Promises are made to be broken

Or are they...it is a verbal contract that we make whether to ourselves or to others. A contract is a contract. There were times when people would take someone's spoken words for face value and believe. In this day and age it is hard to believe and rely on what is said. Myself included - I think its OK to go back on spoken words - the excuse - things changed, plans changed, state of mind changed. So what? When I say I will do something or be somewhere - I don't know what makes it alright for me to just say - well let me take a raincheck.
So here's a verbally binding contract for myself - I will do my best to not commit to anything that I don't intend on doing. It might be as simple as "I'll call you"... or as important as "I will pick it up for you".
These are some foundations that we as human beings need to lay for generations after us. If we make it seem OK to go back on one's words - there is a high chance that they will disregard all of what is said to them and return the favor!
I know resolutions are blown off in a way because its alright to break them. Well, not this one - not this time. I will keep it. It isn't difficult if we make up our minds. It will lay a foundation for an honest future - however small the scale be.

Note to self: Live by what you say and stop to think for a second before you say it.

Everytime you go away...

You do take a piece of us with you. The last six months were the best I had in a while. I felt the love and comfort that people feel when they have parents around. There is a strange feeling of belonging. Our usually busy life takes a backseat while we just want to sit at the dining table and spent endless hours with them just talking or playing cards or even staring at the idiot box. It all boils down to doing everything together. Whatever it maybe. I actually let chores pile up because I never feel like getting up and doing anything.
In the course of their stay it is hard to imagine how our life was when they were not with us. The familiar "good morning" everyday - the familiar stories about the vegetable garden and the even more familiar smell of mom's cooking all around the house seems part of our lives - only till we don't have it anymore. That's when we want it so bad!
Through good and bad times they are always there with an ear and a shoulder. It is so easy for us to take those for granted. I admit that I did take them for granted on occasions.
I started these six months by looking at it as an opportunity to try to bond with the second set of wonderful parents that God has given me - knowing not everyone is blessed with parents like them.
I am very quick to judge what doesn't happen my way - but always fail to see what does. I never stopped to see how things would have been different if they were not as understanding and supportive as they are.
It isn't easy being with me - I can be difficult sometimes (about 90% of the time) - brought about by pressure at work or stress in my mind. Whatever it may be - they always tried to make it better and I sometimes didn't see that.

There was a lot I learned in the last six months and it has left me wanting more. I want to spend more and more time knowing them as parents, guides, friends and as an integral part of our lives...

It is easy to see what we took for granted when we are not granted the pleasure anymore...

The grower in me...

I've never been one with a green thumb, toe or even a nail in me. There were times when I saw my mother tirelessly spend time nurturing her saplings and watching them grow and bear fruit. She would be ecstatic when that would happen - even if it was one hot pepper in the entire meal - made with store brought vegetables except that one pepper!
I never knew I even had that trait in me - until very recently when I started feeling very green! Not with envy - but the urge to dig up some soil and put a seed in it has been unbearable. It could be some genes I inherited from my mother - or it could simply be my way of having my mother close to me. It probably makes me feel like she is around here somewhere - living through my plants. I know she would be a million times more thrilled than me to see my little green babies. Imagining her smile makes me smile. I can never be as good a gardener as she is - she knows and understands plants much better than anyone I know. She feels their pain even when a leaf falls off - it is touching to see her tend to them.
I have seen that same affection in her all my life - may she never lose it. May she always give love to everyone around her and I know she will receive much more than that.

So back on track from my emotional tangent - with my other set of parents' help I planted quite a few seeds and saplings this year. My very first attempt to vegetable gardening. What do we have? Here goes... Onions, beans, tomatoes, peppers (a few different kinds), Eggplants (a couple kinds), Cauliflower, Okra, Corn, Herbs (Lavendar, Lemon Balm, Basil,Mint), Cucumber, Gourd (a couple kinds), Spinach and Fenugreek. Although most of them aren't doing so well and we are not hoping for a miracle either - there have been some fruits. Some of the pictures (to follow) posted here are of various stages and some fruits. Hope you enjoy them as much as we enjoyed them.

