Mail, Glorious, Mail

More big thank yous to our friends, the Austerberrys, and to our fabulous, Avva, who send has sent packages, cards and iTunes cards galore! With all this love we don't feel so far away.

Our First Visitors

Our twin family from Michigan came to visit and it was a blast. I just love stepping out the van and watching folks reactions. There we are 2 Indian men, 2 white women, 2 light skinned children and 2 dark skinned children. Locals see us and try to sort it all out. Sometimes they ask us. Sometimes they ask one another. Sometimes they just stare.
When Star was 3 she was very interested in meeting new folks and one day at the YMCA she asked to meet a man playing basketball. Marvel obliged and while they were playing together they discovered they both spoke Kannada and both had biological daughters around the same age. They made plans for dinner. Heather overdressed her salad. I over salted the soup. We should have known then. When we met both families were in the process of adopting from India and in the end both of our second children are from the same orphanage in India.
Heather, Aditya, Divya and Jai come to India every year to visit Adiya's folks in Banagalore. This time, because we were here and had a place of our own it worked out for them to come to Mysore and stay. We had a fun filled weekend- visiting Chamundi Temple and Nandi, picnicking by the Cauvery River and seeing the Mysore Place all lit up (again, because it never gets old). Divya visited school with Star. Flip boycotted school to stay home with Jai. And us old folks stayed up til midnight every evening just chatting, chasing mosquitos and laughing. My heart feels a bit like a Yin Yang- so sad to see them go, but so happy to have had such a great time.

About Judy Moody

We don't have a library here like we do at home, but we do have a library called Just Books. We have to pay to join and then pay a monthly fee. We get 2 books out at a time, as many times as we want. Lately I have been reading Judy Moody. Judy Moody is the main character of the books. She is 8 years old and lives in Virginia. I am on the 7th book and the title is Judy Moody Around the World in 8 1/2 Days. In this book, she joins a new club called "My Name is Poem". She is in Class 3T (Mr. Todd's class) and she gets to know about the club from a girl in Class 3V (Ms. Valentine's class). The girl's name is Amy Namey. This is a club for people whose names rhyme like Larry Darry Berry, Yankee Pankee, Herman Sherman Burman, and Roos Van Goos. But I haven't read enough to know what the club does.
Another of Judy Moody is Judy Moody Declares Indpendence. Judy Moody learns about America's independence. She goes on a trip to Boston with her family and goes on the Freedom Trail. She meets a girl named Tori from England. Judy Moody's little brother, Stink, makes fun of her name as Tori the Tory. They ask their parents for a sleep over at the hotel or a play date. The parents say no because it is too early and they just met. But the parents say they can be pen pals and write to each other. Tori gave Judy her London address and Judy gave Tori her Virigina address.

Peanut Butter- Miso Paste- Jaggery Confusion

I remember my very first trip to the grocery store when I lived in Japan. It was Sunday so I walked there and casually walked around the store checking everything out. I was so excited when I thought I came upon peanut butter, only to find out it was miso paste. Today at the grocery store I came upon what I thought was miso paste, only to find out it was jaggery.

More Mail

Many of you have told me mail is coming so I check the box each day with anticipation. I don't take the kids along, but if I find mail I drag them down with me. They adore the love from you all! Thank you so much! Now let's see how much they adore writing back. :-)

First Mail

This morning Rohit and I were doing some merrands (married errands) so I checked the mailbox before we got in the car. The girls have quit asking to check the mailbox a while ago. I think the disappointment was too much. And surprise! There was a letter in the box from our church friends, Grace and Larry! I left the envelope in the box. After a long walk home I suggested we go down and check the box. Shalini refused saying there was never any mail in it. I finally convinced them and I wish I had an image of her sparkling eyes when she saw that envelope. It was promptly followed by, "Who is Lawerence?" We opened it up in the basement. Grace and her dad cut out paper hearts and wrote sweet messages on them. Both Gayatri and Shalini received a kitty cat valentine and the family received a letter from Larry. They decided they wanted to display the hearts in their room so they can see them everyday. Thank you so much, Grace and Larry! You have made our hearts so happy today. And thank you in advance to all the others who have requested our mailing address, who have put cards in the mail, who are writing cards right now and who have "write the Settys a letter" on their to do list.

We made it into the Indian Census

The Census collectors came to the door tonight. The girls and I were downstairs at the play area, so Marvel answered for us.
They asked the usual questions- names, genders, and education background. Then they asked what was our religion.
"None."
"What? None? Hindu?"
"No."
"Muslim?"
"No."
"Christian?"
"No. None."
"Ok, Ok We will just put something down for you."