five on friday

1. Today is our anniversary. 11 years. Just so you know, when I said "I do" 11 years ago, I never in a million years thought I'd be in India on our 11th anniversary!

2. In honor of our anniversary, Jason's friend brought us dinner. Mr. Asad is the man who installed our air conditioner. He promised us three weeks ago that he would bring us dinner for our anniversary, and he made good on his promise! He is Muslim, so he brought us rice with BEEF in it. He also brought something that we thought might be similar to salmon patties in America, but they were super spicy. We had some friends over and we all enjoyed trying the new cuisine!

3. Today I finished a long week of language learning. After two weeks of school, I can have a simple conversation with you exchanging names and asking how you are, identify many nouns, describe them using adjectives, use a few verbs, and ask some simple questions. Today I ventured into reading the Hindi script. After mastering the reading of a few letters, I took a spelling test. Below is a picture of my work. See that red writing at the bottom? That, my friends, was written by my teacher and it says "Shubash," which means "very good." My teacher sure knows how to build up the self-esteem of her student! It's okay to be jealous of my kindergarten work!

4. This week has been spent making forts. Just so you know... nothing makes two little boys happier than some old bed sheets tied up around a room! Tonight they are sleeping on the marble floor under their forts. More power to them!

5. Now that we are finally settled in a house, we can receive mail/packages from the US. We haven't actually received anything yet, but our friend Beth got a package from her mom today. Her sweet mom packed my little guys something special! Here's a quick shot of Jack showing off his new Lego truck! It does a mama's heart when people show love to her babies! Thank you! :)

the list (cont.)

Today I am thankful for:

1. Dogs that fill Jack's longing for his own four-legged friend!

2. iPads (and a three-year old that is tech-savvy.)

3. Listening to the boys recite our memory verses.

4. Drawing pictures of our friends that we miss. (Jared- this is Jack's picture of you two swinging!)

5. Kumlesh- our house helper! And the fact that she is never too busy to stop and play with Max! They are becoming quite close friends! She plays a mean game of B-ball!

6. Anchuu- This is Kumlesh's daugher. She cooks lunch for us each day and washes dishes in the evenings! She told me she was 18... I don't even think I could make a sandwich when I was 18, let alone cook someone a meal!

7. Ants.

Okay- I'm just kidding! I actually HATE them, but I thought adding them to the list might make them more enjoyable! These ants were dragging a dead moth across our kitchen floor last night, but most days they can be found scouring our kitchen counters for spare food. Apparently, they are a fixture in every South Asian home!

8. Affection from cows.

9. Gentle reminders from God that He is rooting for us!

10. Skyping with friends and family back in the States!

five on friday

1. I suppose I should start calling this post: "Five on EVERY 5th Friday!" I'll try to make it more consistent!

2. This week our house helper's 18-year-old daughter, Anchuu (pronounced On-Choo) began cooking lunch for us! Good thing 18-year-olds in America aren't responsible for feeding others! She is a great cook, and it's such a relief that I don't have to worry about doing that each day! And she tries to endure our pitiful attempts to speak Hindi! God love her!

3. In the evenings, Anchuu comes back to wash the dishes from the day! Today she brought a girl named "Sarah" with her. Sarah is a college student studying journalism and English. After introducing herself, she asked us if she could come each day and teach us Hindi. Can I just tell you that God amazes me some days? Starting tomorrow she will come each day for 30 minutes to teach us Hindi. She wants to start by teaching us to buy vegetables and fruits. She said Anchuu told her that the vegetable wallah was ripping us off every day and making us pay way too much! Mind you, we buy about 2 bags full of vegetables (okra, onions, potatoes, eggplant, mango, carrots, and cucumbers) for about $1.50, but if she can teach me to get them cheaper and how to ask for them in Hindi, I'M ALL EARS!

4. I recently found an auto driver who seems dependable and very reasonable in price. He picks us up each day for school. In the afternoons, he works as a chef at a local restaurant. On Wednesday, he picked me up from school and his wife was with him. Before they dropped me off, they invited our entire family to lunch on Monday at their house! Again-- God amazes me!

5. Speaking of eating--- Wednesday evening I enjoyed a great dinner out with some other American girls that are here studying language. While we were waiting on our food, a rat crawled across the floor! It's safe to say that most of us had our feet in our chairs pretty quickly and kept them there for quite some time! The best part of the story is that we stayed and ate dinner! Seriously- living in India makes you do some crazy things!!!!

gratitude

Exactly one month ago, Jack turned 8! Last week he broke the silence at dinner by asking a profound question. He said, "Mama, do you know what makes birthdays so special?" He was quick to answer saying, "Because lots of people send you stuff and make you feel so special." With those words, he reminded me that I never posted about his birthday!

