Finallllllly! My first Indian wedding!!

Well, it actually wasn't the wedding ceremony, or "marriage" as it's referred to here.  We went to the reception.  It was for Suresh, the very sweet driver for Tom & Cherie, our American friends.  Since we've arrived I've been super excited to attend a wedding because they are extremely grand and full of tradition.  There are three major religions here, Hindu, Muslim and Christianity and the reception we attended was Hindu.  Savannah had already attended one Hindu reception with some other friends of ours and told me that I was not going to love it.  It would be loud and hot and the food would be rushed.  So I prepared myself, but was still excited to wear my sari and immerse myself in the culture for the night.  We started the preparations by having Lakshmi come early and help wrap us up.  A sari is basically a blouse and a long piece of material.  Savannah's ghagra dress is more of a half sari, with a long skirt, a blouse, and a shorter piece of material as a wrap.  Since the reception was in the evening we paired our dresses with sparkling jewelry.  After we were all wrapped up and wondering how the local Indian women do this daily, we set off toward the other side of the city with Cherie and picked up Tom from work on the way.  Cherie and I shared a bottle of sparkling moscato en route (Bonus! We always have a DD in India!) and Savannah reminded us, once more, of what was to come.  We made it and seated ourselves close to the stage.  Oh, I should tell you this was a double-reception.  Suresh, Tom & Cherie's driver, and his sister both got married this morning and celebrated this evening.  So we were near Suresh and his bride's stage and sat visiting for a while.  The music had not yet begun, but the live band was gearing up, testing echo-y mics and beginning to beat the drums a bit.  We strategically placed ourselves between a few fans, since there was no AC and we are moving into the peak of summer here.  When I checked the temp today it was 93 but felt like 102 Fahrenheit.  So... yeah, pretty hot out.  Shortly after 7 Suresh and his bride came and stopped to say hello.  They walked from the front to the back and then back to the front, again, and finally, onto the stage.  Immediately, one of the aunties came over and herded us up to the stage.  It is traditional for the bride and groom to take photos with every guest.  Actually, this is the majority of the reception.  We were, fortunately, among the first group to take our pictures and then we were escorted upstairs to eat.  We met Gideon and his family on the way to eat and they joined us.  Wedding meals are served on a banana leaf and generally include at least a rice, some chutneys, a bread (such as naan or chapatti) and some gravies.  Tonight we had white rice, veg biryani, chapatti, a couple chutneys, gravies, ice cream, rice curd and another sweet I could not figure out.  We were well taken care of, with servers coming by frequently to make sure we had everything we needed.  As we ate, we watched a steady flow of guests coming, eating and leaving as quickly as they could so others could make their way.  We were slow, apparently.  And it was H O T upstairs.  Like, dripping sweat hot.  Like, how in the WORLD do these ladies wear all this material when it's 100+ outside and no fans and few windows on this second floor?  Like, OMG finish your food, Savannah, so we can go back downstairs!  So, we finally finished and wondered what was next.  We went downstairs and sat ourselves in a somewhat less crowded area of the hall.  This reception was expecting between 1,000-1,200 guests but since we arrived pretty early it wasn't quite that crowded yet.  We sat for a while but did not see anything else going on.  The band was in full swing and it was loud, so loud that we couldn't chat, so we just people-watched. In just a few minutes, Gideon made his way to us and told us Suresh's sister wanted us in a photo with her.  Ummm, OK.  I mean, we don't know her or the groom, but sure.  So we walked on her stage, smiled and took a few pictures.  Then Gideon said it was OK to leave and that was about all.  No dancing, no cake-cutting, no toast, no bouquet toss, no bridesmaids and groomsmen.  Pictures, food, sweating, music, and more pictures. Interesting evening and really appreciate Suresh and his family's hospitality for inviting us to join on this special occasion.  
In other news, Savannah will be 16 on Saturday.  That makes me feel really old, because it sure does make me sound like a young mom since I am only 29.  And holding... She's feeling a little blue being away from her friends she grew up and not able to celebrate her "Sweet 16" as she thought she would.  This year will be low-key.  I will try to work a little early on Friday so I can wake up at a normal time Saturday for brunch and then a facial (her first!) and gel nails at the spa, then a dinner with Tom & Cherie - Tom will be 61 on May 4 as well.  They think it's pretty cool - 16 and 61.  And this year, my sweet girl has asked that gifts are made to the Home of Hope  either in the form of monetary donations or supplies she can use for teaching English to the boys.  She would like to bring in enough to buy a TV and DVD player so she can get some English movies and lessons for the boys to watch when she's not around to speak fluently.  After her Indian birthday celebrations, my parents and Michael will come in (YAYYYY!!) and we'll head to Singapore and Malaysia for a week of sight-seeing and relaxation.  We are pretty excited about it and CAN NOT WAIT to see everyone!
Here are some pics of our night out & dinner.  Hope everyone is doing well.  We love and miss you!

