Monday, January 6, 2014

1988


I'm about to date myself….
1988
The year I left high school and started college -
with no beeper, no cell phone, no iPad, or iPod touch, or mp3 player, or laptop.
It was a big deal that I went with an ELECTRIC TYPEWRITER.
There was no texting, Facebook, instagram, snap chat, vine or twitter to entice your social senses.
Yep.
There was no email.  Al Gore hadn't even invented the internet yet :)
You found out about new music from actually listening to the radio or if you were really cool, you went to the local record stores known for carrying bootleg albums and underground bands.
When you were out when someone called you, they had to leave a message on an ANSWERING MACHINE.
You were a high roller if you had cable TV and call waiting.
When you took an exam, it was with a pencil and paper and you actually had to WAIT for your grades to be mailed to you through the postal system.
Instant gratification or knowledge was not at your fingertips.
You had to go to the library and look things up - in the card catalog, the phish, or the set of encyclopedias.
Don't get me wrong, I am truly thankful for the conveniences that modern technology provides.  Just the other day I received the most precious gift in an email.  It was a video taken of Munni when she was about 3.5 years old.
But, I have also struggled with the impulsivity of it as well.  I find myself at times with my head buried in my phone instead of gazing into Munni's eyes.  My time and place has gotten off kilter.  I need to reign it in and put myself in check.
My days with Munni as an only child are ticking away and I don't want to miss out on any of those precious moments.
So, I am imposing a technological detox on myself and I'm going to keep it old school for the month of January.
I'm taking a break from Facebook.  No instagramming.  No Twitter.  I'm keeping texts to my elite circle of family and my 3 closest friends.   I am only going to check my email at night, after Munni has gone to bed.  I'm scaling way back in hopes to get myself realigned with the life that is right in front of me.  I want to be present.  In the words of my sister, I'm "Disconnecting to connect."
This is also coming at a time where there should be some pretty big steps in Sweet R's adoption process.  I know that many people are praying for her and the process so if there is a huge breakthrough, then I will do a short post.  I can't put into words how valuable all of your prayers have been for her and me and I don't want you to be out of the loop.
I received these two amazing books for Christmas:

My mom gave me this and I'm super excited to make some of these recipes with Munni!



Our wonderful neighbors gave this to us and can't wait to get started on these! I'm an artistic/creative person by nature and Munni is definitely showing her creative and artistic abilities.



I am really looking forward to this "detox program" and hope to have a renewed perspective by the end of it.
I hope you all are doing a great job at tackling any New Year's resolutions you have made!

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

2013 - The Best Year of My Life!

"I love you Mommy"
Those were the words I woke up to Tuesday morning as we snuggled under the covers.  I can't think of a better way to start the last day of 2013 :)
This time last year, I celebrated New Year's Eve at a friend's house and managed to laugh and smile through all the necessary social interactions.  Inside though, my heart was breaking because a week before I had done the most heartbreaking thing I've ever done in my life:  I dropped Munni off back at the orphanage and had to tell her goodbye.  I will never, ever forget the look in her eyes.
Today, 10 months later after bringing her home, I still have to pinch myself when I look at her beautiful face and see joy in her eyes.
Her life has been transformed and my world has been rocked.
As I reflect on 2013, I am blown away at the goodness of God.  He has sustained me through the most difficult days and lifted me up to highest peaks of pure joy and happiness.
He moved mountains to bring her home.
He provided the best medical care that saved her life.
He sustained me during the hard days of her emotional healing.
He whispered his love and comfort while anxiously waiting for her surgeries to be over.
He led me back to India to find her baby sister.
He opened the floodgates of heaven and poured out blessings through generous hearts.  A village of  people who purchased Spread More Love t-shirts, sent donations, and bought books to help bring Baby R home.
He provided encouragement and hope through emails, prayers, hugs, and shared tears.
He has made the crooked paths straight through miraculously moving Baby R's case- my dossier is sent and I was able to get fingerprinted today, AHEAD of my scheduled appointment.

Today as we were walking into the USCIS building to plead with them to fingerprint me ahead of time, Munni held my hand and skipped as she told me, "Mommy! you and R and me are family!"  I couldn't even answer her because the lump in my throat wouldn't let me.  The wisdom and love she has for R and our family and what it means for Baby R just completely blows me away.

Adoption is by FAR the most challenging, life changing, humbling, faith building journey I've ever experienced.  There are dark, dark days where it seems impossible to hold onto faith.  And then there are days of inconceivable love and joy.  But through it all, I've learned that God will never, ever leave me.  He is faithful and he is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

"I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth.  These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them."  - Isaiah 42:16

It is with this confidence that I look forward to 2014 and the unfamiliar paths before me.  Happy New Year and may the God of peace that transcends all understanding, shower you with his love in the year to come!