Christmas '07

Sitting pretty with Tarami and Dave

With Poppy and Gramma

Looking at ornaments with Nana

Christmas Eve with the Orange family, seated with LOTS of distant cousins!

Helping Papa (also called Grampy) open a present

Trying on a new hat made by Grandma Coates. Thanks, we love it!

Table Tunes

rickshaw ride

where to begin...

It's hard to know where to begin. I could spend the next 6 months sorting through photos and writing about our time in India. The past five weeks were filled to the brim with new, exciting, overwhelming experiences that I don't want to forget. And yet, at this point... still in the haze of jet lag and trying to comprehend that it's snowy December just weeks away from Christmas... I look back and simply can't figure out how to start to tell the stories or what captions to put under the photos. What stories are worth telling? What do I want to remember the most? What should I share?

Well, today I will start with this, without a doubt, the thing that impacted me the most:

the people who loved us

Elise with her "Garsh" and "Benny" (aka, Josh and Ben)

The whole Alfred clan - out for a thank-you dinner at the end of our stay. (From L to R, Stephen, Claire, Toby, Uncle Alfred, Patti, Claire's mom Pam, Ben, me, and Elise)

Stephen and Claire

Stephen's parents, Uncle Alfred and Patti

Kashibai

Clan Black - Dr. Adam, Alistair, Jo, and Freya

The Eicher Bunch - Asha, Dr. Sheeba, Andi, and Enoch

KV Simon with his daughter Pheobe and wife Daisy

Thank you all for everything.

home sweet home

On Sunday night we left Thane at 9:30pm to begin our journey back in time and back to home sweet home. Both flights were around 9 hours long, first to Amersterdam and then to Detroit. We couldn't have asked for better flights. We got great seats on both flights, everything was on time, and Elise was an angel. We arrived in Detroit just after 11am (although to us it was 9:30 at night and a full 24 hours since we left the Alfreds).

There is much to process and tons to unpack. We are grateful for a wonderful trip, for safety, good health, and the support of many through prayer. I'll start posting pictures soon.

And for my Marquette friends... we hope to see you this weekend. We'll be heading north in a few days.

busy busy busy!

I've been too busy to blog! Sorry for not updating sooner. I'll try to fill you in on what we've been up to...

On Friday evening the Alfred's hosted a going-away party for their friend Bernice, a young woman from their church. Their home was filled with about 20 young people and a HUGE pot of biryani (a special sauce with rice and chicken pieces) served with yogurt and chopped tomatoes and red onions on the side. It has an interesting flavor, but I think it's pretty good. Stephen asked Toby and me to lead the group in some games, so we taught them 'Rhythm', a hand-clapping game that we've played at Mom and Dad Long's, and some crazy pick-up-the-paper-bag-with-your-teeth game. After each round you cut the bag shorter and watch people do all sorts of crazy things with their body to try to pick up the bag from the floor.

On Saturday we shifted over to Adam and Jo's house for the weekend because two other guests were arriving and the Alfreds needed more space. One couple was Keith and Carol Danby. Keith was Poppy's roommate in college and has been very involved with Lok Hospital from the start. They were here with another couple to participate in the ground-breaking ceremony for the new hospital building. I've heard about the Danbys for a long time, so it was wonderful to meet them. I especially loved talking one-on-one with Carol. She is so sweet.

On Sunday, I made the difficult decision to attend church with Adam and Jo, while Toby went to Bethesda (the Alfred's church). I wanted to hear Keith preach (although I did hear him speak at the ground-breaking ceremony), but Elise's bed and all our things were at the Black's flat and I knew Elise would enjoy a more relaxed worship service with her buddies Alistair and Freya... and then we'd have to be at the Black's for naptime. So... Elise and I went with the Blacks to the "happy-clappy" charismatic service (as Claire's mum would say) and Toby left from there to attend Bethesda's 3 hour service. I wasn't feeling well that day (terrible head cold) and enjoyed a nap at the Black's flat with Elise while Toby enjoyed a big lunch with everybody at the Alfred's house.

It was incredible to attend the charismatic service with their full band and lively singing with the words projected with Powerpoint on the wall. It was so similar to any contemporary worship service you might find in the states, but we were around the globe in Thane. It was quite amazing.

Then on Sunday evening after putting Elise to bed and leaving her in Jo's care, Toby and I went by Taxi into Bombay to attend a wedding reception. The groom was a guy Toby actually knows from Marquette, a second year resident named Sid. Sid is from Bombay but is taking time off for his wedding here in India. So, we hired a taxi and drove two hours to a spectacular hotel on the ocean. Sid and his bride were gorgeous in their traditional Indian attire, standing on a large stage taking picture after picture with their guests. Apparently at receptions, the couple takes pictures the whole time while the guests enjoy the buffet of food (which was AMAZING) and wait in line for their chance for a photo. Anyway, there's lots I could write about that, but I think I'll save the details for when we get home.

