectly manicured lawns trimmed with extravagant vases and yard ornaments. Rich and vibrant colors in architectural styles that mirrored the royal’s appreciation from around the world as it was built through the years at every turn. Our time went too quickly, but we enjoyed every minute. And we know it won’t be long until we head back on the other side of the Atlantic and see the family and Michael again. I told Savannah I was really happy we had such a great holiday, because it was our last here in India before we make our way back to Texas. Turned out, that wasn’t quite the case.
When we returned, Savannah found out she had holidays for Thursday and Friday the following week. I am not sure how her school plans for the year, but these last minute holidays seem to pop up every few months. It’s almost like they don’t realize Good Friday comes around once a year. Sigh. Oh, well. With her having those two days off, I poked around on the internet to see if we could do a quick little trip to fill the time. We haven’t made Mumbai yet, so I checked that. Flights were too high, so that was out. I thought, well, it’s not the right season, but what about Kerala? So I checked the flights and decided to do it. After confirming my co-manager wouldn’t murder me for taking off another couple days so close to this holiday, I booked it. And then worked with a friend whose native is Kerala to plan a terrific trip. We enjoyed the hill station of Munnar, famous for tea plantations and chill weather. We found out first hand that hill station means mountain top, and Savannah’s stomach wasn’t a fan of the hairpin twists and turns up the side of the cliffs. Once we reached our resort and saw the view, though, we both decided it was worth the fear factor. We spent two nights in Munnar, enjoying a traditional Keralayan fight show, complete with rings of fire and flying men… we dined on traditional meals prepared with coconut oil as the base, which were delicious. We took an Ayurvedic massage that left us confused, annoyed and frustrated at the outcome – seriously? This was what all the fuss was about. Don’t ask. Waste of time, money and energy LOL. We enjoyed the peace and quiet of our resort in the evenings by swinging, reading, and watching fireflies. It was good mommy-daughter time. And we topped off the Munnar portion with an elephant ride, which is something Savannah’s been dying to do since we got off the plane in Chennai two years ago. We left Munnar and rode a very long way to Allepy for a houseboat ride through the backwaters. This is the part of Kerala I was so excited about, although I wasn’t sure if it was going to live up to all the hype. Happy to say – it was amazing and we had a fabulous time. We had a captain and a cook, neither of which spoke English, by the way, but they both took great care of us. The food was simply terrific and the view was just as nice. I think we were out for nearly 5 hours and we enjoyed every minute. Our Kerala trip that I thought was not going to happen during our time in India has been fulfilled and I am thankful for our time and opportunity to see “God’s own country” as it is lovingly referred to locally.
I came back to work on Monday and it’s now Friday and I am heading to the airport yet again in a few hours. I am working on a project under my new position and the first week of meetings begins Monday in Copenhagen. I am excited and yet nervous. I am leaving Savannah in Chennai while I travel, and the great American expats that helped us out last July aren’t available this time! Talk about a stressed out working mom when I found out that news! Thankfully, we have some amazing women in our church who have offered to split their time helping out and trekking all the way to the south end of the city to hang with my girl during the week so she can attend classes undisturbed. So thankful for these fabulous women in our lives!
While we have been all over the place on planes, Dynamo has been on his own sort of holiday. He spent our Thailand and Kerala time with his new BFF and cousin brother, Patch, who happens to be our friend Paloma’s family’s doggy. And this week he is going to stay with the Woods family. He is getting quite the amount of attention and I am not sure if he will ever want to come home. Such a spoiled boy!
Sorry this went on forever, but it’s been a while. Here are some pics of our holidays and I’ll write more on some other India-ness soon. Big love and hugs, thanks for prayers and support for Savannah and me. We love all our friends from around the world!
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| Dynamo and his cousin brother, Patch |
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| Moped ride with my man |
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| Michael and his moped ticket |
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| The proposal spot in Pattaya with the same on-looking pups |
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| The family in front of a massive Buddha |
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| A very large Buddha |
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| Bananas at the floating market, anyone? |
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| On our boat heading to the village |
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| I've got the eye of the tiger |
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| Savannah and her monk & tiger friends |
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| Grand Palace Family shot |
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| Another at the Grand Palace |
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| He humors me :) |
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| A Hindu temple in Thailand |
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| Savannah and I "helping" some fisherman in Kerala |
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| The first Christian church in India, built by the early European settlers |
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| Our lovely view from the cottage in Munnar |
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| A little fire ring action in Kerala |
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| A pretty girl in front of some pretty tea plantations |
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| An elephant in Munnar |
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| Oh, just a couple of Texan Indian Princesses atop a regal ride |
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| This girl knows how to cut a fresh fish |
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| Our view from the houseboat ride on the backwaters of Kerala |
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| Sunset over the backwaters, Allepy, Kerala. |
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