November Rain

The last time I blogged I was feeling pretty frustrated and helpless.  I haven't posted anything in the past couple weeks because not a lot has changed and I figure you don't need to hear my whining.  My kiddo has now missed three weeks of school.  We went to a new doctor when the initial blood work came back and was not conclusive but the symptoms stayed.  The original doc said he thinks she is depressed, missing home.  Well, of course she's missing home.  I am, too.  But missing home doesn't give you a pretty steady fever for more than three days and a monthly recurrence of the same fever, usually coupled with vomiting or nausea.  We went to the big international hospital here, Apollo, and met with a senior doc in the Infectious Disease department.  Savannah was repulsed by the department name.  "Oh my gosh, what do they think I have???" 

Let me tell you a little about this visit...  This hospital is big, like one of the bigger hospitals in our Houston medical center, to help my Texas friends relate.  And it's filled with different desks and sub-departments because we're in India and that's how we do it over here.  We like to make things as confusing as possible.  I had a hunch this was going to be pretty complicated for my American-self and asked Gideon if he could join us in advance.  Savannah wasn't feeling better.  She was closing out the second full week of being sick, and I was sick at this point, too.  I just had congestion and sinus issues, but enough that I was feeling pretty lousy and thought it best to have an "Indian representative" to help with language barriers and cranky American issues.  Sometimes I make pretty good decisions and this was one of them.  Thank GOD Gideon was with us.  Although Apollo is an internationally recognized hospital, and even has a department JUST FOR foreigners, there was lots of Tamil going on and lots of "go here, fill this, do that, not this, pay here, see him, go there."  Had Gideon not been with us at the start, I can assure you I would have started crying (or gone to Indian jail for assault and battery) about 10 minutes in and he would have wound up there in the end.  Anyway, Saint Gideon helped us through the myriad of desks and departments to finally meet the good doctor.  We were too late, after all the desk hopping, to meet the one he wanted to see, but we were meeting second in charge.  I'll take it.  But first we met with a doctor's assistant.  Super nice guy, listened to everything we had to say about Savannah's symptoms and asked quite a few questions we didn't already cover.  He told us it sounds like Typhoid based on her pattern of fever and vomiting and could be easily treated, not to worry.  To properly diagnose we will get a culture and watch it grow for about a week.  Savannah was on high alert at that point: What kind of culture??  He answered simply, "A blood test.  A prick.  Nothing to worry."  My poor kid.  She really did get a lot of my better qualities, but the anxiety over blood tests and needles is not one of them.  I told her relax, we were still going to talk to the main doctor and maybe he could tell something from the other tests.  There was no calming her down.  Sigh.  So the assistant laughed a bit, ok, a lot, and sent us to see the main guy with his set of notes.  What was the first thing out of Savannah's mouth?  "I am not getting a blood test."  Nice.  Deep Mom sigh.  I smile, tell him I'm sorry, and he smiles.  Nice man.  He reads through the notes and has another discussion, similar to the one we just had.  He's thorough and it's good.  He suspects maybe mononucleosis or even something thyroid-related. There's more talk of blood test.  He knows she is not wanting it, and says to avoid it for now, we can check her temperature at several times a day for four days and then come back to have it done if there's a pattern.  She was shaking her head through the entire conversation, "No, no blood test."  I had to be the mean mom.  I had to be the mom who is looking out for her best interests, and in this case, looking out for her health.  I put on the "don't mess with me" voice and face, and told her we are NOT waiting four more days to get this done.  I reminded her she had already missed two full weeks of school, I had missed several nights of work, we needed to be able to go home with her healthy in a month, and that we have Gideon with us and we are already here, in the city, and we are getting it done. TODAY.  She was not happy.  She argued.  She yelled.  She acted like a toddler.  She embarrassed me utterly and completely. I had a wave of regret when I remembered doing something similar when I needed a tooth-filling when I was about 12 years old.  (I called Mom later the same day and apologized.  She laughed and said, "That's why your dad took you in!") But I stood my ground.  She wanted a friend from church to come give her some moral support.  I told her she had Gideon and me.  She yelled a little more, refused a little more, and then gave up.  She knew it was happening and then went into survival mode.  She was cranky and angry and giving me teen-eyes.  It didn't matter.  She got it done.  And I was thankful.  I refilled her tank and thanked Gideon for his time and support with Costa coffee.  She survived.  And so did I.