As a way to help him celebrate a monumental birthday, I asked you, our friends and family, to pitch in. I knew that turning 8 would bring about so many new adventures- new places, new homes, new cultures, new languages- and I wanted him to know that no matter where in the world our family was, he had cheerleaders back home rooting for him and praying for him! And when I say you guys hit a home run, you put the ball WAY out of the park! He was BLOWN AWAY!

When we got to my parents house, this is what we saw...

Jack's response was, "ALL of this is for me?!?!" He was amazed that so many people would think of him! He received cards and packages from Alaska to Ukraine, and a multitude of places between. He read every card, counted every dollar, played with every toy, and treasured each kind gesture that were sent especially to him!

As a mama, one of my greatest concerns about moving to India has been the boys and their well-being. But when I think of all the prayers, love, gifts, and concern that you all are sending our way daily, I can't help but be reminded that they are truly being cheered for each day! Please know that your generosity and love made one little boy's day, but it is etched for a lifetime in the mind of his mama and daddy! We have rockstars for friends and family! Thank you for blessing us!

And for you, Jack- here's a look back at your last year! I look forward to seeing your face every morning and I long to see what God is going to use you for!

Untitled from Sarah Marlin on Vimeo.

the list (cont.)

Today I am thankful for:

1. Vegetable Wallahs- In India, there are a variety of men who bring carts down our road each day providing different services- milk, shoe repairs, and one of our favorites- vegatables! Each morning we hear him coming yelling and we look over the balcony to see what he has! Most days we buy potatoes, onions, carrots, cucumbers, and eggplants. Most days, our total runs us 50 rupees (Indian currency), 0r about $1.00. You can't beat that!

2. Getting to see a variety of wildlife roaming free. The other day we saw this sweet baby pig looking for its' mama. He was one unhappy little pig and it made Jack pretty sad! There are also some pretty big negatives to animals roaming the streets, but the boys seem to enjoy seeing them!

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3. KFC- Seriously, the KFC in India is definitely better than the states. Jack can eat his weight in it!

4. Sweet reminders of how blessed I am.

This is one of the many children we see each day begging for money and food. I often wonder why she and I aren't in opposite places. She reminds me not only that I am blessed, but that I was blessed to bless others!

5. Storms that cool us off.

6. Reminders of Greg Reed's BBQ

7. Press Wallahs- Just like the vegetable wallah, there is a lady who picks up our wrinkled clothes. Last week she picked up 24 items and we paid almost $1.50 for ALL of the items!

8. Our neighbor... Mr. Chawla. I just can't even begin to tell you what a blessing he continues to be. (This picture was taken late at night. I wouldn't say this is his best look, but we snapped it anyways. He had come over to help us get our power working!)

9. Mango season

10. First haircuts in India

And the cute results...

the list

Today I'm grateful for:

1. Ironic pictures like this one that make me laugh!

I wish I had a video of the oldest boy driving the monster truck on the cow's back! Only in India!

2. Peanut butter toast. I don't think my children have ever had it, but it's suddenly their favorite thing to eat.

3. A husband who fixes peanut butter toast for them on demand.

4. Large buckets that double as bathtubs for little guys who still long for a bath in a home without bathtubs.

5. Chinese restaurants in India that are better than the states!

6. 4 inch pieces of foam that work to make a cement mattress feel slightly more comfortable.

7. Jack's ability to adapt to new places.

8. God's grace on a slightly imperfect electrical system.

9. New friends that have a dog for us to play with. Jack has been negotiating a deal with him for the dog. They've settled on $50. I'm having a hard time explaining to Jack that we can't just buy the neighbor's dog! We've promised to get him one when we get to our permanent town.

10. Friends and family that call, skype, and email us often. It sure makes the days easier when you hear an encouraging word from you all!

won't you be my neighbor?

Good neighbors are standard in the South. I've been fortunate to have some of the best growing up and as an adult. But I wasn't sure what to expect when I moved to India. Let me assure you... Mr. Chawla, his wife, and son, did not disappoint! [One day soon, he and I will reach a new height in our friendship and I'll ask to do a photoshoot of him (kidding) but for now you'll just have to create a mental picture of him in your head.]

On Wednesday we moved in to this beautiful home.

We live on the top floor. No one currently lives on the bottom floor. Our portion consists of two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen, a living area, and a dining room. It only lacked one essential element when we moved in... an AIR CONDITIONER! This is where our neighbor comes in!

