Will we make it out?

We hope so! After some time in prayer and in discussion, we decided to go to Kathmandu, Nepal for a month until the FECA retreat in Thailand at the end of January. Then, our hope is to come back in to India mid-February. Although we would have been out of India a little under two months, based on their regulations, because we would not have stayed in India for 180 days in a year (since we came back in June from our home assignment), we should be able to come back in. (We calculated that if we leave by Christmas, we would be a couple of days shy of 180 days.) However, from all the different internet info we're reading, it appears as though the immigration is inconsistently applying the regulations and seem to not be very aware of the 90/180 days rule. They only seem to be applying two month gap and have turned people away who have only stayed in India for a few days and then went out on a short side trip during their holiday. So, it is very possible that we might not be able to make it in mid-Feb and may have to wait until the end of Feb.

Today, we had an all day strike which pretty much shut down life here in our town. There is a demand for a separate state for the Nepalis here and an important official tripartite talk had occurred today. In protest of this talk and a separate state, some Bengali organization called a strike. Meanwhile, in Nepal, the Maoist have called for three days strike which ends on Tuesday (hopefully). It sounds like things have been somewhat violent and we're not sure whether things will escalate or calm down. Our planned departure day is Wednesday. But, if another strike is called, we might not be able to make it to Nepal.

Our bags are almost packed and ready to go. Tomorrow, we'll organize the house so that it is in good condition when we return (and not infested with cockroaches!). We'll know more tomorrow what the situation in Nepal is like and whether it looks as though we'll actually make it out there. Meanwhile, we have been looking at orbitz to see what the airfare costs are like in case we have to go back home.

We'll have a very interesting story to share with Elijah about his first Christmas.

Where to go?

Last week the Indian government changed to rules for long term tourist visas. We’ve always had to leave the country every 180 days, but now every time we leave we have to stay out of the country for two months!

As a result we are scrambling trying to figure out what to do. Initially, our next trip out of the country was going to be at the end of January for the field workers annual retreat. With the new regulations it would mean that we would not be able to return until the end of March. Then, we would have to leave again by October. This schedule will completely disrupt our life and ministry.

So, Paul and I have been discussing with the home office to figure out the best short term solution. What do we do about this February? We calculated that if we leave the country before Christmas, we should be able to come back after the retreat in Thailand. We're looking into the possibility of going to Nepal or returning to the States. There are attractive and unattractive things about both of these options. What we both would prefer is to stay and not have our lives disrupted. At this point, we have no idea in what country we will be for Christmas!

Meanwhile, this situation has caused me to reflect on the Christmas story and Jesus' early days. Mary and Joseph had to leave because of the Roman regulations and as a result, gave birth to Jesus while they were "on the road," traveling, in a stable. It was not the ideal situation or setting to have a baby! Then, Jesus shortly after he was born had to flee to another country. Our situation is nothing dire like Jesus’, but as I consider the possibility of having to uproot temporarily and leave what has become my home, I feel a deeper sense of connection with the story of Jesus' birth. How crazy that the King of Kings and Lord of Lords was born in a stable, laid in a manger, visited by shepherds and astrologers, and soon after had to flee for his life with his parents. Jesus' entry into this world, from a human being's perspective, was chaotic and full of stress. Yet those who were willing to hear this great news, and endure a bit of the discomfort, were able to meet and welcome the King of Kings. I don't know what God has in store for us this Christmas, but I feel as though I have a deeper desire to enter this great joyous occasion, even in the midst of uncertainty.

Making Connections at Church

About two years ago we visited a new church, hoping to find a Nepali speaking congregation we could call home. We had found it hard to find a place that fit what we were looking for. We went to check out a church in our neighborhood, and were greeted by a small but welcoming congregation. It is a small church in a poor neighborhood, so we were surprised when we were greeted by some people in fluent English. They are middle class, educated, and well traveled. Over the last two years we have become good friends. We soon learned that these two families were related, and that men were the sons of the founder of the denomination. One, with his wife, is running his own business and the other is helping to oversee the denomination. They first invited us to be guest speakers at church, and then to give the morning devotions at their annual youth conference. (Paul didn’t tell them that he had never spoken at something that big!) This year they asked Paul to be the main speaker at the youth conference.

We felt like the conference went well (click here for more), but also (as we often do) we felt like we were flying a little blind. It’s hard to get feedback directly because of the language gap, and we’re still learning what connects with the people here. When we got together with our friends a few weeks after the conference their report was really encouraging. They had visited a lot of the churches and many of the youth gave testimonies about how their lives were impacted. I think the thing that encouraged us most was that we could see that our friends were really excited about what God was doing in the youth.

We are feeling like God has blessed this opportunity, and that he may be giving us more opportunities with our church. The brother in ministry already is developing vision for how to follow-up the youth conference. The other brother asked us to lead a Bible study for them. Paul’s spoke out of Ephesians, and tried to make the text clear and relevant for the youth. Out of this they asked us to lead a Bible study for them. We talked about studying the Gospel of Mark to know Jesus better and to understand his ministry strategy. They recruited his brother and wife to round out our group to six people. It was a great compliment to be asked, and we feel gives us an important opportunity with some key people. They have the language skills to do an inductive study in English, but they will be able to transfer that to Nepali (and Hindi and Bangla) quickly. Please pray for this. Everything is still in the beginning (or pre-beginning) stage, and there is still a lot that needs to happen before we see real, long lasting fruit.

FECAI's Ministry to the Church.

This was a season of big events for FECAI. An important aspect of FECAI’s ministry, along with the church planting, is promoting missions, unity, and cooperation among the local churches. Many of the events they organize involve gathering a coalition of local leaders and rallying them one cause. The All Dooars Mission Conference was the first of its kind, being organized locally and focusing on what the churches had to offer as senders, rather than seeing just as the recipients of others’ missions. FECAI provided the vision and initial impetus, but pastors and elders from many denominations prayed, served on leadership committee, raised money, recruited delegates, and participated in the upfront leadership. For the Mission Himalaya Retreat Center inauguration ceremony pastors and elders from South Sikkim gathered to pray and dedicate the center. Only the FECAI Annual Staff Conference, two days sandwiched between the retreat center inauguration and the Decadal, was focused just of FECAI staff. Over 700 people gathered for FECAI’s Decadal Celebration. Most were supporters and important church leaders came to recognize the impact of FECAI over the last ten years. We feel blessed to be able to work alongside FECAI in its ministry of church planting and motivating the local churches. We too wish them another ten years of fruitful ministry.