Fast forward a week to wait on results...............  Was there anything fast about the past week?  Not really.  It has been exhausting.  She hasn't felt better and I am stressed.  We did get some results on the same day.  Hey! Did I tell you India does pretty much ROCK on getting lab results back super fast?  I should brag about it, because I don't think I brag about much over here. So, yep, some results came same day, AND, bonus! they are available online.  Not that I can read them, other than what's in the "normal range" as provided (again, pretty fancy stuff going on over here providing this detail online!) and what was not in the norm.  So she was on the border with thyroid.  She was negative for blood parasites (sounds gross, glad it was negative).  She was normal for some other stuff.  Then we got back a borderline positive for some monocytes something or other and a borderline positive for Typhus.  OK so we are making progress.  She has SOMETHING.  Is it wrong for me to feel a little relieved that she does HAVE something and look forward to having her treated??  I was relieved, honestly.  So we went to see the head of the Infectious Disease department, another new doctor, at his clinic Tuesday evening, armed with results and hope.  Oh, and Gideon.  This guy was awesome.  Even better than the last assistant and doctor we saw.  Great questions, thorough, great bedside manner.  One small issue...  One lab result was missing.  A major one.  What??  How so?  I printed everything!! Turned out the printout was there, but the results were blank.  My Google diploma of medicine didn't cover what to look for if it came back and was blank.  I just thought the dash meant nothing came back.  Sigh.  Sooooo the doctor said based on everything was able to review at the time, still inconclusive.  But he would get those other results Wednesday morning and call Gideon. Hopefully with a prescription and a plan.  He also suggested we will get a scan of her belly to see if there is an enlarged spleen or kidney that might be causing the issue. 

As of last night we have a prescription and a diagnosis.  We have a strong antibiotic to treat a "light case of Typhoid" and a plan to have her scan done in the next day or two as a precaution.  She has taken one full round of meds since yesterday evening. I have done REALLY WELL since my last blog and stayed off the Googler and have not looked up all the suggestions and possibilities of illnesses.  But I did mention the typhoid possibility to a couple coworkers and they filled me with fear of the dietary restrictions and possible hospital admission for IV fluids and meds that would follow if the diagnois came back as such.  Fortunately, we aren’t quite there.  My daughter would have to NOT eat all the "good American food" she has been craving if she has a full-blown case of Typhoid, according to these guys... who, by the way, have all had Typhoid at some time or another.  Apparently (again, I haven't checked myself!) this is caused only by a bacteria in the water here - go figure - and although we got a vaccine before we left, there are four or five strains and we were only about 70% protected and only against one strain.  Anyway, the doctor said we will see how antibiotics help and talk about dietary restrictions later, only if necessary.  WHEW!  I can make her get her blood drawn, but I can't make her NOT eat when we go home next month.  That is a battle I know I would lose.  My girl likes to eat.  Wonder where she gets that from?  haha 

So that's the latest health update.  I am still praying (and appreciate your prayers!) that she gets better quickly.  We need to get her back to school and caught up on her school-work.  We need to get her feeling better because she is tired of being sick and I am tired of her being sick and we are tired of each other.  She has had a few days that she felt OK, with no fever or vomiting, and we did venture out.  But for the most part, she's been home bound and going stir crazy.

So I know this has been long... But I have more to tell you.  Do I keep going?  I will.  You go take a break.  Stretch your legs or whatever you need to do and come back later.  I'll still be here. 

