There are two people in my life who make me laugh every single day of my life: MY KIDS!!!
I feel like you should know this about them…they are HI-larious.
They make faces, they crack jokes. They know when to be funny and when to make others laugh. Most of all they know how to make me laugh.
Today, I am so thankful for my silly, funny kiddies…my sweet babies.
My sweet kids
Indian Kisses
Priya my Precious,
What do I say to you as you turn 14? What words of wisdom can I give you as you embark on another defining year. The final year before you start learning how to drive and really the last year where you will still be dependent on us at least for rides.
You and I kid, we go way back…you and I, we have an understanding. I can be my crazy self with you and you can carry on in your wacky ways too. You were so little that Tuesday, 14 years ago, when they wrapped you up and put you on my chest. You were so skinny and long. I guess somethings just haven’t changed. I remember looking into your brown eyes and seeing my world transform.
Once upon a time, I was the 10 year old girl in the red bathing suit with the white polk-a-dots and ruffle around the waist. Unfortunately all the other kids in my class were 6. Disparaging to say the least, but I wanted to make my dad proud, so I didn’t complain and went to all my lessons. Unfortunately for me, there weren’t too many opportunities to swim in my life after that, so all the lessons from age 10 went out the memory window.
I took a lesson last summer, but it was a little remedial and I didn’t learn much, so now it’s time to proceed with finding a new swim instructor…Have I mentioned I’m a big baby and think that I could drown at any given moment?
So, I read this poem tonight and it made it all sound lovely, and I wanted to share with you.
First Lesson by Philip Booth
Lie back, daughter, let your head be tipped back in my hand.
Gently, and I will hold you.
Spread your arms wide, lie out on the stream and look high at the gulls.
A dead-man-float is face down. You will dive and swim soon enough where the tidewater ebbs to the sea.
Daughter, believe me, when you tire on the long thrash to your island, lie up and survive.
As you float now, where I held you and let go, remember when fear cramps your heart what I told you:
lie gently and wide to the light-year stars, lie back and the sea will hold you.
So, let me know if you have any swimming tips for me! I’m all ears.
In India with Ammachi and Appachan in '05
I’m having one of those days where it’s hard for me to focus. I’ve had so much going on in the past week that I’ve hardly had any time to just sit and think. So, sometimes, like today, I sit and think and sometimes that thinking takes me places in the past.
A week ago today I was in Nashville and I got a call saying that “appachan” passed away. I was in the middle of a conference, so I couldn’t really wrap my brain around it…I waited till I was in my room that night to think about him and to let the tears fall on my pillow.
Appachan is the only grandfather I’ve known in my life. My biological grandfathers were both gone by the time I arrived on the earth. Appachan became my grandfather when I got married in ’93. He was so sweet and so kind and always, always so loving to me. He really was what I imagined a grandfather to be. He had a smile that would light up the room and his bellowing, “God Bless You! and How are you?” would make us all smile… partly because those were 2 of the only statements he knew in english and partly because he thought it was funny to see our reaction to his speaking in English.
He would call me Krissy Poo and he would hold my hand a little longer than he had to…because he wanted to. He wasn’t the typical Indian Appachan who didn’t show emotion. No, as a matter of fact, you knew and everyone around him knew that he loved his children, his grandchildren and his great-grandchildren. He loved us and prayed over us…We loved him and we all wanted to see him smile.
I’m sad that my children won’t get to see him now and they might not remember him, or his sweet smile, but they will know that he was an integral part of my life, but more importantly that he was part of the foundation of their heritage of faith.
I got to play on a volleyball league this winter. I haven’t played on any leagues in a few years, so it was a lot of fun for me.
I started playing volleyball when I was about 10 years old…My big brother, Titus, would take me to the sand pits with him and I would get to chase after the balls that he would pummel into the ground. Sometimes, if I was very lucky, I’d get to try and dig his hammer-hits.
Tonight was our last game, and funny enough, we were a four-person team, playing in a six-person league, and we were undefeated all season and were the league champions.
I have to admit that we really didn’t have a ton of competition…we might have played 2 matches that demanded some effort. I’m a competitor by nature and by heart. It does me good to play and run and act silly.(I think my parents still wonder when I’ll start acting like a mature, Malayalee, mother of 2 kids.)
My body definitely feels older, but I feel like I’m probably a better athlete than I was 10 years ago…I’m still short, but it doesn’t stop me from going up to block OR hit…and I’m pretty confident that I can dig most hits(what with all that practice in the sand pits and all?!).
I loved that my friends would show up and sit in the stands to support me. Even more than that, I loved when my kids were there to cheer for me, give me a thumbs up sign or even say a, “go momma” on my serves. My kids know that I’m an intensely competitive person, 
but it’s such a clear reversal of roles for us in this sport, with them being the cheerleaders and me being the competitor. I’m always so proud of my kids, but what I’ve been able to see is their pride in me…tonight I realized, that their pride is definitely something worth competing for!