Pictures of the Retreat Center Inauguration

Inspiring Views of the Himalayas

Daniel and his friends

About a week ago, I was thinking about what food to make for Elijah. The reality is that there is not much variety in terms of what things are available. Our (P and my) staples are potatoes, cauliflower, green beans, egg plants, eggs, chicken, onions, cucumber, carrots, and tomatoes. Outside of that we get different types of squash here and there. There are lots of greens but they are all seasonal. Really soon, spinach will be in season, which I am looking forward to having more often. Anyway, I found myself talking to God about how I wish there was a little more variety and more things readily available (like brown rice, tofu, lots of different types of fruit,etc.) so that I can feed him better. Due to his low weight, sometimes I find myself worrying about his health at times. And, right then, the Lord reminded me of Daniel and his friends who chose to abstain from the food that the royal court had to offer and they were healthier than those who ate well. I appreciated the reminder that God cares for us. (And, we found a store that carries brown rice in Sikkim and that avocado is available there too! Nice bonus!!)

From our Church Conference

Here's the body of an email we sent out to our daily/weekly yarp people to get some sense for how the conference went.

"The conference went well and we felt Jesus guiding us as we navigated new (and some unexpected) territory. The feedback from the leaders was positive, and a number of them commented that they had learned new things themselves. We had lots of people come up for prayer but it is hard to know what it all meant for people there. We pray that there is good follow-up by the leaders.

When we arrived at the conference, we realized that the crowd was much younger this year. “Youth” in India means anything from 14 to young couples without children. Last year it seemed like the conference was more on the young adult end but this year it seemed like the average age was high school. I (Paul) quickly started to think about how I could adjust my talks to be more the youth side of youth appropriate. I still had work to do on the last two talks, so I thought I could tailor them a bit. Taking time in prayer and preparation over the next few days I felt Jesus leading me to points and ideas that helped things come together. Getting 400+ people into small groups was a bit chaotic, but it worked. The pastors and some other church leaders served as small group leaders and most of the groups were deeply engaged in discussions.

We did experience some of the difficulties of translation. There were some things I said that didn’t seem to be coming across exactly the way I wanted (the phrase, “You can make a difference” turns out to be very difficult to translate!). But overall, it seems that the message got across and people were blessed.

Rebecca also had a great time teaching a session on discerning God’s will. She ended up rewriting her talk once she realized who her audience was. But, we were grateful to Jesus for answering our prayers for energy at night so that she could work on her message after taking care of Elijah during the day. One of the points about God’s will was that we learn to be wise and live as wise people. She used the children’s book, There was an old lady who swallowed a fly to make her point and the whole crowd was mesmerized and engaged as she used it show how one foolish decision can ultimately lead to a chain reaction which leads to bigger foolishness and ends in death. We are praying that God would raise us youth who live as wise Children of Light. (Ephesians 5:8)"

Here are some photos:

Lost in Translation

As we preach and teach with the help of a translator, we realize how much things can get lost in translation. There are common expressions in English, which are not really translatable in Nepali. Well, at least not in one sentence. You have to spend some time kind of explaining that expression in a local form so that people understand. Good translators pick up on that and do that for us. Not so good ones literally translate what you say into the local language and because it has no meaning, the impact can be lost.

For the most part, I can understand fairly well what is being said in Nepali. Hence, I can usually understand the translation and have a fairly good gauge as to whether the translation was accurate or whether it was completely off. It was interesting to realize that the expressions, "You can make a difference," and "Don't play it safe. Take a risk," are not really translatable into Nepali. Last night, P during his teaching session used these two expressions and the translator had a difficult time knowing how to translate them. For the word, "risk," the translator used the word "danger," but it has a very different meaning to tell a group of youth, "Don't play it safe. Be dangerous!" As soon as I heard the translation, I thought, "Oh no! That is not what P meant!" P realized it too and went further to explain it so that people got the picture of what he was trying to say. Or the expression, "You can make a difference," there is just no way to express it in Nepali in direct translation. So, the way that it was further explained was that "you can be world changers." They understood it.

Today, I gave my teaching on discerning the will of God. Before I began my teaching, I did the introduction in Nepali. It felt really good to be able to speak to them in their heart language and wished I could do the whole teaching in their language.... One day.... The youth were so sweet. After I did my introduction in Nepali, they all broke out in a cheer and applauded my effort. It is good to teach because each time I do it, I am reminded how much I would like to do it in Nepali. For that to happen though, it is going to take a lot more effort and a few more years.

Ten Years!

Today, we got to celebrate our ten years of our marriage (a day late due to no babysitter yesterday) with a romantic dinner at Domino's Pizza, with a special order of a large pepperoni pizza and a coke. If you ladies think, "WHAT?!" Don't scream. It was my idea. I wanted something that had home flavor and it was the only thing available in our town. We were planning to go bowling afterwards (we heard that there is a bowling alley in the new mall), but we were too tired from all the fun celebrating a Korean festival with the Koreans today. I have to admit that this is something that I do enjoy about our marriage. We can chill together and find Domino's Pizza suitable for a ten year celebration. I guess it suits a girl who would ask in the middle of her fiancee's proposal for marriage if we can stop at a Subway so that she could get something to eat.... my appetite had returned that day after not eating for a few days due to sickness. All this is to say that the last ten years have been full of fun and challenging adventures. I'm so glad and thankful that I got to do it with Paul and will get to do it for another ten plus years, God willing. I couldn't have asked for a better person for me. You're DA BOMB, Pablo!

A Day in the Life

Our community back in the States is having a M conference and asked all their field workers to video tape their child(ren) and a typical day so that kids back home can have a sense for what a field worker's kid's life is like. Some of the questions were: 1) What are some things that the children had to give up? 2) What are some perks of being in a field worker's family? 3) What is a typical day like. So, I've been thinking about how to video tape Elijah's life as an eight month old MK in this fascinating country. But, moreover, I have been thinking about how I might answer these questions on behalf of Elijah since he can't share his thoughts...

1) What are some things that he had to give up? Well, his parents are probably more aware of this than he is! He seems really content and doesn't seem to notice what he had to give up that much. I would say that one of the biggest things is not being in close proximity to his extended family. He is changing and growing so quickly. When I consider that he will get to see his cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents once every two years or so, it makes me sad. Hopefully, there will be visits so that the gap in between is not too long.