Two Thursdays ago we got some very sad news.  Savannah is very close with our friends from church, Pastor Shawn and his wife, Sheralyn and their kids, Mcartney (11), Leroy (6) and Prasansha (4).  This is where she spends most of her weekends and she LOVES LOVES LOVES those babies. And they adore her as much as she loves them.  Shawn and Sher adopted all three kiddos - Mcartney in the US when she was a baby, Leroy here in India when he was a baby, and Pransansha just shortly after Savannah & I began attending Word of Life.  Pransansha's biological father attends the Word of Life Nepali church (they are from Nepal) at our same building and was a single dad.  His family had not been supportive and helpful with him working and trying to provide for her.  He met the Acheson family and after a while asked them to adopt her.  They had been praying for another child and know this was God's answer, especially because Shawn joked he didn't want another one in diapers.  Win/Win.  But Pransansha was battling cancer, which is part of the reason her Nepali family was not supportive and helpful - she was too much work.  She had been rejected over and over, so the Acheson family took her in and became her family just seven months ago.  She spoke no English when she joined them, but within about three months of living with them, she was really good.  And now she's terrific.  Her biological father is still part of her life, but he is Papa and Shawn is Daddy.  She lives, of course, with Shawn and Sher and they are finalizing paperwork, but everything in India is slow.  A couple months ago she had her last chemo and was cleared - cancer free.  Her hair has grown back and she's just a doll.  Joyful, sweet, hilarious and loving.  Savannah was there the weekend before (as usual) and Pransansha was coughing a lot and vomited a time or two.  Sav took care of her so Sher could get some rest...  Pransansha was OK most of Sunday, just laid down during dinner and was low energy.  Sher said that Monday they went to the mall and she was fine, played at the play land and full of spirit.  Tuesday night she was not feeling well and Sher noticed her belly swelling.  She made an appointment for a scan at the cancer hospital for Wednesday.  Shawn left for Nepal on Wednesday late morning with our Nepali pastor to go help plant churches up there.  The scan results came back to Sheralyn and they were not good.  Pransansha's cancer is back.  And it's aggressive.  She's been through several rounds of chemo and a surgery one which took a kidney just one year ago.  The doctor told Sher the fact that it came back within a year, and so aggressively, gives her only a 10% chance of beating it.  And chemo would be very, very hard on her little body and organs.  The tumors in her tummy are pressing on her left lung, which has already collapsed under the pressure.  She is in a lot of pain.  Sher and Shawn have decided they will not treat it and put her through further pain for such slim chances.  The doctors gave her only a few days.  They put her in the care of a hospital owned and run by a Christian family, one of a doctor from our church. They took care of her, made her as comfortable as possible. Shawn came back from Nepal and made it in late that first Friday night.  Savannah and I have spent a lot of time with them in the last two weeks.  I know Savannah's heart and I knew as soon as I spoke to Sher that we would be going, regardless of how she was feeling (yes, she was sick some of the times).  Last Wednesday they did a scan of Pransansha's tummy and it showed the tumors had stopped growing.  It was amazing news!  Pransansha has left the hospital to be comfortable at home.  They were able to give her pain patches to help with that transition, but Tuesday and Wednesday it seems the pain is coming back.  The doctor is looking into what else can be done for her pain.  Poor baby girl.  We will ask your help to please pray for the Acheson family.  They are SUCH a huge blessing for Savannah and me.  We would not be surviving here without them.  Savannah is their "foster kid" and even Dynamo has made his way over there for a weekend visit.  We love them and pray for Pransansha's comfort and peace.  We pray for no more pain.  We pray for a miracle from God to completely eradicate the tumors – cancer be gone!  And we know it can happen.  Should God's will be to take her to His Kingdom, we pray for strength and comfort and love for the family.  We pray for her brother and sister who love her so much.  We pray for her biological father, who loved her enough to want her to have a family who could and would love her and give her the life he could not.  We pray for Shawn and Sheralyn, who opened their hearts and their home, bringing love and joy to Princess Pransansha.  We pray for the kids in our church who love her smile and laugh and for understanding for them.  I pray for Savannah who also opened her heart and made a great connection with this sweet little girl.  So many prayers, but mostly God's love and comfort to all in this very sad situation.

And with that, I'll be done.  Sorry for the long stories, but know we appreciate your warm thoughts, prayers and love shown to us.  When times are hard, as they have been during the second half of this year, I am so thankful for your kind words and notes that keep me motivated and feeling loved.  We are will be home about this time next month to spend the holidays with our family and loved ones.  We are looking forward to it, and I am hoping the next four weeks will be a healthy four weeks!  Love to you all!

Enough, Already!

It's been a rough couple weeks over here in Chennai on the mom-front.  Between the school and the sickness issues, I am not feeling like much of a success these days.  You'd think after 18 plus years and the guiding role of a mom, I might have this down by now.  Unfortunately, or fortunately, arguing with a school (or two, on two different continents) and dealing with a recurring illness haven't made it into my repertoire.  Until now. 

I have called and e mailed the Florida school at least a dozen times in the past two months.  We are at a stale mate with the Indian school, waiting on Florida's feedback and confirmation regarding Savannah’s graduation path and possibilities.  They haven't returned phone calls (it goes straight to voice mail...) and only one acknowledgement in two weeks, but no real answers or feedback, doesn't help us out.  My mom has offered to fly to Tampa and go there in person if necessary.  Why in the world would this be necessary?  It is so completely frustrating.  We are a week into November and I do not know if my child will graduate in six months as she should. 

