Let's begin the blog

Welcome to our blog. Also, welcome to our world in India. We hope to communicate enough of our life and work with Freedom Firm that our friends and family can get a feel of what our “new normal” is like.

So, here is a new normal, today we experienced our first 4 hour power outage and this evening we have no cell or land phone. That's weird. Why does this happen? No blizzard, ice or thunderstorm, just 70 degrees and blue skies. What do you do? Just keep on doing life I guess.

On to more meaty areas of our life. We had a great trip over, thanks to David Landt, our dear friend. (I do need to give a shout out to his wife and also dear friend, Sarah, for hanging out at home with their four kids while he is being our sherpa.) And we also are indebted to Northwest Airlines for their amazing personal TV's and great kid selection of movies and Nick Jr shows.

We arrived in Ooty, India, on Friday, January 15th, and was greeted by Glen and Bec Parks (and kids). There are on staff with Freedom Firm and have been in Ooty for roughly 2 ½ years. Glen is one of the lawyers with FF and Bec pretty much knows everybody in Ooty and also has found great joy in starting a women's center in Ooty. Without them, we would still be, well, umm, rolled up in the fetal position...

Our first week has been, well, so many things. But most importantly we see God's hand of protection and comfort while being here. We have fairly quickly brought our house in working order. We almost have a full working kitchen (stove will be here, hopefully, 10 days), our bags are unpacked, we have had 2 families over for dinner and we have done laundry. We still trying to figure out how to keep this house a bit warmer (no heating, but we are using a combination of wood burning fireplace, hot water bottles, two space heaters, warm pj's and down comforters). We are sleeping quite well. Except James tonight is coughing a bunch, maybe he is having a bit of a reaction to the Eucalyptus leaves that we are burning as kindling.

The kids are doing good. I don't think they quite understand the reality of how far we live from you all. We were out at the Botanical Gardens today and we probably had 30 people ask to take the kids pictures. Literally grabbing Sydney and wanting to take pictures together as if it is their niece. After a bit, we just said no pictures please. Quite strange. But other than that they have really enjoyed getting to see their new school and meet a few people that will be in their classes. They are enjoying their new house and new rooms. They also think its pretty fun piling into an auto (a rickshaw) to get anywhere.

Jayson is going to start work part time next week. Which will be good as he starts to wrap his head around all that needs to be done. My mom comes in on Wednesday this week, which will be so good. She's quite the courageous traveler... I have started to pray for a bit of an idea where I am to serve this next season of our life. I ask that you pray with me in this, and also to pray for continued community. We are definitely feeling the loss of that right now.

I think I have said enough for now. Maybe in upcoming posts I will share specifics on our daily activities, big to small. From transportation, to drinking water or how I buy our meat.... so exciting, I know you can all barely handle to wait :) Soon there will be great stories about what is happening in Freedom Firm, but for this week, its all about setting up camp.
Much love, Tarrah and crew