WHERE DID JANUARY GO?

Where did January go? Seems like it was just yesterday I was coming down from Xmas...a lot has happened this month. It seems like a blur. In reflection, I was ecstatic watching Barack get sworn in. I was one who never believed America would let a black man into that realm (Actually, I have always felt his mom deserves credit as well, but we often just see "brown" skin and categorize people into little boxes. He is just like the posters you see of him, mulitcultural and everybody gets a piece of him that way. Being in India, watching everything on tv...I miss my country and am hopeful and prayerful that everything will be all right. I hope he is successful and can bring our country together.

In one week I saw more pain and anguish since I have been in India. It started when John's driver bumped a motorcycle...I tell you, I didn't know if he had ran over this guy or what...we were talking and WHAM...just like that the accident happened. Then the next day Briana had an asthma attack...which left me running for the car and whipping it around, oblivious to never having driven here, or even attempting a left-handed shift in crazy evening traffic...well, Bri wouldn't get in the car with me...need I say more? I could have handled it. (I had sent my driver home early...) I won't begin to go into the detail and trauma of the "good meaning" doctor whose prescription sent her into antoher...no, I'll just skip it. I get so tired of having to play doctor as well. Do you know how many people die from good meaning prescriptions...Anyway, we are straight now.

Then the next day going to the hospital for her blood work, I saw a motorcycle cream a lady standing too close to the road...thank God she could get up.

Well, after having a plethora of house problems and going through my manic depressive mode, I told John I had to move. Believe it or not, the company said, yes. Then the bad news, the movers would be here like in a week. Say it ain't so...

So I've been plowing through boxes. My back just isn't the same...which I can't figure out why I signed up for a Bollywood dance class, because after the first encounter...I dropped out. There is no way I can deal with the quick jerky movements with the back problems I've been having.

Then Roy, our minister, got slashed. Last report I heard out of 57 COC ministers here, 11 died last year. Most in the rural village areas... okay....pray for Roy. I went into shock that Sunday.

Whizzing down the street with my driver a few weeks ago we hit rush hour traffic and there was a truckload of musicians, all singing and playing instruments so beautifully. My driver told me they were all blind...well, we saw Slumdog Millionaire two nights ago, and that sent me back into my manic depression. Is it really true? Is that what really happens to children to make them sing for money. I just can't take it.

Johnnie's Aunt Zella passed away this month, and we couldn't go to the funeral. I sat the kids down and told them all the stories about her that I could remember. We always had such good times with her and Uncle James...life is but a dream....WHERE DID JANUARY GO?

February has got to be better. I'll put up house pictures and twist Bri's arm...she may even let me put a picture of her getting an IV drip at the hospital up...yeah, I had a camera to distract her and calm her down...it did help. One thing is for certain...my babies has really grown up. I'm really proud of Ashley for taking charge when Bri was falling ill, and I'm proud of Bri, after getting control of her panic/anxiety attacks, understanding that God is in control and we don't have to be afraid.

PICTURE TAG...

Okay, at the prompting of Lynn, (Yes, she tagged me), I thought I would comply with the rules of picture tag.

The object of picture tag is to: 1) Choose the 4th folder where you store your pictures on your computer; 2) Select the 4th picture in the folder; 3) Explain the picture; 4) Tag 4 people to do the same... No cheating, cropping, etc.

This picture was taken in February 2008 when I had come to Chennai on a house hunting trip. Yes, it's obvious I'm having a bad hair day, okay. Charmaine was taking us through all of these houses, and this house was huge...beautiful marble, stained glass windows, balconies...just in a lousy area.

Let's see...who can I tag now....Donna? Danie? Jennifer? Stephanie??? Tag, you're it.

p.s. On a sadder note, my driver had an accident on his motorcycle coming into work today. I still don't have all the information right, just that a bus from Pondecherry was the cause of the accident. His leg was bloody, his arm looked busted and his hand was gouged. Thank God there didn't appear to be head injuries. He was limping, and his brother had come to drive him to the hospital on his bike. (I am assuming that he got up and continued in for work after the occurance). I offered to drive him in the car...(I'm sure even though I haven't tried to, I could handle driving a left-handed gear shift with the steering on the right side of the car in rush hour traffic, I could handle it...) Well, he chose to climb onto the back of his bike and his brother drove him away. So, I am waiting to hear something. Hopefully in a few days he'll be fine. What a way to start out your day. Driving here is so SCARY. Even the best drivers aren't safe.