   On top of it, poor Savannah can't shake her most recent bout with whatever the heck is attacking her immune system.  I have given her Tylenol, Advil, the Indian equivalent of both of those fever reducers and pain relievers, along with other medicines for nausea, vomiting, upset stomach, along with force feeding her toast and making her drink clear liquids, much to her dismay, at least a dozen times since we’ve been here.  She has been sick with this same type of problem at least once a month, and sometimes more, since we’ve arrived in India.  I have decided there are plusses and minuses to having the World Wide Web at my fingertips… Google is great when I need to find out who sang that song that’s been stuck in my head all day or prove Savannah wrong about the insane lyrics she is singing at a moment's notice.  It also helps when I need to find the ingredients of a recipe that I can want to know if the ingredients are available locally or not... Or search the next holiday spot when I have had enough and just want to get away (hellloooo, like now!)  But Google is NOT great when someone is sick.  Google gives entirely too much information and the symptoms always lead to the worst possible diagnosis.  And yet, I still use it.  Here in India, there are quite a few worst case diagnoses…  one being Dengue Fever.  Another being Malaria.  These are the two that hop in my mind every time Savannah is sick and where the Googler leads me to with her symptoms.  Every. Single. Time.  It’s maddening.  And yet I continue to search.  Sigh.  So last week she was sick with a pretty high fever for her norm, breaking 101 F / 38 C.  And she was vomiting.  So I was convinced she had Dengue Fever.  Her joints and muscles didn’t ache any of the 25 times I asked her, but she probably just didn’t know what I meant (per Dr. Nikki, Google School of Medicine class of 2014). The next day I took her to the doctor, ready for him to admit her and treat the Dengue.  Contrary to my Google search results, the doctor said she's just fighting a virus and to give her some juices for energy and have her rest up.  Another day or two passed, Friday evening resulted in her fever breaking and she was feeling better Saturday and Sunday.  Fast forward to Sunday night, less than an hour after we got home she was sick again.  And now we are breaking dawn Thursday morning and she's still sick.  I took her back to the doctor Tuesday and he sent us for some lab work Wednesday.  Savannah was so stressed and anxious about having her blood drawn, so I enlisted some help from the girls at church and we had a friend join us today to help ease her mind.  I am a wimp and always pass out when I get my blood drawn, and probably would if I had to be in the same room with Savannah, which she knew, so it was a good idea to have someone else with her. After the lab work, she was perked up a bit and I was thankful.  I thought we were turning the corner and we went for lunch and coffee.  Mind you this is all in the middle of the day when I would normally be sleeping.  We got home and I needed a nap before work and she started feeling puny again.  Fever came back.  She was resting.  Then she started vomiting again.  I am really hoping and praying for some definitive results for these tests.  Something identified and treatable.  I would appreciate your prayers for the same.  And I am feeling a bit at the end of my rope, so maybe some prayers for strength, patience, and my own health wouldn't be a bad idea.  I am praying for my girl's quick recovery so she is back to her joyful, smiling self.  I am praying for the school issues to come to a quick close, and with the outcome being Savannah is a high school graduate by the time we leave Chennai.  We appreciate your good vibes, warm thoughts and prayers as we muddle through the not-so-great-times like these.  Hugs from Chennai!

It's a Holly-Jolly... Diwali?

Hmm there's something not quite right about that... Somehow I can't picture my Kenny or Harry singing songs about the Hindu festival of lights, but it's quite a celebration over here in India.  According to Wikipedia, The name "Diwali" or "Divali" is a contraction of deepavali which translates into "row of lamps".  Diwali involves the lighting of small clay lamps filled with oil to signify the triumph of good over evil. These lamps are kept on during the night and one's house is cleaned, both done in order to make the goddess Lakshmi feel welcome. Firecrackers are burst because it is believed that it drives away evil spirits. During Diwali, all the celebrants wear new clothes and share sweets and snacks with family members and friends. It's been a loud few days and poor Dynamo is pretty glad the cracker bursting (fireworks) have subsided.  These Indians aren't joking around with Black Cat firecrackers.  These guys are shooting of M-80 type stuff... loud and frequent.  We tried to have conversations Saturday night inside the apartment and just had to wait until all the popping was done, which took several minutes many of the times.  It was very difficult to sleep Friday and Saturday during the day, so I wasn't in a very cheerful mood for the celebrations.  Luckily, my celebration included a few margaritas and Mexican food with the Toms and their wives to lift my spirits, while Savannah spent time with her "foster" family, the Achesons.  
Friday was "ethnic wear" day at work, so I told the team if they would wear their traditional dress then I would wear a saree.  What was I thinking?  This is only the second time I have worn one, the first being that hotttttttt wedding I attended and I guess I was only focused on the heat and sweat of that day, so I was not quite prepared for all the work involved in sporting one to the office.  I go in early on Fridays, and Savannah's fever was breaking.  If I hadn't promised the team I'd be wearing it, I would have donned jeans.  Lakshmi was running late and I needed her help to wrap it.  I tried to watch a YouTube video, but was too frazzled with Savannah not feeling well, so I waited for her to arrive.  She was more than happy to help, but it took her three tries, about 15 minutes each, to feel satisfied with the end result.  I am quite a bit taller than her, so I had to sit on the couch while she adjusted the folds on the top and pinned it to my blouse on the third try.  Apparently the height was the issue.  In any event, she completed the challenge and the white girl was in the saree, all Indian'd up for the night.  She looked like a proud mom as I left for work.  It was pretty funny.  I passed a few of my neighbors and several people smiled widely and said hello... which is not the norm.  Then I got to the office and entered the lift with a few other ladies, a couple in sarees of their own, looking very pretty.  They all complimented me and wanted to know if I had folded it (dressed) myself.  I laughed, told them no, and we exchanged Diwali wishes as they exited to their floors.  I made it to my desk with approving nods from the security guards and the team was happy to see me Indianized for the night.  I had a couple conference calls and we had a photo session with the team.   It was dang hard to work in that thing, so it probably wasn't my most productive night at work since I've been in India...

The great One Team - NAM Imports

We are missing a few team members who took off for the holiday and Asif (my co-mng) who was out spending time with his wife and new baby girl. 
                                  