Speaking of home, I cannot believe we leave in five days! I'm already beginning to feel sad knowing that we'll have to say goodbye to the Alfreds and the Blacks. But, of course, I'm also soooo excited to return home. And I find it so strange that we'll be arriving to cold weather and the Christmas season. With our summer-like weather here in Thane, it seems more like the next holiday should be the 4th of July, not Christmas.

So, next on the calendar is dinner tonight with Andy and Sheeba (the couple who basically runs JSK), a shopping trip for last minute souvenirs, dinner at a restuarant tomorrow night to thank the Alfreds, followed by two nights in Bombay before returning back to Thane to pack and then get to the airport!

Oh, there is so much to tell! I look forward to sharing our stories in person.

Well, Josh and Ben will be home for lunch soon, so I should go. I'm in charge of lunch today because Claire is out with her mum. (FYI... I'm picking up many British terms! Like mum instead of mom and nappy instead of diaper. :)

Love from Elise's mum,
Andrea

quick update

The Thanksgiving feast was a success! And I have to admit that the western food tasted so good after weeks of Indian food. Of course, I still love Indian food and look forward to trying out some recipes when I get home, but there's something so wonderful about mashed potatoes loaded with butter and good old stuffing from a box. :)

Toby, Elise and I are all battling head colds right now. Elise's poor nose has been running for three days now and she doesn't quite seem herself. We met Toby at Lok Hospital today to have a look around and she was really irritable. She immediately said "Bow!" to every person who approached her whether they pinched her cheek or not. :(

Elise is back from a walk with Josh and ready for dinner.

Love you,
Andrea

sticky fingers

Thankfully Stephen convinced us not to go back to the busy shops near Thane station. Instead, once Elise was in bed, Toby and I enjoyed a dinner out, just the two of us while Elise was in the care of Claire and Stephen. I'm sure the shopping adventure would have been fun, but it was better to have a quiet dinner and a chance to talk about our experiences and the events still on the calendar.

And again tonight, once Elise was settled in her pack-n-play, we went out for dinner. This time it was not to a restaurant, but to the home of Abraham and Elizabeth, a couple from the church. They live on the 17th floor of one of the many new high-rise apartment buildings in Thane in a very nice 3 or 4 bedroom flat. The food they served was incredible... homemade Indian dishes full of flavor and heat. I was offered a fork, but I'm happy to report I didn't use it (although I must also admit that I'm still somewhat uncomfortable eating with my hand). I constantly feel the sticky bits of rice and sauce that remain. I often watch others and their hands. Do they feel that stickiness? (Probably not.) Do they pass a dish with their messy right hand or with their left? (Usually the left.) Do they lick their fingers? (Sometimes.) So, I'm learning.

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and while I'm sad to be so far away from family, I am looking forward to cooking a somewhat traditional thanksgiving dinner for the Alfreds. Unfortunately, it will be my first Thanksgiving without turkey, as you cannot find it here at all. But we will have chicken, and stuffing, mashed potatoes, rolls, corn, beans, and even an apple pie.

So, to my dear family and friends, I wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving! Wish we were there to tell you how thankful we are for you.

Andrea

"Benny, sit down!"

That's what Elise is hollering in the background as I type. Benny is Ben, the Alfred's youngest son. She absolutely loves both boys. And she loves ordering both around! Yesterday we went to one of the big malls, and she begged Josh to take her up and down the escalator about ten times. She still gets so many looks from people (especially when in Josh's arms riding the escalator repeatedly).

Toby had a good first day at the hospital yesterday and even got in two hours of studying. Many people have asked me via email how his sermon went on Sunday, so I should report that it went very well. He prepared for it quickly. (He had to - he's been so busy!) And while we're not sure that everything got translated perfectly into Hindi by Devraj as he preached, I am sure many people appreciated his message.

Tonight Toby and I will go shopping near Thane station. That's the crazy busy street I described in an earlier entry. This time we'll leave Elise behind. We'll actually go after she's in bed. I look forward to it. I spend too many hours just here at the Alfred's! Of course, I like having this stable environment for Elise and the Alfred's are wonderful, but I do look forward to exploring more of Thane and Bombay before we leave. (There's only 12 more days to go!)

Well... I think I may take Elise for a walk before nap time. Love from Thane!

Andrea

Two weeks and too many things to do!