Some other things he had to give up are nice parks, AC everywhere, a big bath tub (I'm thinking of what I can videotape), your choices of fruits and vegetables all year long, kiddie classes... but, of course this comes from my perspective. It is interesting to think that as he grows up here, he won't really know what he had to give up because it will be a very normal part of his life to not have these things readily available...

I do wonder if one of things that he might struggle with a little as he gets older is being "stared at" all the time because he stands out because he is so fair skinned. Already he is a people magnet, which has its perks and down sides.

What are some perks of being part of a field worker's family? I think he has lots of perks. He gets to be around multiple languages and many different types of people. He is exposed to both the city and village life, wealth and poverty, English and many different local languages, gets to live at the base of the Himalayas, gets to travel with mom and dad and be part of their work, will understand what vegetables and fruits are in season, gets to be in an international community with other ex-pats, etc. I assume an eight month old is probably thrilled that he gets to see a gecko inside his home, see cows roaming on the street, see goats, pigs, etc. I don't know whether he will think it is cool or gross seeing chicken and other animals slaughtered for consumption... but, I think it will definitely allow for us to have some interesting conversations. I think he would say it is a perk that he gets to be held and adored by so many different people.

What is a typical day like? For an eight month old, a typical day is pretty much, eat, play, and sleep. He usually goes on a morning walk with dad. His dad likes to explore different routes, so they take different routes to the river, walk through different neighborhoods, see a line of people enjoying the morning breeze and doing their "business" by the riverside, and get into several conversations with some slum dwellers. Besides the morning walk, he spends most of his days with his mom inside the apartment. Sometimes, we take bicycle rickshaw rides to the market, maybe go visit a friend, or stop by dad's office. Today, he spent most of his day playing with our house help and our neighbors because dad and mom were sick and pretty much not very functional.

As a mom, I do miss some of the "perks" that life in the States have to offer. But, when I consider the long term and the bigger picture of life and the journey of faith, the "perks" that are offered here far exceeds the cost. There are different set of challenges but I consider Elijah and us very lucky that we get to live out our calling as a family wherever it might take us.

Here are a couple of my favorite photos of Elijah from a field visit two weeks ago:He smacked that chicken right on its head with no sense of fear!

Field Visit

We had a great time on our first field visit as a family of three. There were many highlights and you can view them on our picassa photo album. (I can't get it to be a link, so you can copy and paste this onto the browser.)

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/sredir?uname=grafs99&target=ALBUM&id=5381257920253306305 authkey=Gv1sRgCODYitbGu6r2LQ&feat=email

For me, one of the ways it was most beneficial was being immersed in the Nepali language for two days. With language learning, I am an auditory learner, and it was just so helpful just to hear it being spoken. We hope we can do a week long visit.

Huh?

What is the meaning of this? We saw this while I was in pathology for a blood test. :)

Passed by a Wheelchair

The more I drive in India, the more it makes sense. When I first came, I was baffled and sometimes terrified by all the swerving and passing. People cross into the oncoming traffic to avoid potholes, pedestrians, cows, or sometimes just because they feel more comfortable in the middle of the road. They head into the oncoming traffic, forcing it to slow down so they have time to get back around whatever it was they were trying to avoid. This sometimes turns into a game of chicken and I’ve come to a complete stop in my lane a few times to avoid an oncoming bus who didn’t leave enough room to get back into its own lane without pushing me off the road.

But as I have driven more here, it is starting to make more sense. In America we don’t have 50 yards of potholes that would turn your axle into spaghetti if you hit it at 35 mph. There aren’t cows in the road, and bikes and pedestrians have their own lanes. Here, pedestrians, bicycles, rickshaws, motorcycles, various types of cars (some of which can’t go very fast), trucks, and buses all share the same two lanes. If you have a rickshaw in front of you, it would be very inefficient to wait for the opposite lane to be totally clear before you pass. So you judge whether the oncoming traffic can move over and three of you can pass at once. If that’s not true, then you judge how much the oncoming traffic will have to slow down to avoid contact. It is not considered rude to force people to slow down to half their speed – but not too quickly so everyone maintains reasonable cushion – which is generally about three inches.

I’ve become accustomed to the first above – moving over and turning it into a three lane street with the two smaller vehicles. I’ve only tried the second when the oncoming traffic is significantly smaller than our jeep. I must confess that I once brought the oncoming three-wheel autos to a halt. I was trying to pass a very slow truck on a busy road. I waited for an open gap and pulled out judging that the oncoming three wheelers would only have to slow a little - and that they would be very motivated to since I’m much bigger. Remember that this is not considered rude. I pull out and accelerated, but half way around the truck I spotted an oncoming pothole big enough to swallow a Volkswagen. I slowed quickly, and now there was no way I was getting around the truck. The truck was so slow that while I waited for it to pass the oncoming three-wheelers pulled up right in front of me and stopped. I stopped too. I was embarrassed. When it passed I cranked the wheel hard to the left and slunk back into my lane behind the very slow truck. But the men in the three wheelers didn’t honk, make that hand gesture that means “what do you think you’re doing,” give me dirty looks, or even “you’re stupid” looks. It was a natural mistake, and probably one they’ve made.

I get passed a lot myself. I drive much more slowly than most commercial drivers. I’ve learned to slow, pull over, and wave people through. They frequently come up right behind you and honk. This isn’t considered rude, it’s polite communication. There’s even a thank-you honk for when people make space for you to pass. It’s polite to honk at pedestrians to let them know you’re coming closer than they’d like so they can move. Passing is a way of life and it’s much safer if there is better communication.

The other day, I even got passed by a wheelchair. In the movie, The Office, there is a scene making fun of a commute traffic where the main character is passed by a geriatric with a walker. Well in that scene the old woman had a clear sidewalk and no other vehicles to deal with. My wheelchair friend was fighting the same traffic I was! While weaving my way across town to pick up Rebecca from a meeting and I spotted a wheelchair bicycle in my rear view mirror. These are common in Siliguri – a three-wheeled bicycle rigged so you can steer with one hand and turn the pedal crank with the other. I have to confess I eased over in my lane so he couldn’t come up on my right. If he did I’d have trouble getting around the jam that was ahead of me. As I waited for cars to funnel through the narrow opening ahead, the wheelchair, navigating the rickshaws and motorcycles that were moving past the stuck cars, zipped by me and was at his destination before I got to the jam.

The car is slower than the scooter, but it is nice to be out of the sun and rain and it is the best way to get Elijah around. He doesn’t mind being passed by wheelchairs or sharing the road with cows.

