Boots and her Tink party.

Yesterday, Pats and I spent the day together after ages.

Boots 5th birthday is coming up. I personally don't understand her mad hurry to grow up, but kids these days no - they just don't get it. She insists she's a 'growed' up girl now. My precious!

Boots was torn between wanting a Hannah Montana birthday and a Tinkerbell party. The craze that is Miley Cyrus has pulled a nerve with Pats & me. Over the December hols, we all spent2 days at a hotel. The girls made a huge game out of running between hotel rooms and insisted on passwords to get in. The passwords? 'Miley Cyrus' and 'Hannah Montana'. Which were yelled out repeatedly till the door was opened. *sighs*

Thankfully though, Boots zoned in on wanting a Tink party and Pats and I were elated. Not that we have anything against the Cyrus family or Montana franchise...but our girls are still girls - for this year at least! We spent most of yesterday hunting and shopping for birthday decorations, give-aways and this, that and the other. We've done in many times before, but it was nice yesterday after ever so long - just Pats, Boots and me.

Boots was mighty helpful - and never forgot to mention to us that we were shopping for HER birthday, so she HAD to help with everything and was NOT to be shushed and moved to the side. So, she was literally in the middle of us at all times. Lol....theres was this instance where Pats and I were searching for something quite seriously and were checking all the possible hooks in the aisle of a mondo crowded shop. Boots, was helping.

Then suddenly, she looked up at us and said, " Can I be in the middle of you?" Pats and I couldn't help laughing, coz in the middle of all the commotion, heat and noise, our little one still felt that today - her world was the three of us and her gorgeous party.

We had a great breakfast first thing in the morning - hot wadas, a masala dosa and filter coffee.

If you're Indian - you know the feeling : )

If you're not, you totally need to experience it - make an Indian friend in a hurry, or call me when you're in town!

All in all - a lovely day. Pats, I heart you.

Coffee?

For Dude.

I remember the night we met. Oh, what a night.

It was a party, a friend of a friend. I got dragged there, so did you. The whole night passed and then suddenly, you asked me to dance. The rest as they say, is history.

Who was responsible?

Shorty, the guy whose house it was,whom we had never met before and who is a good friend now?

Was it your best man, Tatt Boy? Who forced you to come, telling you it wouldn't be so bad?

Nando? He called me relentlessly, till I finally agreed to stop by with a friend.

Vinx - the guy who actually introduced us, seconds before our first dance?

Whoever it was, all of you - thank you!!

'Coz that night, I met someone I chose to spend my life with. I met a guy with a heart of gold, who loves me and loves me and just when I think it's not possible, he'll love me some more.

Every so often, I look at you and feel a little giddy headed. What a precious man you are and how special must the Big guy upstairs think I am, to give you to me. I remember that night and am thankful that you chose to spend the rest of your life with me too.

(truth must be told, there are several other times when I look at you and want to throw everything but the kitchen sink at you - but let's leave that for a later post. = D )

My prayer for you is one that is close to my heart.

May you see, every day, how amazing you can be and may you never stop reaching for the stars. May your honesty, simplicity and good heartedness, always be the core of you, as they are now.

And may you always know, how very very much, this girl loves you.

Happy Birthday dude.

*hands over heart in a gift wrapped box*

Luv 'ya.

The wonder that is Facebook.

I uploaded a lot of pictures on my Facebook profile this afternoon.

Mostly of December when Mum and Dad were here, the stuff we did, the places we visited, familly, friends etc. (Yes, I do it pretty often, guilty as charged!)

My favorite is one of us at Christmas, right in front of our beautiful tree.

We had just gone for Christmas morning mass, had a nice breakfast together and visited close family to wish them. We got back home and posed for a series of pictures and had a ball of a time!!

When I posted that particular picture, I was rather taken aback at the number and nature of comments it got. Friends I made more than 10 years ago, family friends who haven't been in touch in ages, college friends, some people I don't even know that well...all who remembered my folks.

My parents pray a lot. They pray for us, out here in the concrete jungle, amongst other things.

And then they pray for the people who have touched our lives and theirs, in ways we may not remember, but our hearts will not forget. Verbatim.

I was amazed that some of those people felt such nice feelings towards my folks. Their comments on our Christmas memory picture, were simply sweet and really touching.

Facebook may have a tons of flaws and may be called addictive and a waste of time and all the rest. I've read all the negative articles and I've heard a few parental concerns on it.

But at times like this, it's just pretty darned awesome.

Resolutions.

So I figure that I should have a few resolutions in place, at least before January ends.

I've been thinking about what I want to do or change in my life - something that will make me happy, feel more creative, enrich my life in some way. I kept walking down oddly familiar corridors in my mind and then taking a wrong turn somewhere...then wondering, "Eh? How'd I end up here?"