We depart India in less than two weeks, and it seems we have so much to do before we go. Here are a few of the events on our calendar: lunch with a church member tomorrow, dinner at another church member's house on the 21st, "Thanksgiving Dinner" put on by me on the 22nd, dinner at Stephen's parents' place on the 23rd, spending a night with Dr. Adam and his family to make room for the Keith and Carol Danby who are visiting the Alfreds this weekend, a wedding reception on the 25th for a resident Toby knows from the Marqutte program, a night over in Mumbai with a friend of the Alfred's, a visit to Sam and Erica's place in Mumbai (Sam went to high school with Toby), and the Youth AIDS Awareness day (Toby has help plans some booths for JSK) on December 1st!!! So, I think the next two weeks will fly by.

Today Toby started working at Lok Hospital. Hopefully he'll find his niche there quickly so that he can make the most of the next two weeks.

As for Elise... she's doing great. I got a great video clip of her last night at the Gospel meeting. She was surrounded by a handful of children and Elise was thrilled because they were all imitating her. I've learned that she's quite the little director. The grandparents will also be glad to hear that she is back on anti-malarial meds. She received so many mosquito bites last week, so we felt it was the best thing to do. It's a different med though, and so far she hasn't had any sleep trouble.

She's sleeping now, and I should take care of a few things.

Love,
Andrea :)

homesick

I can't deny it. I'm homesick... not terribly homesick, but homesick. I miss my family, my friends, my house, my things. And although I don't enjoy feeling homesick and I'm looking forward to returning home, I also am realizing that this homesickness is good for me. It exposes my weaknesses, my addiction to "things" back home, which really aren't important, and reminds me of how blessed I am by my family and friends. I am so amazed right now by other people I know, like Claire Alfred and Grandma Orange and my Aunt Bev, who leave what is familiar and travel a long distance to settle in a foreign place.

Speaking of Claire... it has been great to have her and the rest of the Alfreds back. Elise is especially happy to have Josh and Ben around to play with. We haven't been up to much. Today is Josh's 14th birthday, so we get to order pizza tonight and eat what Claire calls American brownies. I don't know if I'm more excited about the pizza or the brownies! Ahhh.... tastes of home.

Toby is wrapping up his work with JSK today. He's working in Bombay with the group today at a place called Oasis. I'm not sure of all the people Oasis serves, but when Toby was there the other day he worked with Adam seeing young girls who were formerly prostitues but rescued by a Catholic organiztion. Tomorrow he must work on his sermon, Sunday is full of church activities, and then on Monday he'll start at Lok Hospital. He's been very busy but I think the experiences have all been really good. My only concern for him right now is board study. He takes boards in Lansing on Dec. 21st and was hoping to study a little while in India. Obviously that isn't happening. So, while returning home will be simply wonderful for me, I'm afraid Toby has a lot of work waiting for him and not much time to process his experiences in India.

It will all work out though, I know. By God's grace, all will be fine.

Andrea

contrasts in our own family...

So, while I was lounging at the Golden Swan Country Club, Toby completed another busy day at JSK. He's had some incredible experiences here working with other Christians to provide much needed medical care to people in the slums who are infected with HIV/AIDS. I keep telling him he needs to blog. His daily encounters with the poor, social workers, medical missionaries, etc. is far more exciting than my frog chasing and pool lounging. Sometimes I wish I was seeing what he sees, and other times I shamefully admit to myself that I'm happy to be the one caring for our daughter in the haven of the Alfred's home.

So, he says he'll write. (No pressure Tob. :) But first he must prepare a sermon for Sunday. And he just found out tonight that he's leading morning devotions at JSK tomorrow.

As for my impressions of the country club... unbelieveable. Jo picked us up. Her kids ride in the only two car seats in all of India (well, it seems that way anyway). Elise road on my lap, of course, in the front seat. (I should say that Jo offered Alistair's seat to Elise! Jo is soooo wonderful. I really enjoy her company.) But I knew the ride was short, so I figured we were okay. What I didn't know was that half of the drive was uphill on a one-lane winding road that we shared with bicyclist, motorcycles, goats, cows, and buses! And, after telling me of the 40+ deaths that occur each year due to panthers, Jo stopped on the side of this winding road for Alistair to relieve himself!

Once the ground leveled a bit, we drove through a small village area. I was shocked to see that people lived there... and even more shocked to see the entrance to the club in this "neighborhood." Once inside you would not know you were in India. Clean, well-kept, landscaped, sprinkler systems, water-slide, wave pool, table tennis, restaurant, new playground. It was amazing. But again the contrasts... slum village literally right next to the country club.

Needless to say, Elise had a wonderful time there playing with her new friends in the pool. I wish I could share some pictures from the day, but we can't download our photos onto Stephen's computer.

Anyway... it's late and the Alfreds should be arriving any minute.

