Our Best Day Yet

Yesterday was by far our best day in India. We found a nice lady named Mary to watch the kids a few hours a day. She came recommended from some good friends of ours, Jena and Jeff. This will allow me some time to join an international women’s group, volunteer, and have a bit of a social life. I have met a few John Deere and General Motors wives and they seem like a lot fun. Our air shipment finally arrived and we tore into it like it was Christmas. Anna was so excited to have more books and toys. She made a fort out of one of the really large boxes. We can’t wait to take Max out in his new backpack carrier. He seemed to enjoy the test ride. The best news of the day was that we are very close to having our own apartment. A John Deere representative went to sign for it last night. Today, Friday, is a Muslim holiday so we probably won’t find out for sure until Monday. The apartment is on the seventh floor and has four bedrooms, four bathrooms, and two balconies. The balconies overlook the Indian Olympic training center and there is a small grassy courtyard for the kids to play. There is also a pool and fitness center included in the rent. We are definitely keeping our fingers crossed. Early this morning Chris went to practice with the John Deere cricket team. He had a great time and made a pretty amazing catch. He claims he is a horrible bowler (pitcher) and not too good at batting, but a good time was had by all. After cricket practice, Chris, Jerry, and I went to visit the Servant’s Heart International (http://www.servant7.org/) children’s mission. A wonderful lady named Preety (which means love in Marathi) runs it and she is amazing. The mission is located across the street from a slum and serves around five hundred children. I think this will be a great volunteering opportunity for me and a great place to donate the kids’ clothes and shoes as they grow. Please check out the website and give if you can, the need is so great here and the kids are so beautiful. They loved having their pictures taken and quickly learned the term “uncle, one more!” Here, the word uncle is used as a term of respect. Most of the slides are of the kids and one is a picture of the slum in which they live. Given such deplorable living conditions, it is amazing how happy the children are. Tonight we are planning to order pizza from Pizza Hut, which tastes very similar to that in the U.S. Tomorrow we have been invited to dinner and a party with our friends Jena and Jeff. They are having their nanny stay late to watch the kids so we can have an adult dinner before the party. Evening activities start and go very late here due to the long work hours. Overall, we have felt very welcome by everyone we meet. If you overlook some of the conditions here, India is a truly beautiful place to be. Blessing to you all!