Lakshmi wrapping Savannah's ghagra

More wrapping

And even more wrapping...

Poor Lakshmi was wrapping forever.....

She told Savannah, "Mommy wear sari office daily."  Uh no.  Too much work!  LOL

Suresh and his bride's stage

Savannah and me waiting

Savannah and Cherie (her Indian grandma)

The bride and groom

Eating our wedding dinners

Cherie, Tom, Gideon & his daughter

Gideon's older daughter, wife, and younger daughter

Our meal, pretty good!!

Cheers!

Psalm 28:7

Psalm 28:7 says, The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song.  I can say with complete certainty that I would not be living in such peace without my faith and my loving God in India - the land of honking cars, power cuts, cows in the middle of traffic and where nobody is anywhere on time... Well, anywhere else, for that matter, but REALLY in this place that is so opposite the world I came from, the world I grew up in.  The world of efficiencies, conveniences, somewhat decent drivers, Mexican food and cows in pastures (where they belong!)  I am so thankful for the wonderful church we have made our home and the friends we have met, continue to meet, and are already considering our church family.  God does amazing things when we allow Him in our lives, hearts and homes.  The most recent example is that He has provided Savannah the opportunity to work with the boys' Home of Hope orphanage. She is writing a little about it on her blog. She had talked about missionary work and teaching before we came to India, but seeing her put these into action has brought me more pride, joy, and blessings than I can explain.  I think the biggest part is seeing HER joy as a result of the time spent.  She's been twice officially teaching, and twice just meeting the boys and kind of gaining an insight as to where they need help.  We were both surprised with the amount of English they know, but she needs to focus on teaching them how to speak functional English.  They know words, colors, shapes, even spelling.  They KNOW this stuff.  But they can't say, "This is a tree," as well as they can point and say "Tree."  She is praying for focus so she can sit down and write lessons that will truly help these boys.  She's a typical fifteen year-old and gets sucked in by Gossip Girl and One Tree Hill reruns, playing on Facebook and Twitter, and anything else that normally distracts a teenage girl, so this has been a challenge.  
I still hold fast to my favorite verse, the verse that has come up so many times since my acceptance of this job and arrival to India -  Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future., "  This verse continues to drive me as I watch His plans unfold in front of my eyes, in my heart and in Savannah.
I went to the doctor last week for the first time in the nine months since we've arrived.  I was having trouble getting deep breaths and was never really fully recovered from my self-diagnosed sinus infection from a few weeks ago and with the breathing getting worse, I threw in the towel and figured it was time to go.  It helped that our American friends have already seen this particular doctor and recommended him, so I felt somewhat comfortable making the appointment.  The only issue was that since we are in the far south side of Chennai, everything is a drive.  We drive about an hour each way to church on Sunday, the day of little to no traffic.  We drive about 45 minutes each to school and work, each way, so doing stuff during the week isn't very realistic.  But I made the appointment for Wednesday, knowing Savannah would be with her Indian grandma (our American friend and my coworker, Tom's wife, Cheri) and that I could go before work and then go straight in.  So after nearly two hours of traffic, I finally made it to Dr. SivaKumar's residential office (picture detached garage turned into a room/office).  After a quick chat and upper respiratory infection diagnosis along with a prescription for the Indian version of Singulair and an antibiotic, I paid my 500 rupees (less than ten US dollars) and stopped by the pharmacy where I picked up both meds for less than 200 rupees, or about $3.50.  It is amazing how affordable medical attention is here.  I read an article the other day explaining the cost for a particular chemotherapy in the US was nearly $80,000 for one person while the same (generic) chemo was less than $2,500.  Lots of thoughts about this, but I'll save that for another time.  After a few days on the Indian Singulair I am breathing better and prepping for the upcoming trip.
Mom, Dad & Michael will be here in 2-3 weeks (Mom & Dad are planning to head this way May 4, Savannah's 16th birthday! and Michael will leave on the 7th) and we will be going to Singapore for two nights and then Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for 5 nights.  I CAN HARDLY WAIT!  So excited to see my parents and Michael and almost as excited (but not quite) for our first official holiday in Asia.  After being here for three quarters of a year and no notable travels to speak of, we are going to make this count.  And I would LIKE to plan on an every other month long weekend excursion around the country or quick trips.  Unfortunately, I am not sure if my wallet will allow, but will definitely be checking the local websites for deals and packages that might make this realistic for us.  
I'll leave you with a funny story and then a note off another blog I read, written by another white chick.  She's an Australian writer, married to an Indian, living in Mumbai.  She is funny, witty, smart and honest.  I could not help but laugh out loud when I read one of her recent posts.  The topic of marriage is a big one here and weddings are a big production (I know you guys think they are in the US, too, but it's just different here.  I don't know how to explain other than that.  Come visit me and I'll bring you to one LOL)  There are lots of things to think about when the topic of marriage arises - Is it a daughter or son?  Is he or she the right age (appx. 23 for the girls...)? Is he going to fetch a slim, lovely girl who is willing to stay home and raise the children?  Will she bring a nice dowry from a wealthy family?  Today's generation is more worldly and love marriages are becoming more and more common.  So some of these questions might not apply, but in many instances they do.  Yesterday when Savannah and I went to get our hair cut (oh, gosh, that's another story... we miss our Aunt Lauri and her fabulous hair skills!!), I overheard a girl on the other side of the wall on her mobile.  She was having quite a serious conversation, telling someone they were despicable and she had no respect for them.  She went on, bouncing back and forth from Tamil to English and back again, and was not quiet about her conversation.  Of course, being curious, I listened closely to the parts I could understand.  First I thought she was telling a company they had wronged her and she did not appreciate it.  As the conversation went on, however, I realized she was telling a suitor that he was not fit to marry her.  I am not sure if it was someone who she once dated, in a love relationship, or if it was an arranged suitor who was vying for her hand, but she was not soft with her words when she told him how she felt.  She said she hated him, he disgusted her and she did not feel he was responsible enough to be the head of a family.  Ouch!  She was on the phone for quite a long time and I really wanted to ask her the details, but figured my daughter would have died of embarrassment (sometimes I don't let that stop me), because I am just so curious and interested in this culture.  Anyway, if you click here you can read some hilarious matrimony ads (and then click around and read Sharell's, story - you won't regret it).  Some REAL ads for a marriage service.  Pretty good stuff.
Sending big love and hugs from Chennai!