Outside of the Diwali celebrations, not a whole lot of excitement going on over here... still in a holding pattern for Savannah's school.  Waiting on the Florida director to e mail me back and confirm to me and her school that she can, indeed, graduate this year.  Anyone in the Tampa area want to drop by and ask them to please answer an e mail or a phone call?  And we've been dealing with her being sick.  Again.  I swear I think she is just too careless and doesn't pay attention enough, resulting in ingestion of this bad water.  We went to the doctor on Wednesday because of her fever... which followed headache and vomiting.  I was convinced she had Dengue Fever, which is really ugly and not infrequent over here these days.  While I appreciate having the world at my fingertips, sometimes Google is more of a hindrance than a help. Especially when I use it to confirm my worst suspicions... Yep.  She's got the Dengue.  Fortunately, after a visit to the doctor, Dengue (and my medical degree via the Googler) was ruled out.  Diagnosis was low BP, likely due to a virus.  Treat it with Tylenol (from the US, since that's what we had) and lots of juice and water. Thursday and Friday she was in bed all day.  Saturday she woke up feeling better and has been fine until tonight... We got home and less than an hour later, she's vomiting and has a fever.  Ugh.  Hopefully she will get well quickly and we will get a positive call from the school in Florida.
As we begin this month that Americans use to express our gratitude, we are reminded that the end of the year and our trip home is rapidly approaching (for which we are thankful).  My niece, Kameryn, turns five years old today.  Savannah was a little down that she isn't there to help celebrate, but it won't be long and we'll see her for Christmas.  And then it will be 2014... the year we go back to the US.  Not a lot of time left, so we need to make the most of it.  Travel, time with friends and decisions about "what's next?" to be pondered.  I know God led us here, although not exactly clear as to why yet... but we trust him enough to know whatever He has planned is more than enough.  
Wishing our local friends a Happy Diwali and sending thoughts of love and gratitude to all our friends and family around the world.  Your thoughts and prayers are appreciated, as always!

Happy Birthday, Kameryn!

Our First Adventure out of Chennai - The Golden Triangle tour

I have tried very hard to think of a time when I was so overwhelmed by peace, beauty and serenity as I was in the presence of the Taj Mahal, but I can't come up with much.  Even with the thousands of others there at the same time as us, Savannah and I both said how we felt like we were the only ones there, basking in the magnificence of what is rightly named as one of the Wonders of the World.  To be very honest, there is not a lot of peace in India.  Between horns honking, bikes whizzing, temples blaring chants, wedding halls' music emanating into the street, and so much more, there just isn't peace and quiet readily available.  Well, until we walked onto the Taj Mahal grounds, that is.  Even in a very crowded city of Agra, this majestic, breathtaking monument seems to stop time and the world around it.  If you have the chance, visit it.  My Indian friends who have not been, GO.  Anyone traveling to India for work or pleasure, DON'T LEAVE without stopping by Agra.  It is worth the car ride... the expense... any other excuse you have, I promise I can counter it.  It is simply amazing and I am so glad I got to share this experience with Savannah.  
So, that was our first day of the Golden Triangle Tour... well, first evening.  We started out early, with a 7 AM flight to Delhi.  Upon arrival we were greeted by our sweet little driver, Mr. Milap, who welcomed us with a couple traditional Delhi flower leis.  (Don't be fooled, Delhi is NOT like Hawaii and don't let anyone try to tell you it is!)  