Paul

Encouragement...

It's been difficult at times trying to figure out what ministry might look like for me... Am I supposed to be satisfied with being a wife and a mom and see that as my main ministry and I'm just fighting it? I've been wrestling with questions like this. I have been praying and asking God for insight and understanding into some of my internal wrestling over my calling, particularly in this life stage. I am still wrestling, praying, and asking God for His insight. Nevertheless, I had a few encouraging conversations with women who are older and have walked this road before me. This felt like it was in some ways answers to my prayers.

I spoke and emailed with three different women who are moms and currently involved in ministry. As I talked with them, the resounding theme was, "You can do both." One of them pulled back in many ways from her ministry roles once she became a mother (and that is what she felt like God was leading her to do), but she was encouraging me to consider other "paths." I think it was encouraging for me to hear her say that she feels like I could probably do both. The other two women, who are regional directors of a m'ssion organization encouraged me to do both. One of the ways in which they were able to handle motherhood and ministry was by taking their child(ren) with them wherever they went. One of them shared how she would have meetings and the kid would play on the floor while she led. Her explanation was that if you can't do that, then mothers will not be able to lead. She continued to explain that she specifically chose home-schooling for that reason, so that she can do the work that God has called her. (I really appreciated her because she's a Korean woman serving as a regional leader with her Nepali husband.) She shared that we cannot neglect the needs of our child(ren), and it is a balancing act, but neither do we need to neglect the call of God. Another woman encouraged me by reminding me that kids are adaptable and that their love for Jesus will develop and grow as they see their mom loving Jesus and serving people.

I have no idea how everything will look for me, but I was deeply encouraged. God knew what I needed and provided these conversations in a span of only a few days. It has helped Paul and I to engage more in conversation about how we might be able to partner better and what "job sharing," might look like for me once Elijah is a little older. Meanwhile, I am going to continue praying and seek Him for His guidance and direction.

Why am I having such a hard time meeting moms?

I asked this question to our language tutor. She's a single mom who had a baby soon after completing class twelve and is now attending college. Her son is now three years old so he is being looked after by her extended family while she goes to school. So, I shared with her some of my frustrations about how hard it has been for me to meet moms here. There are plenty of them, but where are they? Is there a place where they congregate? Do people get together with their kids? She helped me understand Indian culture and it explained a little bit why it has been so difficult to meet moms.

I remember one of my Nepali teachers in Nepal sharing how single women have more freedom than married women. She explained that once a woman gets married, she no longer is her "own person," but she belongs to her husband and his family. I had forgotten about this reality until our tutor explained again why it is not easy for mothers to get out of the house. First of all, in most cases, they live with their in-laws. She is not only responsible for the welfare of her nuclear family, but she needs to take care of her in-laws. They are busy with housework all day. Moreover, it is odd for a woman to go out of the house for fun. Secondly, if a woman is not in the house, she is working outside of the home full-time. In this case, the mother-in-law usually watches the child(ren) while she works. If there is no one from the extended family who can watch their kid(s), they hire a live in nanny to take care of their child(ren). She leaves around 9 am and doesn't come home until 6 pm or so. Women who might be interested in getting out of the house more to meet with other moms are busy working.

I am in a kind of a unique situation. I don't have to take care of my in-laws and I don't have extended family close by. I don't want to hire a live in nanny. When I asked an acquaintance who is working full time about how hard it is to hire a babysitter, she seemed to think it would be difficult. She shared with me that her in-laws sent a live-in nanny for her whom they personally know and trust so that she could work.

I don't know what the solution is for me, but I am wondering whether I need to just let go of the idea of connecting with moms and focus on singles or couples without kids to get my friendship needs met. I like singles and they have more flexibility. I wonder if my expectation is unrealistic for my context and I should let it go. As I am writing, I'm wondering, "Why do I need to be around moms all the time?" It's certainly an American expectation. Or, should I pray for Jesus to open opportunities and work harder to make some contacts? Will it be more fruitful to focus on people in this same life stage, or will it be better to pursue people with more time and flexibility?

This is just one example of the decisions we face trying to integrate with the culture here. There are many unknowns for us, and we are constantly learning new things that work differently here.

Photos of our flat

Here are some photos of our new flat. I am kind of proud of how different this place looks after we moved in! ;) The landlord came yesterday to collect the rent and it appeared as though he was surprisingly pleased with how it looked by his comments. It's cozy but we like it.

Adjustment continues

I must admit that it has been more difficult to keep up with this blog. Partly, when you have deeper things you're thinking about, it takes more time to write them out. So, the default has been to just not blog because I have other things to do. I am finding that I don't have a lot of free time available (or they are more precious requiring prioritization) after becoming a mom. But, tonight, I thought I'd try to give a quick (yeah right!) synopsis of what has been happening over on this side of the world.

CAR: We bought one!! It's a 2002 Bolero in good condition, we think. (No photo yet.) After we bought it, we realized that seat belts were missing in the back seats. We just didn't bother to check for them because it is a given in the U.S. And, I am so used to not wearing my seat belts here that even though I rode around a couple of times before the purchase, I just did not notice. It only dawned on me when I was starting to think about how we were going to install a car seat. But, for now, P figured out a way to install the car seat (which our friend here gave us) with his rock climbing gears until our order for the seat belts get delivered.

Meanwhile, I have been getting my driving lessons. First, I learned that my feet barely touch the peddles. But, the clutch is easier to handle and seem to do okay without my foot having to completely floor it. It's a challenge learning to share narrow roads with so many other things besides cars, especially with a larger vehicle. During one of our lessons, P had me take a side road, which ended up being closed and I had to make a U-turn in this small narrow road... It took so long that finally an Indian man got off his motorbike, came over to my side, and asked if he could move it for me. P took over at that time. It was slightly embarrassing, but what am I to do? I have to learn to do it, whether people get mad, impatient, or not.

The paperwork is still in process....hopefully, it will be complete soon.

HOUSING: We are completely moved in. Things are pretty organized now, with the exception of a few straggly things. P did most of the work involved in moving, for which I am grateful. It took a month and a couple of weeks of people constantly coming in and out to fix, measure, drill, install, etc. but we are now feeling settled in. The only issue that we have yet to figure out is why the shower water pressure is not working properly and we can't get hot water from the hot water heater.... We are thankful for our new place and it is starting to feel more like home. I will post pictures later.

