Marshmallow Cricket

I love this shot of Jovie. Shopping at the "Eight Market" with Anik, Yuimi, and Jovie.  Don't mind the blue tint, the market is entirely under blue tarps. 

Yuimi and one of the many piles of clothes at the Eight Market.

I am feeling all a bit overwhelmed as I sit down to write this blog.  It has been three weeks since I wrote last.  Three weeks.  I am such a slacker. I also have an incredible sweet tooth currently.  Today, I have consumed at least 4.2 pounds of sugar.  I am also sitting in front of a fire and am squinting  my eye that faces the fire because I fear that my retina will be sizzled and the right side of my body is 20 degrees hotter than the left.  In short, I am a slacker, sugar-aholic, and I am about to combust because my internal temperature is rising to about 212 degrees Fahrenheit.  We are off to a great start people. 

Where did I last leave you...? Oh, that’s right, I had just told you about Jayson’s resignation.  No small piece of news there.  I have struggled to know how much to write about our story of going home.  Mostly because I don’t want that part of us to distract you and me from staying present in our current home.  Home being India.  Home being working hard for girls that need support and advocacy.  Home being  where the kids go to an amazing international school.  Home being where we feel content “being” until we step on the plane.  Home being a place where we feel sad at the thought of leaving our friends,  our vocational passion, and the place that has helped form the family of six that we are and that we like.  So, I will write about our feelings about our transition, because it is a very real part of us; a part of our journey.  And we just would like it if you continue to walk this road with us.  It’s taken twists and turns that we could have never imagined. 

Two weeks ago we had our Freedom Firm retreat.  It’s an event that Jayson plans and thoroughly enjoys.  It is so fun watching people who take their job very seriously and work really hard doing it, sharing meals, playing, listening, and relaxing together.  I think my favorite part was watching the investigators/operatives (the guys that go into the brothels for the rescues) playing “Marshmallow Cricket”.   Another highlight of the retreat was having Gretchen and Pat right next door to our family.  Gretchen is the U.S. Director and Pat is her mom.  Pat was at the retreat last year with her husband Denny, who was the speaker.  Their family, on the whole, has been significant to Freedom Firm over the years.  When I said right next door...there was half a wall dividing us.  And when Jayson was out with one of the staff and I had a frog/spider emergency in the bathroom with the kids, all I had to do was shout.  When I was trying to calmly tuck the kids into bed on Friday night, we went to go brush teeth and there were three frogs staring at us.  Now, in the great, wide open my kids go wild for frogs.  But in the bathroom at night, the kids and I were just not really all that excited about our bathroom companions.  And I didn’t have any spirit in me to catch them, so Gretchen and Pat came over to save the day and in the process, Jayson heard all of our shouting from across the way and came to see what the ruckus was about.  Gretchen did the initial frog find and then Pat went in to finish the job with Jayson, and in the meantime also found a jungle spider as big as my face.  Awesome.  Needless to say, that night I slept with a scarf wrapped around my face and head, a little wary of any more friends wanting to join our family of six.

Leah, Achi, Sunayana, Gretchen, and Pat at the retreat.

The Freedom Firm staff with families. 

Jayson and the jungle spider. I get the heeby-jeebies just looking at this picture.

The staff playing games at the retreat. 

Since the retreat, I think I have found my feet again.  I was a bit beat after our resignation and retreat.  I/we felt weary.  Which is to be expected.  I anticipate those feelings to circle more than a few times.   We have slept a lot, watched movies, and tried to keep our schedule light.  Another way that we have tried to rejuvenate a bit is to do some Explooting...  Of course, it’s really what the doctor does order.  Our friend Adam, from the States, has been up in Calcutta for a bit of time (working with Word Made Flesh) and came down to visit us last weekend.  So, we thought we would show in a good ol’ fashioned time in Ooty.  We took him to a dam.  Of course. Why not?  And then a lake which we took a boat ride around, and then to some waterfalls.   As I write that, it does sound a bit pathetic really.  At the time though, I was pretty pumped.  And Adam is very gracious.  A good combination. 

Adam and the Palm Six on the lake. And yes, Sydney does feel compelled to strike a pose in every photo she's in. 

Ani and Susai by the beautiful waterfall in Pikara.

I am encountering the time in the blog that I am aware that if I write any more, it will seem a bit over the top.  So I will leave you and hope that you are off to a great start to your week.  Until next time...