 We were prepared for a three-hour journey by car from Delhi to Agra, based on the tourist research I did (and I am pretty sure our agent told me that...) but the driver chuckled when he said it's closer to five hours.  Ugh.  FIVE hours... after a three hour flight.  This girl does NOT like car trips, but I'll make the best of it.  We were both pretty tired from the late night and early morning.  Savannah slept a bit and I tried to.  We made it with one stop for lunch in a little under five hours.  We met our agent at the hotel and quickly dropped our bags so we could head to the Taj Mahal.  Did I mention that was amazing?  Yeah.  Seriously.  Just go.  You can thank me later.  It was nice to have our guide tell us the history, except my know-it-all daughter kept interrupting and interjecting her version or details of the history of the monument.  I have never been a history buff, but actually being at a place that was nearly 400 years old and still standing in pristine glory, along with the interesting story of the king who had it built gave me a new-found interest.  I could imagine the jewels that once adorned the palace in the walls - rubies, emeralds, sapphires, diamonds - so much more...  We enjoyed the grounds so much that we didn't want to leave.  I know our guide was ready to go, and the sun was setting, but we hung around a bit.  We just sat and soaked the beauty in, in awe, hoping to etch this into our memories to share and think back later.  Savannah did the "I am picking it up by the point" picture and I took tons on both my phone and the camera.  Surprisingly, they turned out almost as beautiful as we remember.  I am going to guess it's because of the monument and not the photographer.
After we dragged ourselves away, we dropped by a local shop that makes keepsakes from the same white marble used in the Taj Mahal.  I am sure I paid too much, as this was definitely a tourist stop, but we got a small box as a memento of our trip to Agra.  Then dinner and bed.  We were exhausted.
We woke up and visited the Agra Fort . Let me just put my ignorance out there and get it out of the way.  I thought forts were battle grounds... I guess somehow I expected all these "forts" we were visiting on this trip to be kind of like the Alamo - crumbling in some areas from age or battle, housing a museum of weaponry or history of the brave souls defending her honor, and some significance with the area.  So, turns out I am an idiot and forts are not what I thought at all.  In India (anywhere else?) they are palaces!  Clearly I have not taken this Indian Princess title seriously enough and done any research on my royal history!  I SHOULD HAVE LIVED IN ONE OF THESE PLACES BACK IN THE DAY!  Wow, they were grand.  The Agra Fort is huge.  And, as I will say many more times, I can just imagine the grandeur and majesty 300+ years ago when the walls were adorned with jewels, the floors covered in silk rugs, the windows covered with tapestry curtains, and the fresh gold - real gold - paint on the walls and ceilings. Yes, I think I might have been pretty comfortable back then.  Except most of the kings had several wives and a slew (ok, a harem) of other women, so that might annoy me.  But bring on the luxuries! That part I could handle.  haha  Again, I enjoyed hearing about the history, the royalty, the moat that was built as protection around the fort, admiring the architecture and wondering how this palace, centuries later, is still standing strong and proud after being built only with the hands of people and animals to help transport heavy stones.  No machines, no blueprints from software, no cranes for the big pieces.  Truly amazing.
We got back on the road and stopped at Fathepur Sikri on the way to Jaipur.  Again, I was interested in the history and the why and how this place came to be.  Savannah was not so much... But It was another ruler during Mughal times who he wanted to build his own city, and he did just that.  It only lasted a few years until they ran out of water and had to leave, but it was grand and massive in the meantime.  I spent more time admiring the beautiful architecture and having dreamy thoughts of bejeweled walls.  Those forts had a lot of stairs and a lot of area to cover.  Add the four hour car ride to Jaipur on top of that and you had two tired Americans.  

We woke up early the next day to start our tour of Jaipur.  We had a great time in Jaipur and played the tourist card pretty hard - stopping to take pics or ride every animal possible.  From cobra snakes being charmed to camel rides, elephants and monkeys, our white skin might as well have been glowing.  LOL  But we had fun, so it's all good.  

 

We visited another magnificent fort, Amber Fort, spending time oohing and aahing over the amazing architecture again.  We enjoyed the tour and the view of the city from atop a hill almost as much as the structure itself.  Just beautiful.

Next stop was City Palace, which included a small museum, which bored Savannah to tears, but I really enjoyed.  We got to see some of the weaponry of the times (as I expected haha) including shields, swords, knives and some guns, along with clothes worn by royalty, bed dressings, curtains and so on.  It was full of beauty and splendor.  We also visited the tourist shopping area and spent time with a local artist with some amazing work he had done.  He was recognized twice as a top artist in India and had several articles recognizing his work.  He painted for Prince Charles of England as well.  It was easy to see why, and I had to buy a couple pieces to take home.  I hope to have them framed and display sometime soon.  They are small, but beautiful, and will make a great reminder of our trip to Jaipur.

After that, we stopped by Jantar Mantar, which realllllllly killed my daughter.  It's a site with huge sundials (biggest in the world), and lots of other astronomy and astrology instruments.  I was fascinated with how they were built, nearly 300 years ago, without any of today's technology.  Mind-boggling to say the least.  I thought it was cool, Savannah wanted to poke her own eyes out, so we didn't stay too long.

We went to the Palace of the Winds, also known as Hawa Mahal for another tour.  There is so much to see and do, trying to pack it into one day is pretty tiring, but we were troopers about it.  Next up was the Water Palace, Jal Mahal.  We couldn't actually visit it, due to some Indian government issues (typical...), that have it shut down and no construction in the area until the next party takes office, but it was beautiful and we enjoyed seeing it.  Our last stop of the day was for some shopping at a local market.  A couple silver bracelets and a couple pairs of Alibaba pants later, we made our way back to the hotel to turn in and rest up for the next day - a car trip back to Delhi.

And what a car trip it was... nearly seven hours.  Hindsight, a sore butt from being in the car so long, and a wasted day tells me I should have paid the extra few bucks to fly into Delhi and out of Jaipur (or vice versa) instead of in and out of Delhi.  Next time I'll know.  Sigh.  Oh, well - lesson learned.  We finally made it to Delhi and checked into our hotel.  We enjoyed a nice dinner out on the terrace and explored the grounds.  I selected this hotel for the colonial charm and history, as it's one of the oldest in Delhi and was built by the British in the early 1900's.  There were old photos everywhere and the rooms were massive.  Plainly decorated in the rooms, but the old charm was still there.  And the staff was amazing.  Really nice place.  

