Some days...

Some days I just have to realize that friends come and go.
Some days, I have to remember how sweet it is when Sohan brings me an Oreo because he notices how he and Saloni got one but not me.
Some days I have to appreciate all the days of work Sunil puts in and can't be home to nap or pick up the kids from school.
Some days I have to remind myself that even though I'm constantly doing thankless chores, there is such a thing as silent thank you's in kisses, hugs and smiles.
Some days, pulling out my old photos and having a good laugh at my teenage thick eyebrows is just the kind of free humor I needed.
Some days, seeing a butterfly whip across the driveway and into the big blue sky makes me stop and breathe.
Some days, it's good to look in the mirror, put on a little color and straighten my back and say, "Mash, I love you."

Because some days are just a little tougher than others.

Summer 2010

Love, popsicles, rain.
Disney channel, Selena Gomez, feeling the fame.
Water splashing.
Friends laughing.
Long afternoons naps and baking.
Is that sound the garage opening?
Pappa's home! All is good.
Love the Ashley Woods neighborhood.
Homemade sandbox.
Watching TV and Uncle Knickknocks.
We beached it.
We ran it.

This is summer. We loved it.

Terry Parker 20

I wish I could see my friends from when I was in elementary school and junior high. They'd probably laugh at much I've changed. I was such a nerd back then.

Going to Sunil's 20 year high school reunion sent butterflies in both of our stomachs. Funny though, because I didn't even know anyone. As soon as we got there though and he started to see familiar faces, the laughter started to roll and I of course, started clicking away. What it is about seeing your husband laugh with intensity that is so sweet?

There's nothing Plain about Plano

Little sleep, lots of food and plenty of girl talk. That's a Joshi weekend for ya! Saloni and I went down there for the weekend and we crammed in as much as we could. Sunil and Sohan stayed home to do some serious male bonding and claimed not to miss us that much!

This was a great trip for both of us though as watching Saloni feel so close to her older relatives made me all mushy inside. For me, this is the family I always wished for and am thankfully married to. It's true, no matter where you go, if there's a Joshi there, you are guaranteed good company and plenty of good food.

On the agenda? Daily ice cream. Shopping Priti style. Chilling Khushee style. Food 24/7 a la Daksha bhabi's kitchen. And even an adorable children's play. Not to mention the dinner out, the late night talks...whew...what did they put in my coffee?

And oh, don't let the photos fool you - Saloni's till a Jaguar and Gator fan...she's just appeasing her sisters. Hee hee.

And when we were onto Harshad kaka's house, it was yoga, gymnastics and lots of eating, again! Ami kaki, we loved those cupcakes! I just don't know how someone can contort their bodies the way cousin Roma and Harshad kaka and Ami kaki can. I had more fun taking the photos!

Rockin' good ol' Rochester

If you ever want to see the nostalgic side of Sunil and I, just bring up Rochester, NY. We won't stop talking or smiling. It was the best two years of our pre-kid days. There's something very sweet about this town. It's small and quaint with neighborhoods that have large front and backyards. Lots of Mom and Pop restaurants and roads that make you laugh with all the potholes.

We went there this past weekend for a 25th Anniversary party for the AAIR group. It was wonderful from the start. Just being able to hold hands at the airport and not a stroller was very different for us! Of course, we were calling Sunil's parents more than they called us to check on the kids. Thankfully, outside of plenty of ice cream and tv, they were just fine.

Seeing my old friend April was awesome for me as Sunil got to meet her husband and we googled over their baby girl, Izzy. It was a short breakfast but we crammed as much talking and laughing as we could.

We drove all over Rochester - we went to the Red Cross office where I worked, Strong Memorial Hospital, where he worked, ate at our favorite restaurants, and even drove by the golf courses we used to play at. But one thing bummed me out was the Krispy Kreme place we used to eat at closed! We were looking forward to warm gooey donuts...free when the red light is on. But oh well, at least we did all we could in a weekend.

Everyone at AAIR was thrilled to see us and it was so nice to be in their company. Something about Rochester always makes feel warm inside. Hmmm...love that town.

Hi Dad, I miss you...

I can't begin to tell you how hard it is to know your parents are well, slowly drifting away. My father's dementia has been getting worse and he has more days where he is falling than walking now. My mom is often so tired of this huge change in her life that I'm not sure if her memory lapses are from aging, stress or an onset of dementia. At this stage, it could be all three.

What's worse is being so far away. I can't go hug them. I can't take my dad out for McDonald's hash browns or fries - he's loves them. And I can't tease my mom about her massive collection of all things kitchen-related. (There is no one on this planet who has amassed as much as she has in housewares!) I miss my dad's advice about life and his deep voice telling me abou the weather. These days, he's so short in conversation. They can't feel how wonderful Sohan's hugs are or how he loves jumping like crazy at any given moment. They can't see Saloni's "live" performances of Selena Gomez or the Jonas Brothers. And I miss that gleam my mom would have when Sunil would be dressed for work. She loves a man in a tie!

I know you're probably thinking, "why not visit more often?" But you see, it's not that simple when you have two kids that are under five and an amazing husband with a busy schedule. As much as I want to see my parents, I absolutely hate being away from my family. In fact, twice in the past couple of years, I've had tickets booked and have cancelled the trip because I got butterflies in my stomach about leaving.

But from this emotional sadness I feel everyday inside, I have learned some very important lessons that I want to share with you:
1. Live! I mean really live your life. My parents had so many plans to travel and see people and go places and now they cannot do anything of that. Even going to a local party is a stretch because of my dad's condition. Balance your savings with your spending because enjoying a little now is just as important as enjoying later in life.
2. Don't hoard. If I were to tell you that my mom's literally has several brand new boxes of coffee makers and she doesn't even drink coffee, you'd think...what the? But yeah, anything and everything can be found at her two-bedroom townhouse. I mean more than you can imagine. She has made many stores in her lifetime happy! But she has given more away to us sisters than enjoyed them herself. Don't let the $9.99 price make you a hoarder. Use it or donate it. Enjoy it or share it, but don't turn your home into a storage cabinet.
3. Travel. It is the best gift my parents gave me. From the time we were kids, we went everywhere by car, train, boat, plane. By the time I was 25, I saw several cities in India (and got live five years there), Singapore, Thailand, Dubai, several countries in Europe, Mexico, Canada, Hong Kong and did cross country road trips all over the States. I was so grateful to them. They always told me and my sisters that while they could have saved a lot of money, they wanted us to see the world and give us the knowledge of all that there is out there. I couldn't agree more. I hope to do this with our kids because it's something they'll forever cherish.
4. And last, forgive. I'm not going into detail here. But in a nutshell, do you really care that that guy on the road cut you off? Don't shorten your happy times wasting time on petty things. Those who are jealous, insecure, judgemental, etc., expend more negative energy than they should. Be you and move on.

P.S. I love you mummy and pappa. I'm me because of you.

Sohan's first haircut

Our darling Sohan's Bhadhaa ceremony was the highlight of the weekend. While he was an angel during the pooja part, he was weary when the scissors came close. We gave him a few snippets until he figured out what was happening!

All in all, anything is celebrated with family is always wonderful.