Where's my blog?

My blog seems to have disappeared :( :( . Trying to get it back .....

Change of location...

After over 13 years in US, we are back home. Home in "God's Own Country"! Wish us good luck :)

The journey begins at "Life in God's Own Country". Take a peek and say hello!

Happy Place

"Hope you are doing well. Remember, always go to your "happy place" when things get rough -)"

Part of an email that I received today from a friendly colleague at work. I will definitely remember.. Thanks JT!

What's happening?

It has been a busy week. We had painters during the weekend. I had to work from home for the past two days. Now interior painting is done. So much to clean up, packing...

After over 13 years in the US of A, we are coming home.. We (just kids & I for now) are planning to leave after my son's Duke Grand Ceremony and State Ceremony. State ceremony is on the 28th. So probably after Memorial Weekend 2008, I will be leaving USA. No regrets..

Looking forward with excitement to life back at God's own country!!!!

Concrete Angel

Sunday Morning. As kids round up by my laptop, looking for a chance to play their favorite game, I show them two music videos- Butterfly Kisses, for my daughter & Cats in the cradle, for my son. Music, the universal way of communication.:)

"Can we search "Concrete Angel"?", asks my son, as we are done with Cats in the Cradle.

"What is it?", I ask.

"Its a song that Ms. Ngyugen played at school", my son replied. "She could not show us the video, since YouTube is blocked at school", he added.

Ms Ngyugen, is his LEAP (Language Arts) teacher and they are learning about poetry these days.

Ok, fine. It's Ms. Ngyugen's recommendation. So we searched for "Concrete Angel" on YouTube. Martina McBride's Concrete Angel. I love Martina McBride. How could you forget "Valentine", "My daughter's eyes"?

We watched the video. God, what a powerful song!

"Through the wind and the rain
She stands hard as a stone
In a world that she can't rise above
But her dreams give her wings
And she flies to a place where she's loved
Concrete Angel"

How could parents abuse their children? I would never understand why.

If I were ever to write an essay on what "I Believe", it would be on loving your children, as a parent. I will write it, one of these days.

What will the loss of a loved one do to you?

My mother passed away about 2 months back. For me, it was a shock, totally unexpected. The fact that you can lose someone any day hits home. The agony has not yet abated.This unexpected loss, have driven me to think of the priorities in life. I am trying to be stronger, for the people around me.

But what about my father, who lost his companion of over 40 years? As I speak to him every week, I hear the fear in his words. The fear of being lonely, fear of not having anyone, fear of what happens next..

He is a healthy, strong person. But after my mother's death, he has weakened. He is afraid of even a cold or a cough. What will happen now? Who is there to take care of me? (My sister and brother are taking good care of him), he often asks. I feel like he has become the child, and I the parent. I constantly try to console him, tell him to be strong, there is nothing wrong with you, its just fear, I keep saying.

Far away from home, I can see his teary-eyed face, his voice broken, as he listens to me. When are you coming home? Let me know when everything works out, he says constantly. I am trying, I am trying, Dad.

I think men feel so helpless without their wives. Mothers, they are always stronger. They will always have something to take care of, kids, grandkids, they will survive, even if they lost their husbands. Men, their life is not the same. I guess old age adds an additional complication.

Maybe, daddy is being a kid again. A kid, who is afraid of being alone, being sick and being not loved. How can I convince him, he is still the strong man, that he is? I will try. Being near him would be the obvious choice. I need to move, move as soon as possible. Hope God has his ways, to make it happen, quicker, faster...

Smile, it's contagious

"Mommy, look at my concrete poem", I heard my son say, just as I hit the publish post button for this sulky post.

"What is it?", I asked.

"Its my poem, look, look at this", he shouted from the distance.

I turned back and saw a smiling face. Its his concrete poem (I have no idea what a concrete poem is ).

"Let me see it", I said. He came over and handed me the piece of paper. (Click on the picture above, I had to scan it. Its a keeper)

Smile, its contagious.

That's what was written on it. It was written over and over, making it a smiley face.

What does that tell me?

Yes, I need to smile. No sulkiness, when you have treasures like him :)