Andrea

pests

My new three least favorite pests are mosquitoes, frogs, and ants... in that order. Here in the house there are only a few misquitoes, but they're hard to kill. And now that we're off our malaria meds, I view every mosquito and each new bite as quite a threat. Mosquitoes in Michigan seem slow and loud compared to the variety here.

So far I've seen three frogs in the house. The first frog intruder was no bigger than a quarter and jumped around the dining room table until Toby trapped it in a cup and freed it. The second was quite large, maybe the size of Elise's hand. Thankfully Kashibai was here to shoo it out the back and into the garden. My turn came last night as Elise fearfully watched from the corner of the room. (She was fine until the little guy jumped at me and I surprised even myself with my scream.) But with the help of Kashibai's broom, I managed to brush him out the front door. I announced to Elise that the frog went outside, he went home. Still standing in the corner, eyes wide, she said, "More frog." :)

Finally, the ants. Like many American kitchens in the summer, the kitchen here has it's own trouble with ants. The only problem is that the ants here are about 3 times the size of ants back home. Yuck.

It's about 9:30am here, and Elise and I will leave in a few minutes with Jo, Alistair, and Freya to go to their "club." It's some sort of country club about ten minutes away with a wave pool. Should be interesting and quite a contrast from our usual sights and activities. I'll let you know what it's like when we return.

Andrea

spaghetti

Last night Adam and his family came over for dinner, and I had the challenge of planning a meal here in this foreign place. It took two trips to the "shopping complex" as it's called, which involved buying groceries from 3-4 different vendors. Elise walked with me the first trip (it is very close, just at the corner), but once there and surrounded by friendly Indians wanting, of course, to approach us and touch her cheeks, Elise insisted on being carried. She's also using her made up word "Bow!" quite a bit. I'm pretty certain the English translation is, "NO! Scram! Don't touch me!" :) Unfortunately for Elise, this doesn't dissuade the Indians around her from cointinuing to touch her and invade the personal space she's been conditioned to enjoy. So, with Elise on one hip and two bags of groceries on my arm, I gave up and decided a second trip was needed. On the second trip I took Elise in the stroller. Claire calls it a push cart. I'm pretty sure it's the only push cart in all of Thane. All little kids that we see are carried by someone. So, we're quite a sight to the locals. Two "whities" and a stroller. I think they must wonder as much as I do how it's possible to manage the stroller when the sidewalks are so rocky. But somehow we do manage.

So, the main course last night was good old spaghetti with homemade sauce. It's funny, most things are pretty cheap here, but not canned spaghetti sauce. So, I tried making my own. It was a pretty good attempt under the circumstances and our guests were gracious and seemed to enjoy it alright. For me, it was a good change from our everyday food here (rice, chipati, and cooked veggies seasoned with coriander, cumin, tumeric, and chili powder).

Along with Adam's family, a social worker from JSK also joined us for dinner. There were only two small problems. 1) Apparently in India when you say dinner will be at 6:30pm, it is common for the guests to arrive at 7:30pm! Oh well, spaghetti is easy to reheat. 2) Our guest had never had pasta before and had no idea how to use a fork! Poor guy. I felt so bad for him. Had I known he was going to join us I would have asked Kashibai to help me with a more traditional Indian meal.

Tonight we have dinner plans with a young couple from the church. We were invited to their place at 8:30pm for dinner (typical dinner time here), but instead we asked if they could come here. By 8:30pm Elise is usually asleep. So with the help of Kashibai this time, we will be eating Indian food again and using our fingers. And Elise and I will take on another trip (or two?) to the shopping complex.

The Alfreds return tomorrow from their vacation. It will be great to have them back and so good to have Claire to shop with!

Missing American grocery stores...
Andrea

Elise remembers...

It is amazing to me how much of home Elise remembers and talks about at only 21-months old. This morning during the last hour of the 3-hour long church service, Elise and I went out into the hallway for to play for a bit. She was rubbing her eyes and saying, "tired" (a word she began using during our first few days here when we were all VERY tired). I knew we still had time to wait, and the toys in my bag were no longer interesting to her, so I began asking her about her loved ones. I'd say, "Nana," and she'd say, "Papa." I'd say "Poppy," and she'd say "Gamma." And so on. Sometimes she'd just repeat me and other times she add a new name to the list. She also will say things quite often like "home" or "lake" or "Gamma's house" or "seum," which means "museum" (one of her favorite places in Marquette). Toby would probably say that I'm just transferring my own homesickness onto her, but I would say she misses home a bit... or, at the very least, remembers it fondly. I asked her today if she wanted to ride another airplane and go back to Michigan, and she replied with her sweet, soft, "yah." I suppose such questions are unfair, since our return trip is still 3 weeks away. I don't want to confuse her and she is very happy here. But I also want her to know that soon enough we will be home and seeing our loved ones again.

