Turkey Trip Feb 09

Merrilea and I were able to take a trip to Turkey for a conference and tour...visiting the cities of Istanbul, Antalya, Side (pronounced 'SeeDay'), Belek, Izmir, Seljuk, and Ephesus. It sure wasn't the warmest time to go but we got our money's worth - we didn't rest much at all! We had our fill of Turkish coffee, apple tea, Lemonjun, Turkish Delight, Baklava and cheese!
Log in in Turkish!

In Belek...right on the Mediterranean...within eye shot of snow capped mountains!
The Mediterranean calm and stormy

Marbles in Antalya

Turkish Delight in Side







Buying roasted chestnuts & freezing in Istanbul!
Beads...called bonjuke in Turkish!

Rain and amphitheater in Ephesus where Paul preached




Had to get this...Elvis lives on in Istanbul

Genuine watches right outside the ruins at Ephesus



Istanbul right where the Hippodrome (chariot races) used to be




From the Asian side of Istanbul looking towards the European side


Water cisterns under the city
The oldest mosaic I've ever seen...over 1,500 years old inside the Hagia Sofia (church turned mosque turned museum).

The day the Steelers Won

This is what it looked like outside our apartment in the 3rd quarter...when the game was a tossup. The game started around 5 am India time. I was the only one up listening to it on the internet till the kids and Harold, Merrilea's dad joined us. It was an exciting last quarter, eh?!

We've had some computer blips this week. One home school computer is in the shop and my laptop hard drive Dell says will be replaced. BUT, since Merrilea and I are leaving for Turkey on Saturday, I doubt it will get fixed soon.

Joseph made enchiladas tonight! They were excellent...topped off with Danielle's dark chocolate dipped strawberries. Gotta love it when the kids cook!

The conclusion to the Trees....

License in hand!
A funny process that works!

Getting a Driver's License

At the local Department of Motor Vehicles today, I was directed to:

Go to Tree Number 10.

Ask to see this man who will be waiting in a rickshaw.

He points and tells me to go to an office we can see from the tree where I will get digitally photographed and thumb printed.

After waiting in line with others for a mere 6 minutes, I'm photographed and digitally in the system.

I come back to the original guy at the rickshaw and he says, go to another tree and give a different man 30 rupees (65cents) for him to get my paperwork together.

That man tells me to go back to Tree Number 10 and get my paperwork stapled....

I should have my license by the end of the week.

Wow!

The latest from 2009

In a tree in a park in the city!


Homeschooling...


A visit with Uncle Al...

One of our local friends, Promeet, challenged Joseph with this Insanity hot sauce. Joseph needed lots of water....!
Here, Promeet is teaching Danielle to make potato (aloo) stuffed bread (paratha). They were good and didn't last long!

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....