We woke up the next day and took off for our tour of Dehi.  We started out at the Jama Masjid, India's largest mosque.  Again, with the beautiful architecture and grandeur.  Then we hopped onto a bicycle rickshaw and went through Old Delhi, soaking in the sights.  The traffic in Delhi is even worse than Chennai, which would probably be because it has triple the amount of people - 17 million versus 6... We could not take a car through the small, winding "streets" so the bike ride was a great way to see the area.  

After our tour of Old Delhi, we drove over to New Delhi to see the India Gate, the Parliament buildings, Qutab Minar, and Raj Ghat, the site where Gandhi was cremated.  We tried to do a little shopping, because EVERYONE at the office told me how cheap everything was there, but many shops were closed and the driver told us it was probably because of the end of the Navrati festival and the Vijaya Dashami holiday. We were not big fans of Delhi.  The residents were not as friendly and helpful or nice as our Chennai-neighbors.  The city seemed dirtier and, as I said before, much more crowded and the traffic was horrendous.  We wrapped up our day and turned in for the night, knowing we had one more day to try and shop, since our flight wasn't leaving until the evening.  Savannah had a few things she really wanted, so we were determined to make it to a local market and pick up some goodies.  The next morning, our driver must have known we were frustrated the night before, so he knew where we were going.  He took us to a market on the way to the airport and we found just about everything we were looking for, minus a couple small things, which might have been there but we were running a bit short of time, so were happy with what we found.  Savannah got a lengha saree (North India version of a half saree), material for a few salwars (Indian tops and pants sets), some hair clips, and I got a dressy salwar and a set of material for another.  We left Delhi happier than the night before with our goodies.

Here are some pics from various times during our holiday.  All this travel sure did give me the bug... I am ready to plan our next trip.  I am thinking Kerala is next.  Anyone want to donate to the "Nikki & Savannah will see India" fund?  LOL  Sending love & hugs, hoping all is well where you are.

Tired girl from shopping in Delhi

Agra Fort

Agra Fort

Wind Palace, Jaipur

Jaipur

Amber Fort, Jaipur

Amber Fort

Amber Fort

Mosque in Delhi

Gandhi's cremation site

India Gate

Delhi

Delhi

Shopping in Delhi

  

September Stuff

I guess it’s been a while since I have done a proper update, so I’ll TRY really hard to make this short, but you know how that goes…

Many of you saw my post on FB the other day asking for prayers with Savannah’s school situation, and there were several people asking what is going on.  So I’ll lay it out for ya and really appreciate the continued prayers for quick (yeah, right- not in India… but a girl can dream!) resolution for this.  Before we came, I had done some research for American schools in Chennai and came up with only a handful.  I broadened the search to International schools and had a few more choices.  Upon arrival, we took some tours with Saint Gideon and settled on Gateway American International School, based on a couple things, but the biggest reason being that she would be able to combine 11^th and 12^th grades to graduate this year.  Unfortunately, it has recently come to light that this might not happen… I am in pretty deep discussions with the principal and the school in Florida through which they have their US accreditation to determine how we can make this happen, as promised when she enrolled, but (as with everything in India) it’s slow and tedious and filled with ME taking the initiative, starting the conversations, doing the research and coming back to the school.  Poor Savannah is stressing over it.  I keep reminding her God brought us here for a reason.  He will not fail us as we have not failed Him.  I am confident she will graduate this year, but in the meantime I am playing school administrator along with all my other roles.  The next role I am going to play is Mean American Mom, which is probably when some progress will be made by the school side.  Savannah said they are already scared of me because I ask questions, include Savannah in discussions and actively participate in the teacher conferences.  I can’t imagine it being any other way, but apparently that is not typical Indian parent behavior, as teachers and school administrators are not challenged.  Go figure.