Elise is napping now, Toby is visiting with Auntie and Uncle Alfred (Stephen's parents), and I am enjoying the quite of the living room and a hot cup of coffee. Wish one of you were here to share a cup!

Love from Thane,
Andrea

no rest for the weary

To my western eye her stance is unfamiliar. As low to the ground as she can be while her back is still upright. Knees bent as high as her chin. Feet bare, spread wide, shuffling across the floor, broom in hand. Not a broom like the one I'd find in a closet back home. Hers is made of thin sticks or reeds, maybe 2 feet in length, tied together at one end. With this primitive tool, crouched low to the ground, she sweeps a marble floor.

I don't want to watch her clean, but I do. I continuously offer my help; she continuously refuses. Today I almost snapped a picture of her in this posture, but stopped. I fear that I'll make her feel like a spectacle, something on display... the same way I feel when the workers, tending to the plants out front, watch closely as Elise and I swim in the pool. It's as if their eyes cast a spotlight on our splashing and laughter. But I want to remember this woman named Kashibai. I don't want to forget how she labors, everyday, 7 days a week, cooking and cleaning for four different households, dressed in a beautiful sari with a dozen shining bangles around each wrist.

Ironically, I'm reading a book right now called Emotionally Healthy Spirituality, and in one chapter the author explains the gift of resting on the Sabbath. I feel strongly that this is something I would like to practice more in my own life, but more I wish it was something Kashibai had the option of practicing. Not that she's a Christain, she isn't. Tomorrow she will have one of very few days off all year to celebrate Diwali with her brothers and their families. But God's plan of the Sabbath is His design for us, "a rhythm of work and rest," as my book states... for all people, all created in God's image.

Toby spent the morning in the slums with Dr. Adam. After reading the above thoughts, Toby mentioned a conversation he had with a man in the slums who told him, "You Americans can work eight hours in a day and only five days a week and have more than enough to live on. In India, we work twelve hours a day, seven days a week, and yet hardly have enough money for life."

I don't know if I'm more homesick or sick of home. Please don't be offended. This is my raw, honest reaction to India.

If your soul can handle any more heartache, visit Adam's blog...
http://www.clanblack.blogspot.com/

Writing out these thoughts and trying to put my experiences and emotions into writing has been helpful for me. Thanks for reading.

Andrea

Imagine yourself on a street...

Imagine yourself on a street, a street PACKED with people, none of whom look like you but enjoy staring at you and pinching your daughter's cheek. Now imagine that the street is in shambles... rocky, puddles, mud, trash. There are no curbs, but where curbs would be there are shops, dozens, no, hundreds of tiny shops... shop after shop after shop. Textiles, clothing, food, watches, light fixtures, toys, decorations... and on and on and on. And at each one, there are those doing the selling who call to you and work to tempt you to browse and to buy. It is hot, of course; your clothes stick to your body, dirt clings to your skin. The crowd pushes you along, the buses push you aside... honk, honk... honk, honk. Rickshaws, motorcycles, buses, men, women, children, babies - literally thousands, but only one with blue eyes and blonde curls.

And imagine a small tap, tap, tap on your leg. You barely feel it. Then again, tap, tap, tap. You look down, and there you see a young boy in rags, maybe 5 years old, holding out an empty hand. And he looks at you and your white skin and your blonde daughter and your clean clothes and your purse and your camera. And you've never felt so dirty.

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That is my best attempt at describing the street we explored today. It was about a 10 minute drive from the Alfred's house, near the train station. We were there with Adam Black, the doctor at JSK who is serving here for three years with his wife and two young children. His prayer group (of about 6 people) from his church back in Scotland, here for a week long visit, also toured this street with us. Had we not stood out so much because of our skin and flashing cameras it would have been a nightmare to try to stick together.

We made the trip across town with our new Scottish friends via Adam's van, but our return trip was in a rickshaw. Now, imagine a golf cart... :) But forget the lush green grass and fresh summer air. Picture the street again. Picture a maze of such streets, filled with people, motorcyles with 4 passengers and no helmets, buses, bicycles, and hundreds, no, thousands of other rickshaws. Zig-zagging in and out of this maze, this madness, the three of us held on and enjoyed the ride home to the quiet of our neighborhood, Vasant Vihar. This neighborhood never appeared so quiet to me!

But now, at 9:30pm, there is not a quiet street Thane, or anywhere in Mumbai for that matter. It is Diwali, the Festival of Lights, the Hindu new year, and all around us are explosions of fireworks, it's the 4th of July on steriods.