I thought about people I wanted to be like. Places I wanted to visit. Skills I wanted to master.

Then I wondered why I waited for the New Year to start thinking about it.

So I went back to the drawing board and re-thought my theory on Resolutions.

I've decided that I'll just keep trying to do and keep aspiring to accomplish, all the different things I thought of last year. And quite probably, the year before.

The way I see it, I've been wanting to be better every day of my life. And I'm getting there.

When we were kids, we used to play a game called 'Mother, may I?'

One leader, right at the front. The other kids, on the opposite side of the room. The leader would call out a series of steps, like, "Fred, take 2 bunny steps forward" or "Dexter, 1 baby step backwards" or "Penelope, take 1 giant leap sideways!"

Each of us could move only if we remembered to say, "Mother, may I?'

Resolutions are like that I guess. Something we should enjoy doing, be it in baby steps, bunny hops, turtle crawls, roadrunner paces...progress is progress, si?

I'll see you at the finish line...but this is my own private race.

Have you started your own?

I'll lend you a few step options if you like. *whips out 'Mother may I?' instruction booklet*

That's the nice bit...when it's just you, you can stay on baby steps for as long as your heart feels like it. It's just a happy, smiling you that's waiting at the end of the line.

Till later.

2010. Damn!!

H'lo sundaris. Or lovelies, if you're feeling English.

Hope you've all had a fab start to 2010, with an even better festive season behind you.

Where on earth did the decade go? Goodness me, I feel rather dinosaur-ish all of a sudden.

2009 was our year - totally. We struggled a bit, a few ups here, the occasional downs there..but we had each other and that made each day a cakewalk. Dude, you rock.

The year ended with a bang. We re-did our place and all of a sudden, our house became a home. I never realized what it lacked, till we added it. Nothing mucho grande, just a few personal touches here and there and we were both ever so pleased.

My folks were here, for all of a glorious month - which explains my absence from my corner. I feel as if this is when they really got to bond with dude and vice versa. It was heart warming to see them together.

They left last week. *sigh*

I'm terribly close to my folks, so I'm still rather blue : (

Great memories, good times. Baby steps and all that.

But 2010 is here and it looks good. It started on a great note and you know what they say; what you do on the 1st, you'll be doing all year long.

I spent it with friends and loved ones, counting my blessings and being thankful for many little surprises.

Hope you did too.

Happy New Year once again - may this year be all you hope it to be.

Till later.

Happy!

My folks are coming down to the desert to spend the festive season with us.

There are no words to describe how insanely, ridiculously, completely, 'giggly like a 5 year old' happy I am.

It's like I'm a riot of excited color on the inside.

:)

Magtam tumkam / My prayer for you.

Happy birthday my darling.

I would have given anything to be with you today and share in your joy.

To sweep the yard for the coming guests and bring out all the vases, in anticipation of the many bouquets to come.

To gently take the gifts from your hands, as you happily accept the wishes of those who love and admire you.

To help Pops with the hundreds of thousands of little things he will have to do today, on his own - I'm so proud of him! How rarely he says it, but how often he shows it.

To take pictures. Oh so many pictures of you - smiling, happy, candid ones.

To give you my gift, first.

To make sure you have some wine right in the beginning, before everyone else arrives. Wink, wink.

To help you blow out the candles.

To stand with Papa and sing the saud for you.

But I will be with you in spirit.

Thanking the good Lord above for who you are, for gifting you to us and for all you mean to me.

I will remember all the special things we do - the cooking, reading, crosswords, chats over coffee, laughs over the phone even when at work, the goodnight stories, the hymns we sing.

I will remember all the difficult things you help me do - getting over my stammer, writing my farewell speech, saying sorry, choosing.

I will remember all the times I don't even need to look behind me - I know you are there, always.

I will remember all the times I know you are my friend first.

I will remember how beautiful you are and always have been.

I will hear your laugh and I will laugh to myself, I will feel you pull my cheeks and frown at you.

I will remember how you cried the night before our wedding and how you love dude so whole heartedly, as only you can.

I will remember how you always teach me to see the good in others.

I will remember that you are Daddy's little girl, as I am now.

I will look at myself in the mirror and realise how much like you I am.

And I will be very, very proud.

Happy birthday Mama my darling.

I love you.

Day 4 - Pic 1

- The altar at home-

- Goa, 2009 -

Our beautiful, traditional altar at home in Siolim, Goa.

Dedicated to the angel who taught me to pray and convinced me that that God had a special book with my name on it, full of golden stars for all the good things I did.

I still believe it.

My prayer for you, today and always, is for your every moment to be filled with love, joy, happiness, good health and laughter. Yes, it is a simple one. I have learnt it from you.

Have a great birthday Ma, you deserve the best.

See you soon.