WORK: P has been working with the office staff here and there, but a lot of his time has gone to making lots of errand runs, managing the workers, and getting the apartment ready. It is amazing how much time it takes to get a few things done...although he is glad that we are finally settled in, he shared with me today that if he had known how much work and time it was going to take to move, he may not have done it. But, in the long run, it is a much better location as it is close to the office and easier access for people. I, on the other hand, have been spending my time at home taking care of Elijah. It's been a huge transition for me, which I will get to below.

We're starting language study on Wed. We will see how it goes as P and I juggle taking care of Elijah. I'm eager to get started.

MOTHERHOOD: I love being a mom. But, I have not loved being "stay at home mom," for the time being. For the most part, I am inside the four walls of my home, not necessarily by choice. It is hard to go out when it is hot, humid, and/or raining hard. Whenever I see that it is cool enough, Elijah and I would get on the bicycle rickshaw and go to the market to buy some vegetables or fruit. I have been going to the Korean moms group, which has become a "necessity" for my sanity. Coming from a place where there were lots and lots of options/choices about where to go, what to do, who to see, etc. it has been a big transition to feel "stuck" at home. To make matters worse, P locked me in inside the apartment a couple of times accidentally. I am laughing about it now, but when it happened a couple of times, I was not a happy camper because I was getting ready to leave and learned that I couldn't! I know for sure that I am one of those moms who need to go out. So, I have at times struggled with feelings of isolation.

It was really good to talk with one of my good friends from college who understood where I was coming from. She put it clearly. To paraphrase it, "It's not that you don't love being a mom. It's that you don't see your vocation as being a mom only." So, as she pointed out, I feel like I am kind of going through some kind of an identity crisis. I think it will take a bit of time to sort through this change, but it is something that I am praying and dialoguing with God about. Meanwhile, it has been really wonderful to have a husband who understands. It meant so much for me to hear him say, "Honey, you're doing a wonderful job. If I were in your shoes, I think I would be going crazy too." It helps because I sometimes wonder if I should not be going crazy and that if I were a better mom, I'd be enjoying it more! Perhaps, some moms might. But, I am learning that being a "stay at home mom," here is not very life giving at the moment and that I don't enjoy every moment of it, and that it is okay.

Okay, now, I am too tired to continue. It is way too long anyway....oh well...it's the result of not blogging along the way. A cool shower is calling my name. Until next time...

How much longer?

We're moved in but I don't feel completely settled in yet. It has taken us over a month to get this apartment ready and in condition to be moved in. We're in, but I am still waiting for the kitchen cabinet to be delivered and installed. We were told over two weeks ago that it would be delivered in 3-4 days....with the monsoon, they have been waiting for a really nice sunny day to put the last touch of varnish and today, we had that sunny day... I had P call today to find out if it will be ready for delivery soon and we were told that it will come tomorrow. I hope so because I am ready to organize, figure out where everything is, and have it be more than just "functional." We had the last touch up paint done today and we have started to unpack our books and put them on the bookshelf. Because this flat is quite smaller than our old one, clutter makes it even smaller. I am hoping that by end of this week, our place is not just "livable," but a place where it feels like home sweet home.

Hanging Out with Korean Moms

Yesterday, I spent the morning with Korean moms in our town. They get together every Tues. for a time of fellowship, yarp, and sharing. My Korean vocabulary is quite limited so it was hard for me to understand everything that was being shared and discussed, but it was still a lot of fun to be with them. They all brought their younger kids ranging from ages 3 to 6 months (Elijah being the youngest). We yarped together in Korean style, and I couldn't help but to chuckle at the chaos as we tried to yarp while feeding, kids climbing all over you, and having a breakdown...but, you know we were able to share and yarp for one another, exchange different information about life here, and have a good Korean lunch together. Besides one single Korean woman, everyone else has children. So, the fact that I am a mom has opened up a new opportunity for me to get to know them. It was just really nice to get out of the house for a good chunk of time, to yarp with them, and to see that we can still try to connect with God even with the chaos. I am also excited that Elijah and I will get to learn Korean together!! He really likes being around other kids so it was fun for him too.

A Lesson in Dignity

Since we have been back, I noticed that Elizabeth, our bahini (younger sister--literal meaning-- who is our house help) has been able to cook a greater variety of Nepali food - and her spaghetti sauces have been delicious. Before our departure, she only knew how to make maybe three Nepali dishes... And, I remember distinctively the conversation we had where she explained to me that she did not know how to cook very many dishes. I had asked her if she knew how to make a fish or a chicken dish, and she had said, "No." But, recently, she has been making both. So, I asked her today whether I had completely misunderstood her a couple of years ago or whether while we were away, she learned to cook some new dishes. She laughed and explained to me that I had perfectly understood before and that she didn't know how to cook except for the most basic dishes. But, as she started working for us, she began learning from her husband how to cook some variety of dishes and now, she feels confident to cook them for us! I had heard from various people that her husband is a wonderful cook....and now, I can attest to the fact that he is a good teacher because her food has been tasty!

When P was here alone during the third trimester of my pregnancy, he had taught her how to make spaghetti sauce, bread, and how to clean to his standard. (Although P and I have similar threshold for dirtiness, when he cleans, he likes to do a thorough job.) I had never bothered to really teach her because one, it was easier to just do it myself, and two, I was still getting used to having a house help around....I felt bad telling her to clean this and that if I could do it and/or it was something I didn't want to do it myself....but, mostly, since it was just P and I, I had not felt like we really needed her help. I had felt like we had hired her just to keep her from being unemployed when she was being let go by another ex-pat. But, now, am I thankful and glad that P had trained her well while I was away. It's been wonderful to have her help around the house as I watch Elijah. It has been great to see a new sense of pride in her work that I had not seen before.... she wanted me to go and see our old apartment because she said she had cleaned it really well before our arrival. So I did go to see it. My goodness, she did a superb job of cleaning! It was better than I had expected! We didn't see one cockroach - which is an achievement here! I told her how happy I was with her work and I could see that she was really pleased. I see a change in her and I think the fact that P spent the time teaching and training her in her work while I was away made an impact on her.....I think her confidence level as a person has increased and she feels good about her work...

