Holi

This is a bit of a makeup post. I intended to write it several months ago. These are pictures taken during Holi. We are playing with our neighbors and getting to know them a little bit.










I have to admit they were much better at it than we were.



We all got drenched with water and color.



The colored powder we used was very bright.


We were "colored" for several days.







Kara and the boys joined in with us, and ruined their clothes too.


Actually they ended up with some nice souvenir t-shirts.





Tommy wasn't sure what to think of all this, but he was quick to comfort Isaiah when he got too cold.

Mason is "looking good"!

It was a fun day, and we were able to interact with the people around us some. It's hard to get to know the people in our neighborhood. We plan to keep reaching out to them.

Tagged!

I was tagged over at Sunflower Seeds, so it's my turn to write my seven random or weird facts about myself. I was actually glad to be tagged, because even though I have some things I should write about the creative juices just haven't been flowing, and I am glad to have something that I can write about. 1. I'll go for the obvious first. I live in India. My family and I moved here three and a half years ago. We will stay here until the end of July next year when we will return to the States for about then months. I have always wanted to live and serve in a foreign country, so this assigment was the fulfillment of a long standing calling. Even so, sometimes it is hard, really hard. Living in a different culture can drive you mad sometimes, and I really miss my friends and family.
2. I know how to drive all manner of farm vehicles. I grew up on a farm, and I can drive a tractor, combine, grain truck, swather, baler, you name it. I also learned how to ride a motorcycle. This training has come in quite hand in our new life. In Asia all the automobiles come with a standard transmission, so you have to know how to drive a stick shift. Also it is a lot easier to get around on a scooter or motorbike, so we do that once in while too. God prepared me in so many ways for this life.
3. I have two children in boarding school. I can already hear the gasps resounding from some of you. What manner of mother would ever put her children in boarding school?! Well I would. The schools here simply do not have the means or the inclination to educate my children well. Homeschooling two highschool boys is not within the realm of my mental stability. Teenage boys need strenuous physical activity, there is no way out of it. They need to be challenged physically and learn to work hard at something. They can't do that here. There is now program for them and no place to exercise. They also need a place to pursue their interests, be they art, music, drama, woodworking or some the don't even know yet. I can't give them that here. So, even though it nearly broke my heart and scared me to death, I sent them to boarding school because it was what they needed and what was best for them.
4. My family is the most beautiful rainbow you have ever seen. My family believes in adoption. Both my brother and my sister have adopted, and so have some of my cousins. We have African American, Latin American, Chinese, Russian, and Ukrainian, kids in our family. I love it. I am so proud to be from a family that has opened their hearts and homes to children of different races, and countries. I think when God looks down on our family he smiles because he doesn't see the color of our skin, but the love in our hearts.
5. I have been happily married for nearly two decades, and I plan to stay married to the same man until death parts us.
6. I have only nine and a half fingers. The ring finger of my right hand was sevevered by a combine when I was only two years old. The doctor tried to re-attach it, but in 1973 the technology wasn't all that great. It usually doesn't bother me at all although it makes typing 9,0, and- a challenge. I will also never be a professional pianist. Although, I don't think my finger has anything to do with that.
7. I can remember the words to songs. I know the words to a LOT of songs. I don't know why, but if you set it to music my brain records it. I know the words to all if the hymns we sang growing up in church, and not just the first verse. I know the words to the heavy metal songs we listened to in the eighties, some of which I would like to forget. I know the words to songs my kids listen to now even though I don't even like some of them. If I ever go back to school, I am going to set all of my assigments to song, and have a perfect GPA.

So now comes the challenging part for me. I am supposed to tag seven people. I don't know seven people who have blogs, so I'll just tag the ones I do. Chala Bagundi, Bagunnara,
South Asia Rocks , and Glorify the Lord With Me.