भारत प्यार: Culture shock

After a 'holiday' week on the West Coast of India
we arrived in India-the-real. 

Rubbish. Rubble. Beggars. Bartering. Stench. Spice. 
Noise. Need. Desperation. Dust. 

This, is Delhi.

But there was much to learn and love about this city...

भारत प्यार: Charm

I'm pining for a new cultural experience.

Russia, Turkey and Japan are on my wish list.

But those dreams are awhile away,
so I will have to make do with memories.

And over the next week, I'd like to share my favourite with you.

India!

Six weeks with two wonderful travelling friends, Jayde and Shae.

Today, just a few photos of our first stop Goa, where the natural beauty and charm of the land is quietly on display. (Personal digital cameras were only just new then, and space on the camera card was very limited!) 

 Dudhsagar Falls, Palolem, Calangute, Goa Jungle.

Sleeping sweetness

Our cot is gone.

Our babies are grown enough to sleep in adult size beds. 

I don't want to forget:

their kissable baby lips;

their dummy love;

their onesies;

their bottoms in the air;

and walking in to see them every morning.

Elara

India

Zeb

Honesty post

I want you to know that when I blog, 

I am usually showing my best. 

The things I've accomplished. 

The things I've learnt. 

The things I'm proud of. 

I think that's ok (and normal for a optimist like me). I primarily write this blog to have my own memoir, and I would like to remember the crowns of my life and, after I have learnt from them, let the other moments sink away into the forgotten. I write this blog, secondly, to share my life journey with people I have once known, still know, or may one day know. And so this blog post is for you. 

A FEW THINGS YOU PROBABLY DON'T KNOW ABOUT ME:

• I very rarely have all the rooms in my house tidy.
• I am extremely shy. Over the years, I have learnt how to act non-shy, but inside I still feel embarrassed and terrified around people. I feel at ease talking to only my family and a very few close friends. 
• I am not good at disciplining my children. I wish I was more firm and confident with this.
• I both crave and reject help. 'Helping' is my language of love. It's the best way I know to show someone that I care, and when someone helps me unexpectedly, I am left smiling. But I often reject offers of help as I fear being a burden on other's lives. 
• I am a reasonable cook, but planning and cooking (and buying groceries) for the family mealtimes brings me undone! The kids eat noodles once a week! I know what I'd like to feed my kids but it is not what I'm feeding them. 
• I hate owning a business. The responsibility to look after other people's mortgages and families (as well as our own), and the responsibility for correcting other people's mistakes (as well as our own), is heavy.
• I don't make enough time for my friends.
• I have unrealistic expectations on myself (a problem of all mothers?). I want to be the best. At everything. And failure beats at the door weekly, daily, hourly.
• Sometimes I just want what I want. 

I hope you know that what you read in a person's 'house mum' blog is only some of the story. 

I hope you know that I am not a Christian because I am a good person (or a good person because I am a Christian, for that matter). 

I hope you know that I am everyday forgiven and thankful, which is why I write this blog.

A book sling

Sewing projects have been few and far between.

And making a book sling for Elara was far from the top of the priority list.

But it had been on that list for a long time.

So I spent Friday night cutting, piecing and sewing it together, so that she could wake up to a surprise hanging on her bed, the next morning.

And she liked it.

While we're here, a few snaps tour of the girls recently changed room!

 

One thousand gifts: May

"At the kitchen sink, crumbs across a counter stacked with pots that need scrubbing, I scratch down another gift - in this mess I am blessed." - Ann Voskamp

A portion from this months thankful list:

193: Two dozen fresh farm eggs
203: A secret pact between sisters to "do our chores and be good
          for Mummy"
207: Sunday afternoon Monopoly with the girls

209: Each day, knowing 'God's got this'
216: A planned week
219: Handmade garden pretties

221: Poached egg in Miso soup
224: Babe asleep with Dad

Two brunches

One: 

On a most beautiful day.

For some lovely school Mum's.

We talked and laughed and enjoyed the child free time.

On our big, new deck (thanks Tim!)

The menu included bacon, chipolatas, mushrooms, baked eggs with tomato, chai pancakes, bircher muesli with berries and yoghurt, chocolate custard tarts, fresh fruit, and peanut butter and jam macarons.

Two:

Before the sun rose, on Mother's Day.

For a mum, from her girls (without any help!).

They planned for a week to work out what food to serve me.

At our family table.

The menu included sultana bran with soy milk, a whole carrot, and two squares of chocolate (served with a gift from the school craft stall).

They were both equally special.

xxoo