It made me rethink about what it looks like to treat people with dignity. In some ways, out of my own guilt and convenience sake, I didn't utilize or train her as fully as I could have in order for her to do her work well and not just a mediocre job. I was willing to settle for her mediocrity. But, P decided that he wanted to utilize her for what she's getting paid to do so he spent some time training her so that she could do her job well. It paid off at the end both for her and for us. I feel like I have learned a good lesson here.... Treating people with dignity means that I treat them with respect by having a high standard, giving them the resources that they need to do their job well, and spending the time and energy to help them get there. It's a good life lesson to remember.

The Gift of a Smile

I had posted this blog entry about a week ago on Elijah's blog...I wanted to share it here. Sorry for whom this is a repeat.

While Paul was out today taking care of repair work for the scooter, Elijah and I went to go visit some friends riding around on the bicycle rickshaws. The mornings are generally cool during the monsoon (especially if it just rained) so we decided to take advantage of it and get out of the house. It was our first time out together without daddy. It was quite an interesting experience.

I got lots of stares from people as I carried Elijah. I think people were wondering, "What is this dark skinned Nepali woman doing with such a fair skinned baby?" They were also probably trying to figure out if I was his mom. I also passed a couple of albinos. The funniest thing was that each of them would look at Elijah and then me, and give me a smile as if we shared something in common. How interesting, I thought....

But, what brought me almost to tears was when Elijah flashed a big smile at a bicycle rickshaw-waalah and he in return looked at me and unashamedly flashed a big smile back with his rotting teeth completely exposed. Each bicycle rickshaw-waalahs thereafter would smile at Elijah and then at me because Elijah would give each one of them a smile that said, "Thank you, and I think you are great!" I don't think I have ever seen a bicycle rickshaw-waalah flash a smile before.... When I was preparing for Elijah's baby dedication and praying about what to pray for for him, I got the sense that he would bring "the joy of the Lord" to people. I saw that in him today. What a gift and a blessing it is that we could bring joy of God to one another....we are meant to do that.

What is this?

It appeared overnight. It was so gross to behold. Do you have any idea what it is? TERMITES! What are they eating? CEMENT!

Settling In

We have been back in India now three days and I am thankful that I can honestly say that it is good to be back. Thanks to many prayers, our transition so far has been very smooth. We have been pleasantly surprised to find ourselves not as stressed as we thought we would be, especially with a little one. The fact that we have gone through the initial transition almost three years ago has made this new transition so much easier too. We knew coming back that it would be hot and humid. From the news on the internet, we realized that power (as unreliable as it is) may be even more unreliable. It has been hot, but it has been raining everyday! We know where things are, how to get around, what the prices are, how to negotiate, and how to communicate--all these things have made our transition back with a baby fairly smooth. We feel tremendously blessed to have such a jolly baby (as an Indian stranger described Eli) because he makes it easy for us. He loves strangers, smiles and laughs, and seems to find everything around him interesting and intriguing. We are all still struggling to sleep through the night, as Elijah is still adjusting to the time change. Besides that, we are all doing well.

India definitely feels more like home to me than ever before. Some of my Indian friends have asked me if it was difficult to return. I shared with them that "being in America has helped me to realize that my life over there, as I had known has come to a close and that God has begun something new here in India. So, I was eager to come back and see what the next chapters in my life will look like." I feel excited for the next season of life here in India.

I was sharing with P yesterday that I have been feeling as though God is calling me into a season of focused prayer about this next season of life in India. I am here because God has called me to the Himalayan region. Now, I feel like the Lord may want to speak to me more about what His vision is for my (and our) ministry. It is in some ways "easy" and tempting to go out and "do" ministry as there are lots of opportunities, but I feel in my spirit the Lord calling me to "pray, to seek, and to wait." As I shared this with P, he said, "it sounds like instead of trying to do too much, let it come to you," and he used this Andrew Bynum analogy (for you sports fans, you might know what he's talking about). I resonate with it. I feel like as I wait and pray that it will come to me and when it (or they) come, I will know. I feel excited, although wondering how I will do that with a baby. But, once we are completely moved in to our new flat, I think I might just have our house help babysit so that I can spend some more focused time praying. For now, jet-lag has helped in this arena.

Here are a few photos to enjoy:

Getting ready to go back....

I realize that I have not been very good about blogging here lately. It has been difficult to keep two blogs going, but my hope is to use this blog to keep friends and family updated on our work and life in India. I probably will have more interesting things to write about when I get there. I started another blog called The Elijah Chronicles for those who might be interested in keeping up with Elijah and our life as parents. If you want to receive an invitation to read the blog, you can send me an email or leave a comment.

I can't believe that we are leaving back for India next week. The most common question people have been asking is, "Are you ready to go back?" I think the answer to that question is, "yes." We have had a wonderful time here in the States reconnecting with friends and family, and having the space to transition into parenthood. However, we have been also feeling like we are ready to go back, figure out life there as a family of three, and be involved in the work that we have been sharing about to various small groups and churches for the last three months. After a while, being temporary residents or visitors start to wear on you and I have been feeling it more in the last month or so. I feel ready to go back and continue the process of establishing my life there.

The second most common question people have asked us is, "What do you think you will miss, besides family and friends?" I will miss some of the conveniences that America has to offer--such as reliable and constant electricity/power, dry heat (California), and other things like being able to drive a car, or leaving some crumbs around and not get attacked by bugs, wearing western clothes, parks, smooth roads, sidewalks, and sushi.

What am I looking forward to being back in India? I am looking forward to eating better--less meat, introducing Elijah to our Indian and other ex-pat friends, being able to drop by people's places without making appointments, slower pace of life, and continuing with learning Nepali. I am looking forward to settling down and continuing in the process of making India become our home.

Because the last couple of months have felt so busy, I feel like our departure time has sneaked up on us. But, it is a nice and a pleasant surprise to find myself feeling ready and looking forward to going back. Having some time in the States have helped me to realize more that a chapter of my life in the States as I had previously known has come to a close and God has begun a new chapter. I am looking forward to seeing what God writes as we go back.

Five Year Reunion

What fun and great joy it was to see my former sixth graders who are now juniors in high school at our five year class reunion. When we talked about it as an idea as a class at the end of 2004, they seemed pretty enthusiastic about it. But, I didn't actually think that it would become a reality. I was completely surprised and caught off guard when I received an email last year from a former student asking if I was still interested in a five year reunion and whether I would be back in the country. She made it happen and I got to see my former sixth graders on Saturday. I was surprised by how many of them had not seen each other because many were attending different schools and they had a blast reconnecting. We shared some fun memories and just had a wonderful time seeing and reconnecting with one another. I was so impressed by how beautifully many of them have matured and the number of students thinking about and preparing to go to four year colleges. It was a very satisfying thing to see your former students doing well and coming back to see one another and to see me. They want to do another one in five years.... I hope I could make it!

