More Sweet Goodbyes

Goodbyes are sweeter and easier when they are backed with promises to visit the states next year!

Christmas and Goodbyes

Last year we pulled off the biggest surprise ever for our families and made it home for the holidays. So this year made our first Christmas in India. We had a wonderful time celebrating our Saviors birth with dear friends and fellowship.

We were able to go to a Christmas Eve service. There were no duck sweaters involved, but we did enjoy the service filled with carols and the true Christmas story!

And even though we kept things super simple this year we realized that Santa keeps very good records.... He even found us in a different country and living with friends!

We had a wonderful Christmas lunch with our sweet friends, who have all become like family to us. Together we prepared a feast! I think we might have had more sweets than anything else... that's when you know it's good :) It totally redeemed the fish with eyeballs and noodles we had for Thanksgiving.

It was a perfect way to spend our last full day in India.

I vividly remember a day when I thought two years could never go by quick enough, and now it seems like they've just flown by! It was hard to say goodbye two years ago to family and friends in the states, and now it's hard to say goodbye to our friends we are leaving behind in India. We love our Indian family, and already miss them like crazy!

This is the sweet family that adopted us. We've been living with them the last 6 weeks :)

Feliz Navidad Party

Tacky sweaters, Mexican food, White Elephant gifts, and fake mustaches can only mean one thing. Team Christmas Party! 

Joe's White Elephant gift (temporarily): Do It Yourself Ninja Turtle Kit

I wish you could see his awesome neon tiger printed shorts he has on. Then you'd really get the full visual. 

Look at those nice sweaters and staches.

 I'm pretty sure the staches are wishful thinking for these three though.

My mustache had no stickiness left so I had to hold it in place just right otherwise it would fall off. I'm pretty sure this was taken after I had literally laughed it halfway across the room!

I just love it when you laugh so hard you get an ab workout :)

This sweet little one not only participated in the fake mustache pics, she got second place in the tacky sweater competition. (note: the sweet little red shirt she is wearing is NOT the sweater that got her the award. I just forgot to get a picture so you'll have to use your imagination...lots of bright colors, a large be-dazzled cross in the front, and lovely pants to match.)

Even though Christmas looks a little different over on this side of the pond, we are having a wonderful time with our friends/ adopted families.

Twenty.Six

week 26

Our baby is the size of a cucmber this week, 14 inches long and weighing in at almost 2 lbs.

This has been a fun week filled with lots of yummy treats and sweet goodbyes. (Who knew there was such a thing as Snickers Cake?! I think this cake has taken my cravings to a whole new level.)

It's also been fun to watch everyone stare at my belly. It's quite entertaining really. Example: The movers were carrying a heavy air conditioner out of our house and ran into the door because they were so focused on "the belly" instead of where they were going. haha

We are looking forward to going to the Dr on Monday for our 4D ultrasound and last appointment here in India.

Hopefully we can post a few more times before we leave.

Feeling a Little Lighter

It all started over a cup of Jo last February, little did we know what we were getting ourselves into.

Joe and I assumed responsibility for organizing and facilitating a retreat for over 80 people. What were we thinking?! This isn't just "get some notes from years past and modify." This was start from sratch IN INDIA (meaning way more time consuming and stressful than if pulled off in the states) Point of the story: We definitely should have prayed about it more before we quickly agreed to the task.

But thankfully my Hubby has had experience with organzing events before and made a great coworker on this endeavor.

I'm so pleased to say that the retreat was a success (in our eyes.) We set the the expectation level pretty low, but it definitely surpassed it! And it seems like everyone really enjoyed it :)

We were so blessed to have a group from America come and be with us. They provided amazing child care for the 30+ kiddos we had, incredible time of worship through music, and a short devotion every morning.

First s'more in.... way too long!

 We also had fun team building games, including a field day. I couldn't participate much since I've got a bun in the oven, but Joe and I did win the balloon toss :) Plus I provided a few extra points for the team by doing a hand stand for a photo scavenger hunt. (wasn't the smartest Mommy move on my part, but thankfully baby Futt is still movin' and groovin' in the womb)

All in all it was a wonderful Thanksgiving week...even if we did have fish with eye balls and chowmein noodles for Thanksgiving dinner. hehe

The Dilli Pickles were the winners!!

Bigger and Bigger

Well, it's been three four weeks since we've posted any updates on this baby bump. It's amazing how much bigger I've gotten in just the last few weeks!!!

week 22
Joe got to feel the baby move for the first time the night before our 4 year anniversary! We decided that was pretty much the best anniversary present ever.

week 23
Our wiggle worm LOVES to dance :) Our entertainment has been to put the ipod on my belly and watch the baby. We realize we don't have any veggie tales, but our baby loves Andrew Peterson.

week 24
We went to the Dr this week and she said everything is going great! We were in and out in less than 15 minutes. And we would have been out sooner, but we were getting our LAST appointments here in India lined up for December 20th. She's going to check us out and give us a release form so we can begin our journey back to the states on the 27th of this month.

week 25
This week we can feel the baby pushing hard against my belly. We went to the movies today and the baby loved it! Baby Futt loves action packed movies :)
I am starting to feel a little like "Gus Gus" from Cinderella this week...the tanks are getting a little shorter. haha

only 105 days till we get to meet our Baby Futt! 

Sewa Ashram

I've been really bad about updating lately. And I'm going to go ahead and blame that on my mom. That's right, Mommy in America gets the blame. It's all because she's been praying that we'd be super busy and encouraged in our last few months here in India. Boy, has the Lord answered that prayer! We've been beyond busy, maybe even a little too busy but that's okay.  We are definitely thankful.

So while Joe's cousins were here we went to Sewa Ashram for the day. It was an incredible experience. We got to meet some really sweet people and love on some kiddos.

While we were playing with the kids I got a little background story on one of the little boys in a wheelchair. He was a perfectly healthy baby and toddler. And then one day everything changed... His mother died and his father stopped caring about him eventually remarrying.
Due to years of neglect, this boy is now permanently in a wheelchair with visible handicaps. But even though he can't communicate at all, his brain is still functioning normally. He understands everything that is going on around him.

He is living at the ashram right now while the workers there encourage his grandmother to take responsibility for him. Although he can't run and play like the others, he sits in his chair either with a huge smile on his face or singing his heart out.
My heart breaks for this boy. But my heart is also thankful for the ashram, for the love and care he's receiving on a daily basis now, and for the huge grin on his face while I was talking to him that day.

These men have learned to make beautiful jewelry. We were able to watch them while they worked. And shop a little :)