And yet, our darling Elise is sound asleep upstairs. Somehow the ongoing BOOMS! barely phase her. Occasionally she'd take notice, light up with a smile, and say, "Noise! Boom!" She's really amazing. So, rest well, Nana, Papa, Gamma, and Poppy. Your little angel is doing fine. We're all doing just fine.

Love,
Andrea

Falling into a rhythm...

We have been managing well while the Alfreds have been on holiday. Elise enjoyed her third straight night of good sleep, and Toby is on schedule with sleep as well. As for me, I'm still a work in progress. Most nights I feel tired around 9 or 10, but then I get a burst of energy that keeps me awake late into the night. Last night I tossed and turned until 3 or so. Oh well, Elise takes a 2-3 hour nap each day, so maybe I'll join her.

Toby has been working at JSK, the HIV/AIDS clinic, this week. I've invited him to describe his experience in his own blog entry, so he probably will soon. For now I'll share what I know. JSK has 12 employees, most of whom are social workers who go on home visits to the local slums. There is also at least one doctor who stays on site to see patients. Toby has spent the week working on a chart review (for a research project he's doing with his good friend Bryan Sauer), seeing patients at the clinic, and visiting clients in the slum with a social worker. As I sit here in the luxury of the Alfred's home, it's hard for me to imagine the life of families in the slums, especially of those suffering from HIV. We have been invited to one of the "homes" for dinner sometime. Maybe we'll go when the Alfreds are back and when we can leave Elise home with them???


My life with Elise here at the house is falling into sort of a rhythm. We start our day around 8:30am with our normal morning activities, and then Kashibai arrives around 10. She always takes time from her housework to play with Elise. She'll often take Elise into the back garden and show her the flowers, usually picking a few to put in Elise's hair. Today the three of us took a walk around the neighborhood (one small loop that goes around the playground and pool). There are always many people working outside (i.e. the garbage man, men doing tile work on a wall, women doing gardening) and they always stop to stare at us. Yesterday Kashibai brought cookies to share with us. I'm not sure what her living conditions are like, but I do know that she works 11 hours everyday, 7 days a week and that she commented to me that her house is very small. So, it's difficult to see her doing the housework here and then sharing cookies with us that she purchased. Of course, I always help her when I can, but often she shoos me away.

Around noon Kashibai leaves and Elise eats lunch and gets ready for her nap. This is my chance to do our laundry (if the power is on), read, journal, use the Internet, etc. At 4pm, Kashibai comes again. Today I told her not to come but to finish early and rest. She seemed extra tired today and her leg was bothering her. Anyway, while I may not be spending much time touring the Mumbai area, I am learning a lot from this kind, hard-working woman.

It has been a bit cooler here the past couple of days - in the low 90s. :) We've heard reports of snow back home, and I must say I am so sad to miss the first snowflakes!

I'm dreaming of a white landscape...
Andrea

P.S. I need to give a shout out to my brother Carson - HAPPY BIRTHDAY CARSON! We hope you have a great day! Also, we have some news to report. Our good friends Bryan and Betsy Sauer are the proud new parents of Edward Diego Sauer, born on 11/6. Congratulations!

ELISE SLEPT 11.5 HOURS!!!

That's right! Elise was asleep at 8:30pm and woke up this morning at 8am! Toby also slept very well. This is definitely a turning point for the Longs! Thanks for the prayers. :)

I'll write more later today while Elise is napping.

Q & A

I've received a few question via email that I've decided to answer on the blog...

Q. How do people respond to Elise?
A. Many are stunned, can't help but stare. Tonight we went to the community pool across from the Alfred's and I really felt like we were on a stage and in a spotlight. :) One thing Elise doesn't like is when people crowd around her and touch her (this happened at church). A common response to a baby here is to gently pinch their cheek. Well, Elise does not care for this. She let's people know it by saying "no no no" or her made up word "bow" which means no or stop.

Q. Do I walk to the shops alone?
A. Yes, I did this morning by myself while Elise stayed with Claire and the boys. I'm not sure if I will go much with Elise while the Alfred's are away. I'm sure I will a few times. It is very close to the house and the people are all very friendly. Josh and Ben go there by themselves often. The only problem is that, although Claire has a stroller that we can use, the streets here are not stroller friendly at all. We have our backpack for Elise but it's in the 90s everyday and very humid, so that would be a bit uncomfortable. Either option would draw a lot of attention as well. Maybe Elise could walk with me and I could carry her as needed???

Q. Do people approach me and try to sell or barter with me?
A. No, not at all. I know this happens in Mumbai, but not here in Thane. All prices at the local shops seem to be set and fair. If people did approach me I would probably be less likely to go alone and/or with Elise.