The Count Down Has Begun

We bought our tickets back to India. We leave on June 17th and we'll stay a day in Bangkok for Elijah's immunization. (We learned that our insurance does not cover Elijah's immunization--$600 for each round! We'll try to get his 4 months at the Health Dept. and 6 months in Bangkok) Now that the tickets are bought, I feel like it is just around the corner. It is time to start making the to do list....

By the way, we found a new travel site called: Vayama It is a new website and we found the tickets on this site cheaper than other sites like travelocity, orbitz, etc.

Visiting my co-workers

I visited the elementary school where I taught for a few years and saw some of my fellow teachers. Some of them knew back then that we were trying for a baby and going through some tests, so I wanted to introduce Elijah to them and share the good news. It was a lot of fun reconnecting with them again. I had loved working there and it brought back some good memories.... I am really looking forward to a 5 year reunion with my six graders (class of 2003) who are now in their junior year in high school in May....It will be a nice way to see them before many of them get ready to go off to college in a year....How quickly time flies.

On a different note, I have developed some form of short-term memory amnesia. I spend at least once a day looking for something because I can't remember where I had last placed my keys, wallet, etc.... Does this mean that I have really joined the ranks of motherhood? :) I just finished feeding Elijah and put him back down to sleep, but then I suddenly heard him stirring and squirming....I went back to the room and looked in his crib to realize that I had left the burp cloth over his face as it fell down from my shoulder after burping him.....I think I just have too many things going through my head these days....

Two more months....

We will be returning back to India in June. As we have been going to different churches, small groups, and meeting with individuals sharing about our life in India the past two and a half years, I have been feeling more antsy to go back. I feel like I am ready to return and begin the process of having some permanency and normalcy to my life rather than constantly living as a temporary resident/visitor. I can tell that my mind has made a shift and it is in preparation mode to return. I've slowly started to make a list of what to bring as I think of it, so that I am not doing that at the last minute. June is just around the corner.

Different individuals have asked me about how I feel about returning with a baby and what would my life look like there. In general, I feel okay about returning with a baby....if there is a point of concern for me, it has mostly to do with the lack of good/reliable medical care in our town if there is an emergency. But there are other foreigners there who have walked the road before me; I don't feel like I will be alone to figure it all out. Other than that, I have no idea what my life will be like exactly but it will be different! I am expecting that the transition at the beginning will be rough and hard rather than easy....there is just a lot more to juggle having a baby and we'll have to adjust to life there as a three-some and not two. We will have another learning curve and another opportunity for growth as individuals, as a family, and in our walk with Jesus. I will definitely miss family and friends, but I am also looking forward to having more focus.

Nursing Strike

Elijah decided to go on a nursing strike for two days. Well, maybe I'm kind of exaggerating calling it a strike, but I had never experienced anything like it since I began nursing him. He would fuss each time I would put him on my breast and he would refuse to eat. What do I do? I google "fussy at the breast" and found some helpful informationl. P and I think it may have had to do with some sort of developmental growth because we have been noticing that he is so much more aware of his surroundings and wants to constantly look around. It is as if something clicked for him and he can't but help to look around and soak in every little thing he can. He would even fight sleep so that he could stay awake and look.

The last two days, I lhave had to carry him and walk around while I nursed. For whatever reason he would nurse like that. But, forget about sitting on a nice soft chair. When he would nurse, he would suck for a few seconds, pull off and look around, suck again, and the whole routine would go on like that. I had gotten so used to my barracuda son who would nurse ever so efficiently.... We also noticed that as this happened, he was able to lift his head off the floor almost at 90 degrees during tummy time and stay in that position longer than a few seconds. Now, he pushes himself up and looks around... We also wondered if the change in his nursing pattern had to do with the fact that he might have been overly tired or stimulated. Our week has been very full in Santa Rosa. He has been meeting lots of new people and going to new places with his parents every day. So, his fussiness may have been due to just being tired too. I know I was starting to feel fussy towards the end of the week because I was feeling tired! ;) I tell you, sometimes parenthood is a big guessing game! He definitely keeps us on our toes and he is only 12 weeks old! ;) But yesterday, he went back to his regular eating routine and decided to call off the strike. Let's just say mom is really relieved that she doesn't have to carry him and walk around the room while having a little man suck on her breast!

I have decided that I am going to start a blog for Elijah because it would be easier to keep track of his milestones and post photos. However, I will be requiring that people sign in to see the blog. I'll let you know when it is ready.

Check it out

Our friend, Jeff Liu spent a Saturday morning a few weeks ago taking photos of Elijah and us. We really love his style and it was fun having a friend take photos of us. Jeff definitely has a gift! He posted some of the photos along with some of our thoughts and reflections on becoming parents on his blog. If you want to check it out, you could go to this link:

http://kairosphotographs.blogspot.com/2009/03/eiljah-paul-graf.html

One of the best things about being a mom...

is that I am greeted every morning with the biggest smile and a happy squeal as soon as Elijah sees me .... What a way to start off the day each day!

Two months!

Elijah turned two months old on Sunday. I can't believe two months have gone by already. Now, I really believe those repeated words of advice, "Enjoy every moment because it is going to go by quickly!"

Today, Elijah had his two months doctor's appointment. He received the recommended immunization shots and he did great! P and I were anticipating that he would be screaming in pain, but he didn't, as we heard that babies cry hard when getting the shots. He cried briefly but was quickly comforted and before we knew it, it was over. I was so proud of him. He developed a slight fever in the late afternoon so we gave him Tylenol and he seems to be doing fine. I noticed that he was more clingy today than he usually is and wanted to be held more. I think he has a pretty mellow, easy-going temperment. He is a sweet, sweet baby.

The stats:
He is growing nicely. His height (23 inches) and weight (11 pounds 14ounces) were both in the 50th percentile. His head circumference was in the 25th percentile. His head is not growing as quickly as other parts of his body but it is nothing to be concerned about.

Every day he seems to be talking more. I love listening to P and Elijah discuss Obama's stimulus package, how the microwave works, and songs that rhyme the words cute and poop. They also like to sing worship songs together. It is really endearing to watch. P and I are secretly afraid that his first words will be "so cute!" because we say this all the time... ;)

Elijah had his first experience sleeping through the night. He slept from 7:30pm-ish to about 6:30am. Lately, he has been sleeping 7-8 hours, but last night was the longest stretch ever. You would think that I would have had a good night sleep, but I was up multiple times engorged and in pain because my body is now having to adjust to his longer stretch of sleep which equals less feeding at night.

