Crazy bouncing boy

This is how we exercise with Elijah in such a small space... He has to be the cutest little guy ever! Its hard not to get smacked by his fist!

He is getting into the phase where he sticks his tongue out all the time. Its the way he shows off!

Why we rarely leave home (just kidding)

We went to the park to get some exercise, and play soccer. Kristen and the baby sat to watch but there apparently was better entertainment close by... 

Who could resist such a cute baby!!

Just like going to the zoo in Delhi. ;)

After this there was only one option for the night...

A bath was a must!

This was actually the first bowl bath he has ever had. Before this time we just swiped him with the washrag. He actually really enjoyed it. He liked to try and pop the bubbles in the water with his hands. 

Dream Island

We finally got to meet up with our friends living in Kite City recently. It was the first time that we got to all join up together. We all met at a retreat center outside of Delhi. It was our first real drive outside the city and our family's first camping experience. We were so happy to all be together!

 When we arrived close to the destination, we had to take a boat to get to "Dream Island." And it was a real dream come true!

These are some spring flowers here at the retreat center. We don't get to see them often because there was no real transition here... it just went from the 70s to the 90s. And the air in Delhi cannot compare to what we got to enjoy away at Dream Island.

Sunset on Dream Island.

One night we wanted a fire... so the camp director set it up. But the request was not soon enough to prepare easily. So they tried to get it going by dousing it with kerosine. However if you know anything about making a fire, you know that it works best when you let the kerosine soak into the wood. Since that was not an option, they elected one generous soul to constantly shower the wood, provoking large gusts of fire...

We then proceeded to leave the area.

This is where we slept each night... in these Moses and Medieval like tents. At night we could hear the many noises that we could not in the city... dogs and wolves howling, monkeys freaking out, and of course birds cooing. I'm sorry to bring such poor feedback, but to me (Neal) they became the tents of sickness (I was sick every night). But otherwise it was kind of neat.

Ordering Domino's in India

Sometimes life here can be "normal", but there is always that possibility of something crazy...

So one night we decided to order Dominos... something familiar. We called the number and the guy answering asking us something confusing in Hindi. I replied "No thank you, but I want to order a pizza". Needless to say the guy hung up on me. So I call back again, this time someone who speaks English says to me, "I'm sorry there must be a problem with the connection". He then decides to hang up.

 So finally at my last resort, I try it the Indian way...

Needless to say, it worked. They took longer than the "30 minute guarantee" but they told us that ahead of time. The pizza was VERY small and this was the "medium size" (It was like personal pan size in the states for like 12 bucks each). But it was something familiar. Praise God!

A week before we made our own "personal pan pizzas". Not much difference in size. Same result for Elijah... he wanted it.

Indian Wedding!

Almost every night since we arrived we've heard drums, fireworks, and excited people in the streets from 10 to 12 at night. At first we thought this was some Hindu celebration. Then we were told that this was wedding season. Since the weather is pleasant right now it's a great time for people to get married. The fabulous thing is the huge celebration and effort put into weddings here. Wedding celebrations can last up to three days. First, the wedding parade and ceremony. The next day the groom goes with a huge entourage to get his bride from her home.  The third day you have the reception for everyone. Neal took this video from our street of the groom being carried to the main celebration. We love it!

Elijah Trying to Sit Up

 Elijah is trying his best to sit up now. He's doing such a good job. I really need to get something like my boppy pillow that I left in the states to help him. He can hold steady for a little while, but then he falls over to the right or left. If he starts to fall it's hard for him to move back to the center, which is why we only practice on the soft bed.

Riding an Auto Rickshaw

Auto rickshaws are basically three wheeled scooters with a metal cage around a back seat for passengers. These are an easy and cheap way to get around the city. They aren't as fast as cars, especially old ones, but they can weave through the tight spaces in traffic almost like motorcycles. This is a great advantage! Elijah loves riding rickshaws because the sides are completely open and therefore there's a constant breeze. He tends to watch everything going on around him for a little while and then falling fast asleep on our lap.