A few weekends ago we went to our church’s conference, Word of Life - Friendships for Life.  This was the first church retreat I have been on since I was a teenager, so I wasn’t sure what to expect.  And I came right after work and was on “night schedule” because it was the weekend right after I got back from the second trip to the US, so I didn’t want to miss more work.  Needless to say, I was zombified most of Saturday.  But Sunday I was awake and really enjoyed the experience.  I was blessed to meet some amazing people, including a fabulously inspiring missionary who is currently living in Istanbul, Turkey and sharing the Word and Christ’s love. She has been a missionary in Asia for 25 years and she speaks Russian and some Chinese dialect.  AMAZING!  It was a nice time.  But the best part was seeing my kiddo, who was a leader for the kids’ church.  She wrote the lessons, assigned helpers based on age groups and languages (did I mention we had Nepali, Tamil, Hindi AND English speakers there??), prayed over, played with and taught all these different cultures.  She texted me Friday night telling me she was having a hard time due to language barriers, but she survived and even stayed up late at the group bonfire to do some dancing with the Nepali crew.  Saturday she was among a group of adults who took the kids to the nearby amusement park during the heat of the day, joined as a spectator as we watched 12 people give their lives to Christ through baptism, and enjoyed the bonfire and dancing again (while I slept!). Sunday was long and she was spent.  In the last hour or so, the power went out (imagine that!) and she used her mobile phone as a flashlight.  One of the kids reached for her, or she reached for them, and the phone dropped… screen cracked.  After the stress of working with the kids all weekend, she was in tears when she was explaining what happened.  (This is a new phone, mind you, and she seems to be i-gadget cursed as her cousin dropped her iPod and cracked it in December when we were home. Her brother sent her a new-used-iPhone that died a month later. We traded it in and paid for a replacement and this was it… cracked within a month of having it!)  After a good night’s sleep, she woke up refreshed and I reiterated to her that we would handle her phone.  I’d either replace the screen here or when we go back to the US and it still works, so it’s really ok.  She was more accepting that Monday than she was Sunday night.  I can’t explain the immense pride I felt for her and the effort and grace she put forth and eluded when working with the kids that weekend.  My heart still swells when parents I have not met or spoken to much approach me to tell me what a great job she did and how much her kids love her.  I have seen more kids come up to her after that weekend than ever before, running by to give her a hug or a high-five, making sure to say “Hi, Savannah!” or a quick hug and “Bye, Savannah!” as they come and go.  She really has a God-given gift with kids and it is wonderful to see her putting it into action, even when it’s hard and it stretches her.  Was she prepared to lead such a high number of kids?  Many of which didn’t speak English?  HECK NO!  But did she let it overwhelm her to the point of giving up?  Absolutely not!  Did she complain when she missed a worship session of singing and dancing because she was “stuck with the kids again” ?  Not my girl.  Pastor Shawn talked about her hard work and great job in our sermon last week and reminded us that all of Jesus’ disciples were likely under 20 years old.  Wow.  1 Peter 4:10 tells us, Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms.  I am so very proud of her for letting God work through her, grow her, and lead her how and where He sees fit.

Hmm what else is going on?  I am trying to hastily firm up plans for a “Golden Triangle” tour next month when Savannah has a few days off school.  This will include a couple days in Delhi, Agra (to see the Taj Mahal!) and the pink city, Jaipur.  We are super excited and need to get that wrapped up.  Before we know it, we will be home in late December and starting out 2014.  Where has the time gone?  I think I say that every time I write.  I do have a few things I want to chat about, but I guess I’ll save that for another time.  Among the topics are marriages, dresses and appearances, chicken pox, pregnancies and babies, and travel.  We hope everyone is doing well and appreciate your loving thoughts and prayers!  Hugs from Chennai!

Where did August Go?

Is it REALLY mid-September?  As difficult as it is to believe, I can't deny the fact it must be,  because rainy season in Chennai has begun.  The nights have included heavy rains, thunder and lightning, and since the city is not rain-friendly, there has been quite a bit of flooding.  Actually, this week the local schools were closed due to the rains.  All the universities, as well.  All except Savannah's.  Poor thing. So mistreated.  I don't feel so bad for her since school is less than five minutes away, but I know some of the other students do travel quite a ways, so I am sure they would have appreciated it being closed.  
The week started off a bit rough, as Lakshmi messaged me on Monday, saying her daughter was at the hospital having a Cesarean. I would have been excited for her, except this was the first I had heard about it and needed to make plans for my kiddo... I worked from home Monday.  Then Tuesday and Wednesday Savannah wound up at Cherie & Tom's.  Tonight she went to Paula & the other Tom's...  Tomorrow she will go hang with Sher & Shawn.  I am really thankful we have such great folks here to help out when things don't go as smoothly as planned around here - which is A LOT lately.  
I had to make another trip back to Houston only 10 days after we returned from the one I wrote about last time.  Fortunately, we do have this great network of friends (AKA Local family), because Savannah had already missed so much school that I really needed her here.  So I left her with Cherie & Tom during the week and Sheralyn & Shawn on the weekends. I had to get back on a plane - well 4 planes (Chennai to Mumbai, Mumbai to Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi to Chicago, Chicago to Houston - OMIGOSH it was exhausting!!) because, this time, my mom's side of the family suffered from a death.  It was unexpected and it was difficult.  I had to get home to help Mom and be there for her.  I am thankful I was so comfortable that I could leave my girl and go to another continent for a week and a half and not worry about her any more than I would if I was here locally.  What would we do without such great friends here?
So... really nothing much else going on here.  Our travel plans here locally are nixed at the moment due to all this other unplanned travel.  I am trying to get to Kerala to visit a couple friends who left Maersk and are back home with their families until they travel abroad.  We are wanting to go to Delhi, Agra (to see the Taj Mahal) and Jaipur.  We need a trip to Ooty, a "hill station" with cooler weather and some mountains.  Lots to see and do, not enough time to do it!
Until we get a chance to go somewhere else, we'll hang out and try to enjoy the cooler and much wetter rainy season. 
Hoping everyone is having a good September as we race toward the end of the year.  Won't be long and I'll be seeing everyone's Halloween costumes on Facebook!  Love and hugs from Chennai!