We also left him with a friend for two hours while we went to a counseling session. It was weird being out without him, but it was great to be able to do that and not worry knowing he was in good hands. She said he was easy and mellow.

Even after two months, I still don't get tired of staring at him...it's too wonderful and marvelous to see and hold this small human being....God's design is absolutely marvelous and wonderful. I am in wonder of it all.

Sad...

My friend's son who was diagnosed with a genetic abnormality while she was pregnant went to be with Jesus. He lived for seven days. She posted a video celebrating his birth where you can see the deep love that the family shared for him. Now that I am a mom, his death affects me even more deeply... I am deeply sad with her and I am praying for God to sustain and comfort her in her time of loss.

Elijah excercises his voice!

Elijah (7 weeks) has been cooing a lot lately and it is one of my favorite things to do with him--talk! Here's a video of him talking to me about the objects he sees.

New Things...

I have been steadily going to the breast feeding support group starting a couple of weeks after Elijah's birth. Initially, I started going because I wanted to receive some help with the latch and to ask my questions about nursing. It is a wonderful resource for new moms! Besides the available resources (i.e. a weight scale to see Elijah's weight gain progress), what I have been also enjoying is making new friends. Initially, new friendships started out with saying hi and catching up at the weekly support group meeting. But, a couple of weeks ago, I felt like we were at a place where I can initiate with them and invite them to go to a Mommy and Me movie together. We had a fantastic time at the movie and lunch afterwards, and now it has evolved to "play dates," walks, and lunch after the support group meeting. I am looking forward to getting to know them better as I have been praying for opportunities to meet unbelievers in a natural way.

At the same time, it has been interesting for me to watch different people's responses to me when I tell them that I am a m'ssion'ry. Sometimes people's reactions make me feel as though I had just said I make a living as an auditor for the IRS or something like it. You can tell that they were not expecting to hear the "m-word" as my "profession" and I could see them fumble for what to say next because they feel uncomfortable. However, it also has been very freeing for me to be able to share what I do and who I am without being ashamed. It's too bad that the initial reaction for most people is suspicion and I can tell that they are wondering whether they want to continue getting to know me. I have been praying that the initial suspicion and awkwardness would be changed to trust, friendship, and openness, and I feel like God has been answering my prayers.

On a different note, someone asked me recently how my times with God has been since becoming a new mom. It definitely looks different. During the first couple of weeks, I wondered about how it would work for me, and for now it works to pray during nursing times and to spend some time in the Word while I pump for the next morning feeding. Since I am feeding about every two to three hours, it means that I get to spend about 10-20 minutes every two to three hours in prayer. I am usually wide awake when I am nursing so it works out well for me. I read my Bible while I am pumping for the next morning feeding. I figured instead of just sitting there holding the bottle, I can also read the Word. I can get fed while I get ready to feed! (Corny, I know!!) I'm sure how I spend time with God will look different and it will constantly evolve for the first few years of Elijah's development, so I am praying for creativity. In some ways, I feel like I am connecting with God more frequently and throughout the day as there is a natural rhythm to life and schedule that comes with nursing.

Here is Elijah's update:

Elijah is now seven weeks old, weighs eleven pounds. He is sleeping longer through the night--the longest stretch was seven hours last night! I am starting to see a pattern in his sleep--at least with bed time and morning wake-up time. He likes to go to bed around 6:30pm and wakes up around 6:30am. He is very observant and likes to look around and study an object with intensity. I could tell that he recognizes us, gives us smiles, and talks. He is the happiest after a good night sleep and restful naps. We enjoy watching him play on his own on the play mat and I love hearing him talk. He has definitely found his voice, as well as his hands! I'll post a video later of him talking...

Home

I have given myself 15 minutes to write my blog before heading back to bed. I woke up to nurse and I am wide awake, so I thought I would take this quiet moment to blog a bit. However, I also want to get my sleep, so I have put a limit on how long I could stay on! :)

We are starting our home assignment. Some people call it furlough, but now days people use the term "home assignment" because while you are back in the State side, there are some requirements that we need to fulfill and do, along with rest and reconnecting with family and friends. Our original plan for home assignment was that we would come back to the States in May/June but since we are already here, we figured it is better to do it now and go back to India earlier. However, it has also meant that we are not as prepared for it and are now in the process of scheduling in different speaking/sharing engagements and visits.

I have been back for a while now and various people have asked me how it has been to be back, whether I miss India, etc. I don't think I will have time to write in detail everything that I have been thinking and processing within my time limit! ;) One thing that I have been feeling a lot has been this sense of I am a sojourner.... I am back to what once was my home and a very familiar place, but I have been realizing more and more how much this place doesn't quite feel like home any more. I expected to have some dissonance but I definitely feel it. Lots of things have changed and the reality is that they will continue to change as nothing stays the same. It is one thing to go through the changes in person or watch them as they happen, but when you have been away for two and a half years, you were really not part of the changes that were taking place. Hence, when you return, you feel the dissonance and the familiar feels no longer familiar. I am in the process of trying to understand what that means for me and how to navigate through the changes.

Meanwhile, as I think about India, it is becoming more of a home, but it is not quite my home yet. When people ask, " Do I miss India?" My response has been, "I miss some of the people there, but not the environment." Even as I write, I think about how stree-free it is to be here and to not have strikes called every other day or week, or to be able to leave crumbs in the kitchen and not worry about being attacked by bugs. ;) Yet, I also miss some of our friends (both local and ex-pats) as they have been sending their congrats over email. I miss our work, as fluid as it is and I am looking forward to going back to continue with the learning process, but I am not looking forward to all the inconveniences either.

So, where is my home? Where do I belong? Neither places feel like my home to me but then, perhaps it is a good reminder that my home isn't supposed to be this earth....

I have more thoughts but I have reached my 15 minutes limit and I am going to bed so that I can catch some sleep before the next feeding session....

Photos

With Uncle Jin and Cousin Christian (Week 3)

Enjoying the sunny beach weather in San Diego with his cousin (Week 3)
I have grown so much!!
I can sleep anywhere, even at a museum....--first trip to the Getty Museum (Week 2)
When I am awake, I like to look around and be part of the action! (Week 2)