Remembering November Plus

In November, Merrilea and I attended a Marriage seminar in Colorado and we stayed with her sister, Melodie for her wedding. Below are picks from the wedding and a reunion picture from Melodies home earlier this summer.

Update from Pune

Having settled, life is getting back to normal, whatever that is! Nafisa with her special friend, Sofia, affectionately called 'Sofy' - Joseph with his Legos - Our spending time with friends at a neighbors wedding

Leaving Grandma on November 3oth at the Pittsburgh Airport....Thanks for all you've been to us! See you next month!

Turning 40!

Things I'll carry with me from my last year under 40...

1. In 2007 the New England Patriots were undefeated on my birthday, having just beat Pitt. Steelers 34 to 13! Even though I ate my words at for 2008 Superbowl!
2. Merrilea's parents and brother came to visit (Harold & Emma, Jonathan & Sarah)
3. Trip to Thailand and Nepal in January '08
4. Reunions with family in the US!
   
5. Dr. Pepper (over a dollar a can) was available in Pune
6. Coffee Jar. Need I say more!
7. God used Nafisa to keep me laughing when I'd rather have complained.
8. God used Joseph to help keep me faithful to my promises
9. God used Danielle to keep my priorities on family over work
10. God used Maria to help me remember time with my kids is more important than time on the computer
11. Married two weeks shy of 17 years to Merrilea today.
12. Ushering in 2008 with friends and family in Pune
13. New Friends from Oklahoma
14. Maria and Joseph left home for the 1st time for CYIA
15. Remembering Larry Norman who died Feb 2008
16. Great times in Malegaon with Paul and Ross
17. Great times in Aurangabad with Jim and David
18. Sweet Comfort Band CDs from Amazon.Com!
19. Time in the Word with local guys
20. Thailand meetings with our colleagues, getting recharged.
21. Time in the US with family and friends on our journey Aug-Nov in NY, PA, MA, Chicago, Billings, Casper, Colorado, Oklahoma, Missouri, Georgia, South Carolina, Maryland, Florida, Virginia....
    
22. Will never forget great reunions with long-time friends in Georgia!
    
23. Glen Eyrie in November!
24. Generous and loving in-laws
25. New England foliage
26. Apple & Raspberry picking in VT
27. The variety of topography in the US as we drove 14,500 miles.
28. Carnegie Science Center, Pittsburgh, PA
29. Clam bake with Lobsters at Amy's! (THANKS MOM!)
    
30. Disney with my brother and his family - Thanks John & FBC Orldando!
31. Sweet reunion with Bob & Shamira
    
32. Fair in Cocoa and time at Cocoa beach with my nieces and nephews!
33. Fair in Kittanning, PA in August
34. Maryland and South Carolina Friends!
35. Niagara Falls at night
36. From $4.25 for gas down to $1.95 all in 4 months!
    
37. ....... The list goes on!

Another Servant Goes Home

As we've adjusted to life back here in India, a long-time friend of our family's from the South Shore of Massachusetts has gone to be with the Lord.

My earliest memories of Alex Canavan were from a Christian business mens' organization. He led a bunch of guys to publicly live out their faith...both in word and deed. His leadership aided my spiritual growth and my dad's back in the 1980's. He was one given to seeing God's people united in prayer and action. We'd meet in monthly meetings at Valley's Steak House/Hilltop Steak House in Braintree where the current Toyota dealership is now. Grossman's lumber yard was behind it...now where the malls are.

I did not know him that well though my dad did. What characterizes Alex in my memory in those years was his joyful faithfulness to and love for God and people. He was a gifted, outspoken man and for those tender years as young teenager, he was one of the significant models for me of what a life lived in pursuit of God meant.

Thanks, Alex and Maureen. I've been blessed by your lives.

New Sunrise

This morning's sunrise - a different one than we woke up to 10 days ago. It's official. We're back in Pune! Jet lag has subsided (kids are still in bed and it's 7:30AM!). Coffee, toast and the Word this AM.

We've Arrived

I think I'm not able to deal with much these first few days.... Lots to catch up with and lots to settle in, like

1. Making sure homeschool computers are up and running (DONE!)
2. Set up home computer network (DONE!)
   
3. Paying electric bill
   
4. Ensure all credit cards/bills are up to date
   
5. Unpacking and putting away all those homeschool books, clothes, etc.
   
6. Washing dust off things...although Shine and Janina did an awesome job on most things!
7. Sending the mixer (blender) off for repairs
8. Washing all buckets to keep for daily water storage...just in case
9. Financial report due next week
10. Catch up with local work
11. Figure out which way is up and slowly make progress up....

Snow!

It snowed in Kittanning, PA this week! Gotta love it!
This is the first time Nafisa has played in snow and will be able to remember it!
Snow and Maple Syrup!

From the Last Week

Below are pictures from our recent trip to Florida which closed out our family travels in the US. We visited Merrilea's brother Harold and his family (previous blog entry) and my brother Bob and his family. We even were able to Disney with them, thanks to FBC Orlando who paid our way! THANKS!!!!

This is fulfilling one of Nafisa's wishes...a picture with the princess! Eventually we should have others to show you of this.

Peter...just hanging out with us. He really enjoyed hanging out with Joseph!

John from FBC Orlando, met us at Disney to pay our way! THANKS JOHN! He had come to our meetings in Thailand this summer and led Danielle's class.

Nafisa at FBC Orlando with her teacher who headed up child-care for kids her age this summer at our meetings in Thailand. At Disney!


Finally Nafisa gets someone to play with!

Going from Epcot to one of the other parks.




Everyone say "Hair Envy!"

At Disney Village with Lego people!


Bob and I .... I still have more hair!

Adventuresome Cousins!


This is outside the Tower of Terror...one of the best rides at Disney.

While I'm driving, there's always some wrestling going on in the back seat...

Here's a pick I found from Maria's camera of our October trip to VA.
Our first few days in Florida were with Merrilea's brother Harold and his family (See previous blog update). Maria had some great pics of Harold doing what he likes best! Thanks for a great time with you and your family, Harold and Suzy! It was great.
While Merrilea and I were in Colorado this week (see next update for pics from that), Merrilea's parents took our kids to the Carnegie Science Center which they love!

Maria and her friend Sarah with their favorite magazines.

SC, GA and FL

With the Schrack family at the beach in Cocoa, FL!
Maria and Nafisa near a cotton field in southern Georgia while we were enroute to Cocoa, FL.

These pics are out of order...but I wanted them to get uploaded before too much time goes by between them and our travels!

The following 3 pics are sweet reunions with college friends from our Liberty University days! It was great seeing you Rod, Kev and Traci! Memories to take back to India with us!



Merrilea and Traci in Florida after so many years. They used to live and work together in Turkana, Kenya back in 1989/90!

This one was a week or more ago...at the Beacon restaurant in Spartanburg! Thanks for taking us, Ross!

Nafisa's first Trick-or-Treating!

In Greenville, SC with new friends! Thanks Katie and Matt! We'll not forget you!




We had a great chance to check out North Greenville Univ. with Maria and Joseph!

Danielle's 12th B day on Halloween!



At Fudruckers with Friends!
At Cocoa Beach, FL with cousins!
Kite flying at the beach!

And the difference between the above and below pic is what?

This is a great shot of Lilly taken by her mom, Suzy! I had to include it as it was such a GREAT pic!