Tailor Made

I have been wondering how I am going to clothe my children while they go through their various growth spurts here. The clothing they have is a little difficult to look at let alone dress my kids in. It has been a concern of mine, until a couple of days ago.

Nepal has fabulous tailors and I heard that they make great copies of existing clothing. It works out well for me as I have so much fabric that I have accumulated over the years. So, I hunted down a nearby tailor and tried it out.

To my surprise the prepubescent boys who I gave the fabric to were the actual tailors. I didn't ask their ages, cause that would mean I would knowingly be contributing to child labour (In my mind, they are young looking 25 year olds).

They made some cute PJs for the kids. Heavah's pants were short because the message, 'The pants need to be an inch longer' got mixed up in the translation. Regardless I think they did a great job. They asked for $2.00 for each PJ set. I gave them a good tip and a promise of a lot more business.

New Arrivals

A few new animals have arrived at our home over the past week or so. We found some friends for the following people/animals in our home:

Candy: She is strictly here for our other goat, Randy. Lately he has been roughing up the kids showing his preadolescent spunk. He has also been moping around the house lately looking for some female companionship and the god statues aren't doing the trick. Therefore, we got this pretty little lady for some future lov'n and potential offspring.

Showing Sedona who is boss

Sarah & Max: Since Sedona has been fascinated with bunnies and has yet to have one of her own, our maid decided to get her a couple to take home after a visit with her family for dinner. It is pure love for Sedona. However, they are rarely for touching--only looking. We think they may not survive all the Dona cuddles. Instead, when Sedona is asleep, the bunnies have free reign over the property. Seeing them hop around the grounds is about the cutest thing I have ever seen.

Instant love. Sareta, Asa, Sedona and Sarah

Ahh, free to breathe at last.

Baby Chicks: Just yesterday 12 baby chicks hatched. They are incredibly adorable. It is funny how depending on your perspective, these guys can be 'all-things-fluffy-and-cute' or they can be snake food. I prefer the fluff. Axel likes their nutritional value.

We love the black and white ones and have already named them 'Rockhopper Penguins'

All 12 of the babies are under their mama.

Luckily, we got rid of the snake a few weeks ago, so these little guys will be used for future homeschool lessons (observing, not eating--I hope). There is another hen warming up 8 more eggs. They should be hatching in the next week or so.

I am hoping everyone is now happy with their companion. Heavah is still holding out for a horse. And for Xavier? An elephant? At the rate we're going, I wouldn't doubt it.

Smocking Part II

Here are two projects I just finished. Forget the fact that both of them have spring themes. It just shows you how long it took me to get my groove back on. I am working on my Halloween theme plate right now. The countdown is on.

Turtle Gazing on Glen Pattern (adapted)

The pattern is made for walkers. Hence the reason why it is bunchy at the top.

Songs of Spring on Katrina Pattern

A Sign That I Have 4 Kids and Choose My Battles

You want to go to school dressed like that?

Note: Shirt is also on backwards

Eh, why fight it?

Back to the Grind

                                 

Me, in a week.  Only not with the goofy bangs, or the short skirt, or the dumb smile on my face.  Okay, it isn't me at all.  But you get the idea.

Tis the season to be glued to the computer. The countdown is on and I am about to be looking at the computer screen every other week until I go cross eyed. 

I am a faculty member at the number one graduate school for international business back in the states.  It is truly an international school with excellent students (I have to say that cause my husband used to be one).  My students are primarily from South America; the school is based in Arizona; and I am remotely grading papers in Kathmandu.  Yeah for globalization! 

My graduate degree is in communications.  Although I focused mainly on theoretical work , my degree (luckily) translated to something practical, Business Comm.  I got over my ideological view of the world and accept that  corporations can do a little good in the world too.   (This happened the minute I walked out from my commencement and realized there is a real world out there.  Sad realization, but a rite of passage nevertheless).  

My job is seasonal.  Sometimes spring and fall; sometimes just fall.  It is perfect because I am on and off every other week for three months.  I stay at home, listen to students gripe and change diapers all in the same hour.  It is exhausting when I am immersed but it keeps the wheels turning. 

I am going on my 8th year of work and I have felt so blessed to have this job.  I have an amazing mentor.  He has taught me so much and has given me a lot of independence as well.  It keeps my resume current and blesses us with monetary funds as well.  I can't complain, so I won't. 

One day, I may just be back in the classroom teaching.  But for now, I am soaking up Nepal, enjoying my kids, and tending to my virtual profession (other than blogging).

