Pilouwry?

So the great thing about hanging out with S's family is the wonderful feeling of consistently not knowing what is going on. I am sure that they are convinced that I am hard of hearing. "What?" has become my favorite word, and I just don't think that is going to change anytime soon. Part of it is the accent. Part of it is the speed in which the speak, but a great portion is the Hindi and British slang that is thrown in along with the heavily accented, quickly spoken "English." Yesterday I arrived at the house at 5 am to help cook and prepare for V's 50th birthday blessing. The pandit was coming at 10 and we literally cooked all morning to prepare. As we pared, sliced, simmered, steamed, and flew around the kitchen I would often have to ask again and again what they had said - and what they hell they meant by it. I think my favorite part of the whole day was the repeated confused looks from arriving family as they tried to figure out who the white girl was. One family actually confessed that they almost drove by the house when the saw me in the driveway. Ahhh, the joys of family!

bringing sexy back.

Now don't believe for an instant that we have given up on our beloved 1989 Plymouth mini van. We love you and are awaiting your safe return. In the meantime. . . please welcome to the family:

Our 1992 (yes I know - how new!) Chevy AstroVan! You thought I was hot before . . .well watch out!

Belated

Dear E,

So I forgot your birthday yesterday. I didn't even realize it was your birthday until mom called and reminded me what a great sister I was to you. Apparently not, huh? I wanted to blame the fact that I didn't remember your birthday because I was sick, and that I was in the middle of conferences, and that I had had grad school all weekend. I wanted to find some reason that could explain why I wasn't the worst person in the world.

Since I met S and started on this crazy adventure that is married life, I feel that somehow I have lost you. Or maybe I am finally able to not think about you all of the time and that change make me feel like I am neglecting you.

For so long I struggled with talking about you, seeing your picture, or knowing how to answer the question of how many siblings I have. I struggled with how to talk about my experience or talk to others who had shared my experience but not responded in the "right way." I finally feel like you are where you needed to be - just an integral part of my being, my soul. I don't need to think so much about you because what you are to me affects everything I do. The way that I teach, the way that I love, my perspective on the "small things," its all because of the time that I knew you.

So I am sorry about the birthday thing. Really I am. And very soon I will make spaghetti and meatballs, and take S up to see the grave in Holdingford- and I will feel better. But I feel the best knowing you aren't there anymore.

Love, R

capstone

Just so you know, it sucks having to write this paper. It really does. But on the slightly odd, we got new appliances (yeah stainless steel), our van got stolen, (no sight of it yet - 6 days and counting. . .), and S's grandmother gave us 12,000 dollars (Don't worry it goes straight to the debt pile). Life is real, real busy and I am not sure how to keep my head above water. How do I keep up with the Smartboard implementation at school? How do I manage not to implode when the entire house is a construction zone? How do we figure out the whole loose weight, get more involved at church when all we want to do is sleep and eat crappy food? I just don't know. But we'll keep going until we figure it out.