Well, Elise is down for the night, well... for now, and I should get ready for bed as well. Is tonight the night we sleep??? I'll keep you posted!

ups and downs

Overall we are doing well, but our sleep troubles have continued. Elise's little body has been resisting the time change. Last night she was up from 11:30pm to 4am. She cried on and off during that time and became quite hysterical by the end of that period before finally surrendering to sleep. Since we left last Monday she has not slept for more than 4-5 hours at a time. At home she sleeps about 11 hours every night. It's very hard to force her to sleep and see her so upset, and I begin to feel that the trip is too much for her and she'll be miserable the next day. But each new day she is her same happy, curious, adorable self, laughing and playing and singing as if her sleep schedule has been normal.

Last night was the first night that Toby and I felt like we could sleep (of course, we didn't really because of Elise), and we think our sleep troubles have been compounded by our reaction to our anti-malarial medicine called larium. Insomnia, anxiety, dizziness, and vivid dreams are common side effects, and I've been experiencing all of those. Toby also thinks his sleep troubles are larium related (maybe Elise's as well???). So, we are following the advice of Dr. Alfred and stopping our medication. Elise will probably take a different med to protect her. We'll figure that out before Stephen leaves tomorrow. The point is, we are in need of prayer, prayers for sleep and protection from malaria.

We went to church today and it was a wonderful service. You should have seen Elise watching everyone and imitating them as we prayed. She was an angel for the entire 3 hours! (We had been there for a couple of hours and I thought church was over, but everyone started to sit down again and focus their attention to the front. I asked Toby what was going on and he replied, "The church service is starting." ) Elise really liked the children's part of the service when Toby and I had the pleasure of teaching the children two of Elise's favorite songs ('Jesus loves the little ones like me' and 'Running over').

We had a great nap this afternoon. Elise slept for 3 hours and woke up very happy. Will tonight be the night we all finally sleep??? I pray that it is!

Missing home but doing well,
Andrea

sleep troubles

The good news is we are healthy and enjoying the love of the Alfred family during this adjustment phase. The bad news is that the time difference has been extremely challenging. Once again Elise was up at 2am, wide awake and ready to play, and Toby was totally unable to sleep until 5:30am. I woke him up at 10am not wanting him to sleep too much during the day. Of course, the incredible lack of sleep is taking a bit of a toll on us. Elise is handling it the best, but Toby and I find ourselves dizzy, light-headed, and unable to function well.

Elise is as happy as can be. Josh and Ben are her new best friends. Yesterday (was it yesterday???) Claire took me to D-Mart the large grocery store. In all the chaos of this busy, bright market she didn't want to hold my hand. She would only hold Ben's. :)

The Alfreds leave for vacation on Monday. They will return on the 14th. So, I am busy learning everything I need to know to live here without them, such as...
-when the electricity is out each day
-where the shops are and how to get there
-how to phone the driver for a ride
-when their household employee arrives to cook and clean
-how to buy eggs from the man who rings some bell out on the street
-where to put the milk jug outside so that we receive milk that must then be boiled
-how to take care of the trash, which apparently is collected each day at the door by a man who does not speak English (I've already forgotten the Hindi word for trash)

India is such a crazy place. In the Alfred's home I am very comfortable, but being out and about is pretty overwhelming. Today we went to the mall and I was shocked by the contrasting images. Outside all the streets are filthy and falling apart in many places and there are the extreme poor living on the street and approaching you for a handout. It's so sad. It's been so difficult to process. Once inside the mall, it is clean, bright, air conditioned. We walked through a department store not too different from a JC Penney and then ate lunch at Pizza Hut (to celebrate Josh and Ben's last exams today).

Well... we're heading to Stephen's parents' house for dinner soon. I should get going.

XOXO from India,
Andrea

Getting adjusted

Hello family and friends! After many many hours of travel we arrived safely in India Tuesday night around midnight (2pm Michigan time). Elise has done very well. She may be tired, but she is having lots of fun and is healthy.

It is now after 3am on Thursday and despite our attempts to keep sleeping through the night Elise, Toby, and I are all awake and having play time in the living room while the Alfreds (our friends and host family) are, of course, sound asleep.

Yesterday was our first full day in Thane, and it was a really good day. My memory is already fuzzy about how we spent the morning. It's funny what jet lag does to the mind. I'm even a little dizzy as I type this so forgive me if it doesn't make complete sense! I do know that by 10am we were sound asleep and we didn't drag ourselves out of bed until 3pm. It probably wasn't good to sleep for so long during the day, but we were all so low on sleep that our brains couldn't manage otherwise. After a late lunch, the Alfred's boys, Josh (almost 14) and Ben (11) took us on a walk around the neighborhood and down to the local shopping area. India is unlike anything I've ever seen. The sights, smell, sounds are all so unfamiliar. It was really difficult to take it all in. I can say that it was funny to see people react to Elise. According to Josh, one woman commented that Elise looked like a doll. After the walk we played at a nearby playground then went swimming in the neighborhood pool (which felt wonderful because it is very hot and humid here).