Stopping Time

I can't really recall a time in my life I wished that time would stop. I am the one who is always looking ahead wondering what life is like on the other side of the fence. It started in elementary school ('If I get leg warmers and matching socks for all my shirts, grade 6 will be totally rad!'), and it kept being a standard practice in my life

....until now.

I am realizing that the time is passing and I am finally content with this moment--now. I have never been in a better place at a better stage of my life. To wish it away or to even look ahead seems almost blasphemous.

I want to be forever the young mom that loves every second she gets to share with her kids. I want to be in a new country, experiencing new things (tasting, eating, feeling) and I want to enjoy the wonder of what the next 1o years will bring.

I want to have my oldest be almost 6 when she thinks I am the coolest woman in the world and actually LOVES to be seen with me and wants me to teach her about life and being a woman. I want her to write me stories about horses and princesses and talk about making good choices. I want her to play with my hair and love pink and think bubble gum is just the greatest treat ever.

I want my son to be fearless, funny, and sweet with his siblings and call his legs 'tails' by accident. I want him to be excited to climb on monkey bars and pretend he is a different superhero every day. I want to see my son learn how to write 'I love you', and see the pride he feels when he reads a book. I want to see him need a kiss at night from his mom, and enjoy nestling in bed to talk about his day.

I want a two year old who freely walks around naked and loving it. I want her to pat my back when I hold her and smile at me when I lay her in her crib to sleep. I want her to dance funny jigs and say 'pooh pooh de' or 'Da poutz' when she has to go to the bathroom. I want to see her walk around with confidence and exude happiness and joy when she is around others. I want her to beg for tickles from her dad, and hear the screechy noises of pure excitement when he does.

I want my baby to smile when he sees me and I always want him to be rolly and polly. I want him to wake at 5am every morning to feed and always fit in my arms. I want him to never grow out of his onesies, and be fine with me dressing him like a sailor. I want him to be excited every time he sees a dog, and laugh out loud when his brother dances silly in front of him.

I want to see my husband be in perfect health to do all his hobbies, and still have the energy to succeed in his job. I want to see him have the confidence in his future, and yet, love the wonder of what is coming next. I want him to learn how to lead, and yet, discover how to avoid politics. I want him to take on new hobbies with vigour and vim and master them with precision and passion.

I want to be wiser than I was yesterday and still know I have a lot more to learn. I want to be excited about projects and dresses that I can make my children. I want to have the job I have where I can stay home, enjoy my kids and still keep my brain working. I want to be fit, happy, and energetic each and every day.

In the end, I want to stop the clock. I want to be here. It is my perfect moment in time. I know there are struggles in having 4 kids 5 years old and under, but I also know I must cherish every second of every day because it will never happen again. I know I will be 70 one day and wonder where the time went. The only thing I can hope for is that I remember I was cognizant of it passing...

fast...

and I didn't want it to go.

Climb Every Mountain

Our new thing as a family is mountain biking. We bought the bikes immediately after we found out we were moving to Nepal. Axel and I didn't know much about mountain biking. But going to a mountainous area was excuse enough for us to take on the sport. So, we went to a few bike shops in Dubai and we were conned into buying these cool bikes I know nothing about. Mine has purple on it--good enough for me.

Thank goodness we made the purchase we did because mountain bikes are hard to find here. And yet, there are so many great trails. Every time we ride our bikes in Nepal, it seems the locals stop and stare wondering why someone would choose to bike for fun. It is always hard to ride my comfy bike huffing and puffing as I pass some of these people. Geeze, such hard work pedaling, and then you have to shift gears? Gosh.

A couple weeks ago, we decided to take the kids on a trek. We went to a forest where the now abolished Nepali King resides. Nothing like riding on royal land. We were hoping to chat it up with the guy, but he did not make an appearance. We wanted to know how it felt to be kicked out of your own palace and sent to the side of a mountain never to be seen again. Oddly, he wasn't readily available to comment on the subject.

Looks like the ex-king and Axel share the same love. He has about 50 of these suckers on his land.

It was actually a pretty intense trail. The kids were troopers. I am sure the whipping stick helped motivate them as well. Kidding, just kidding.

Xavier's first orchid he collected on his own. Axel drove the car this time so he didn't have the driver to help. Good thing we have an agile 4 year old who loves any opportunity to climb a tree.

We may have spotted the ex-king himself, and then again, maybe it was just a Gurkha ready to kick our butts. Either way, he took one look at our bikes and walked in the other direction. I am sure he thought, 'Who rides a bike for recreation? Up tough mountains? With children?

...certainly a level of crazy I don't want to encounter.'

Phew.