Happy Easter!

Sending great big Easter wishes to all our family and friends around the world!  We are so thankful that God sent His Son to live for us, teach us perfect love, die for our sins, and then rise from the dead.  We anxiously wait on the day He will return.  In Houston, we would usually celebrate this special day with a morning service at church, dying Easter eggs with my girls (Savannah, Kameryn and maybe Kate), cooking a nice ham dinner with Mom and everyone coming over to my house... Dad, Michael, maybe Haley, Lisa & Brett, maybe my cousins and aunt.  It would be a fun day of family, laughs and too much food.  This year we did Easter Chennai-style.  We started out for a late lunch at the Taj Connemara.  There was no ham, but they had plenty of other goodies to fill us up.  My poor daughter didn't love it, but I did.  The hotel is luxurious and the spread was lavish.  We were inside enjoying the AC, but the bay windows overlooked the beautiful pool area.  After lunch we went to church service at Word of Life and enjoyed a great sermon preached by Pastor Raju (of the Nepali WoL church) and Pastor Shawn.  After church, since Savannah didn't love lunch, she convinced me she needed ice cream from this great place our friend introduced us to.  After ice cream we made it home and watched, Pitch Perfect.  Savannah thinks this is the best movie ever and she was super excited I would watch it with her.  I don't watch many movies and usually fall asleep when I do, so........  It was cute and I stayed awake the whole time.  She has since gone to bed and I cleaned up a little bit, did some laundry and now relaxing a bit.
Yesterday Savannah was planned to go to the boys' orphanage, the Home of Hope, but there were schedule conflicts again, so she WILL go next Saturday.  She is really looking forward to the opportunity to get to know the boys better and help them master the English language.  I am excited for her, proud of her, and looking forward to see where this takes us both. 
I have learned that God's plan unfolds day by day, right in front of our eyes and sometimes we are too busy looking to the future and don't even realize it.  The past nine months has taught me more than I ever would have thought possible in such a short time frame.  I am amazed every day, although often frustrated due to inconveniences like power cuts, Indian red tape, affirmative agreements that are not fulfilled until much longer than expected, and constant honking on car rides.  I have chosen to look past the inconveniences of daily life here like never before and to cherish the lessons God is giving us.  I have learned to watch for His signs and listen for His will.  It's been an unexpected but welcome path on this journey He's brought us on.  Every day I am thankful.
Well, that went a different direction than I expected.  Hope I didn't bore you too much.  For your entertainment, here are some recent pictures (or snaps, as my Indian friends call them).

Someone got new "specs"!

Heading out for our Easter lunch

Look how fancy our car drapes are.  They are a driver Murgesan Special. Don't hate.  :)

Savannah's purse, delivered by the Easter Bunny

HOT CROSS BUNS!  I love this!

That's a big coconutty egg!

Happy EastOr!  LOL Since I am kind of a spelling Nazi I have lots of fun here...

Cute little chocolate egg pies.  They had an M&M inside. Score!

Her Belgium waffle with Swiss chocolate ice cream.  She's a worldly little eater.

Entirely too excited for movie time with Mom.

Savannah with our pastors' hopeful adoptee.  She's in love.