As you might imagine, India has its' own way of doing things! From what we understand, the man that owns this house doesn't live in this town. So, he hires a property manager, or Mr. Chawla, to handle situations that might arise with the house while he is away. On Thursday, Jason went over to inquire about an air conditioner, but our neighbor couldn't see him until his "afternoon bath was complete." So when the time was right, Jason went over to his house. Fully expecting some traditional Indian chai (tea), he served Jason a cold Coca-Cola and a Washington apple (with salt and pepper on it!) I stayed home to watch the boys but within a few minutes, our neighbor proved to be an answer to prayers!

Pretty soon, an auto (see picture below) pulled up with an air conditioner loaded in the back for our house.

If you know anything about India, you know that timely deliveries are unheard of! As soon as it was unloaded, the workers began installing it and stayed until it was working that evening. Jason also came back home with more good news. Mr. Chawla insisted we needed a house helper so he set us up with a sweet lady who comes EVERY day to our house to clean. Our neighbor has also taken quite a liking to Max. He took him home that afternoon and brought him back with a tin full of chocolate! He and his wife insisted that the boys call them "Grandmother and Granddaddy" in Hindi.

I don't know about you, but where I'm from, that is hospitality at its' finest! This sweet family is such an answer to prayer. I can't even begin to tell you how much they have helped us adjust to life in India! I'm super proud to call them our neighbors and I can't wait to get to know them better!

***Below are a few other pictures for those who might be interested!

Here is a picture of Mr. Chawla's house. It is across the street from our house:

This is the house directly across from ours. We haven't met this family yet:

This house is across the street as well. Jack enjoys playing with the little boys who live here:

Here's a picture of one of the boys who lives here. Our boys have already spent lots of time playing with this little guy and his older brother! Thank goodness he speaks a little English!

gratefulness in chaos

I’ve intentionally held off from writing about our first few days in India. I know my words will be inadequate to explain this unique establishment on the other side of the world. As an American myself, I know that we have no box to understand this complex yet very simple society. Just when I think I understand it, I am astounded yet again by something I see, hear, smell, or taste.

In many ways, their culture is like ours, but as in any place, they have created their own unique twist on life.. The people wake up early and the bustling of cars, trucks, and autos is almost constant. Though lines can be seen on the most of the streets, they mean very little. At one point, the street may house two lanes of traffic and in a flash, it can contain 5 lanes. Blinkers are not important… an obnoxious honk of the horn lets them know someone is coming up behind them.

Many of them hold jobs just like you and me. Cell phone companies, grocers, doctors, and pharmacists are just a few. They have created for themselves a society where there are naturally lines in society and classes, but theirs goes a step further. The underlying “caste system” defines who they are and will become before they are even born. I’ve watched young girls and women place garbage in bags that will later be sorted and sold. These women have no opportunities for education and most likely for a better life in the future. There are nice neighborhoods in gated communities where life seems worry-free. But one block down, you can see the slums where some tents are covered in tarps and cardboard but others sleep on thatched beds in the open air. Oddly enough, all have developed a way of life despite their circumstances. Even the inhabitants of the slums can be found sponging off and brushing their teeth in the mornings in order to keep themselves clean despite their horrific living conditions.

The family structure is very important in this society as well. Fathers can be found holding hands with their children, quickly reminding me that they in some ways live just like Jack and Max. Children wearing uniforms are placed on buses and taxis by their parents each day to ensure adequate educations and bright futures. But there is also a grimmer side to life here. At long red lights, half-dressed children can be found pecking on car windows for food, change, or anything that could be given. They are relentless in their asking. We have found that our boys don’t complain as much when these unfortunate children are looking in on vehicle with their empty eyes. Giving to them does little to help them as you only seem to support child-trafficking.

But despite the poverty and filfth, surviving this place leaves one with a sense of accomplishment, and thriving here is possible. True- it’s no Disney Land. No one works to create a wonderful experience each day for you so that you have the most magical time of your life. But what I’m finding is that God truly gave us all that we needed to be happy and to become what he intended us to be.

I’m not naïve enough to think that all days in India will be happy or that I won’t struggle during my time here. (In fact, I wrote this two days ago and have since had a terrible case of culture shock! More to come on that) But what I do want to attempt to do is to appreciate this place for what it is and has to offer. There are many wonderful things here amongst the chaos if you look closely enough so I’m going to make that my goal. So I want to start an ongoing list of things I’m thankful for in India. In America, we don’t have to look far to find things that bring us joy, but while I’m here, I’m going to be intentional about an “attitude of gratitude.” So periodically, I will just make a list of things that bring me happiness in India. I’ll share them when they arise and expound on them if necessary. I hope that my experiences remind you to se the small things around you each day!

Here's a quick picture of the boys sweeping the verandah outside of our house!