Together forever....

Its been 4 months since Maggie walked into our lives. It has been a wonderful journey with long winding roads filled with a new adventure. She has grown into a beautiful 40lbs puppy... we got her when she was only 11lbs. Her baby teeth fell out recently - I found evidence of that along the stairs and on the side of the doors which were chewed on to ease the uncomfortable feeling.
Everyday starts with a jingle of her collar when she finds a cosy nook to sit in right outside our bedroom door and tries to see if we are awake of sleeping. She is a lovely little girl who doesn't wake mom and dad up to go outside - she waits for us to wake up and then lets us know its time.
With all the training and playing - there is some training going on for us too - we are getting trained to be better human beings. I have never seen her angry or aggravated yet. There is the occasional bark - but that is not out of anger - just excitement. She never gives up or gives in. When we delay giving her food - she never stops asking for it. Following me with hopeful eyes that my hands would reach out for her bowl. The moment it actually does must be so rewarding for her - she sighs - thinking - finally they get my point!
She is wonderful to have around - always ready for a warm hug. Always ready for a good whack with her ever wagging tail. It take no effort to fall in love with her. Sometimes she is silly, sometimes naughty, sometimes crazy, sometimes just a darling, sometimes sleepy, sometimes playful, sometimes funny but always love-able.
When times are tough, her face is all I need to brighten up my day. Without caring or asking about my day - she knows I have had a bad day and comes with open arms to receive me everyday - no matter how late I get home.
May God bless her with many beautiful and healthy years of life ... and may we as her parents be able to make it the best for her.

First time... ever I saw your face

It was a gorgeous saturday morning in Spring (March 28th, 2009) that we woke up with a spring in our step and twinkle in our eyes. Our little darling was coming home that day. I could not help going over her checklist mentally a million times. I never knew if I have enough to keep her happy, safe and comfortable. It is a constant question in my mind.
We drove for about an hour and half to get to her. When we got there - it started sinking in. This is it... this is the end of just the two of us. We will be three of us now.
It was an amazing feeling holding her for the first time... she was scared understandably - but it still was the most beautiful feeling.
She was crying and sad throughout the car ride home. By the time we made it in - it was mid-afternoon and she was hungry. So we bonded a little over food - but she chose to be left alone and settle down for a nap for a while after that.
Saturday was very quiet - she went into her crate without a question at night - to sleep. She slept calmly most of the night.
Sunday was a good day - she was a little better. Not yet ready to explore everything - but better. She was sticking to one side of our living room and would be anxious if she didn't see us.
Then began the endless jumping around, bouncing around ... wanting to play... the slipping on her own even while standing in one place... the standing in the food bowl while eating... the I want to eat everything in sight...
It is a riot at home - the whole time. The saddest part of these couple of days were when we had to leave alone and step out to go to work. She would understand - she is a good girl - but her sad eyes followed us... today she fell asleep even before we could say goodbye.

Every day is a new beginning and every beginning ends with a long string of beautiful memories left behind for us to cherish forever.

So here's to many more beginnings... many Winters,Springs,Summers and Falls... with Maggie.

Been a while.. where have you been

True... I was occupied.. pre-occupied and post occupied with a lot of things this past few months. So there haven't been regular updates to this really. Not that anyone cares... :D. However, life has been good to us. As they say - no news is good news. Same applies to us. A and I have been exactly where we were - doing exactly what we were doing before dropping off the face of this blog. But - now we are back. Lots of news... A is on his was to becoming a phd! We are getting a new addition to our now little family. Her name is Maggie - she was on born on Feb 1st 2009 and will be coming home 28th of March. Can't wait to hold her! A's parents are visiting us for 6 months this summer. That will be good. Since we do get a little tired all by ourselves. After all we are from a country where 1 billion of us fit into that small piece of land. So not seeing people around us (all the time) makes us a little unhappy.
That is all for news from my end. Pictures of Maggie to follow soon.