Last night Adam and Jo Black and their children came over for dinner. They are a Scottish family living here in Thane for three years. Adam is a doctor and spends most of his time serving HIV/AIDS persons in the slums. They are wonderful people and we hope to see them often during our stay. Their son Alistair is 3 and their daughter Freya is 11 days older than Elise. They played pretty well together, although at this point Elise seems much more interested in Josh and Ben. They do whatever she wants and she loves it. :)

Toby was invited to start at the hospital tomorrow (today? Thursday) to join Stephen in the operating theater, but after no sleep tonight I hope he declines the offer and gives himself a few days to get better adjusted.

Thank you for all of your prayers. God has certainly been listening. We are doing very well. We send our love.

Andrea

Little does she know...

"You're taking me where?"

Yes, our little one is about to embark on quite a journey. On Monday the three of us leave Detroit and fly to India. We'll be staying outside of Mumbai for 5 weeks. I'm hoping to have Internet access so that I can post updates. We'll see! Say a prayer for Elise Monday night!

Happy Birthday Aunt Tarami!

In mommy and daddy's shoes

play time at the museum

More birthday pictures...

Last year was the start of a new tradition... Toby and I make a cheesecake for my birthday. This year we went for the classic New York style cheesecake and it was fantastic!

"Grandma" Bettie, our next store neighbor, joined us for dessert. We're really blessed to have her in our lives.

Elise now insists on sitting at the table with us. I guess it's time to get rid of the highchair. While she loved being at the table, she didn't really care for the cheesecake (although she really liked the chocolate sauce). :)

handprints and sandy toes

We had a great weekend at home in Marquette. It is so nice to be home. Of course, we miss Carson, Carol, and their girls so much (especially when they called me last night!). But the weekend here was really nice. Here are a few photos of some of the highlights...

On Friday Toby took Elise and me to the paint-your-own pottery store here in town. Elise helped me create a beautiful bowl for my birthday.

Yesterday was surprisingly warm, so we got to enjoy an afternoon at the beach! This shot was taken at a little beach off of Presque Isle. Beautiful!

Another highlight was reading to Elise last night. She had a little snack on her lap and the two of us rocked and read books for almost an hour! I think that must have been her birthday gift to me. :)

home

We arrived home to Marquette Saturday night after two and a half days in our car. Elise did so well on the drive, and she was so excited to be home. In fact, as soon as she entered the house she said, "hooooommmmme!" and ran around checking out all the toys she hadn't seen for a month.

Then yesterday we had the joy of hanging out with some of our Marquette friends. The video below shows Elise and her buddy Charlie chasing each other around and having a blast. So good to be home...

Collbran

(Oops! This is an old post that I had saved but never actually posted. Oh well. Better late than never. These are photos from our two days in Collbran, CO...)





Toby has had the pleasure in working in the tiny mountain town of Collbran for a couple of days this week. Elise and I went with him for the first night, and we stayed in cozy cabin #8 at Vega Lodge. (We were first given cabin #1, but we opted to switch after we realized the cabin didn't have any heat!)

The Monument

I took mom and Aunt Lona for an hour drive through Colorado National Monument. This amazing landscape is just outside of Grand Junction. It's so beautiful! And I was very proud of myself for keeping cool while driving along the winding roads that certainly do not have enough guard rails!

Week 3

Week 3 in Grand Junction was especially fun because of our special visitors!

My mom and Aunt Lona made the long trek west via Amtrak. Thanks for making the long trip out to see us! One highlight from the visit was a trip to Carlson Vineyard in Palisade during the wine fest weekend.

Another favorite event was dinner out at the Ale House. The food was excellent and the girls (including Nana) loved running around on the lawn after eating!

Arches National Park

On Saturday we went to Utah to see Arches Nat'l Park and the town of Moab. It was really gorgeous. Have a look...

Ice Cream

Telluride

Last weekend we traveled three hours to Telluride to watch my brother Carson finish the Imogene Pass Run. It was a 17 mile race that started in Ouray and ended in Telluride, cutting through the San Juan mountains. The Imogene Pass itself is at an elevation over 13,000 ft!

Telluride is a GORGEOUS mountain town.

Carson's three little cheerleaders patiently waited for his arrival.

Carson finished in 3 hours and 47 minutes! Way to go Uncle Carson!!!

Strolling around town

We took the gondola up the ski hill to enjoy the views. It was so amazing! That's Telluride down below. I think Toby's ready to plan a ski trip for the winter.

One sprout?

Or two?