Did YOU Know Easter is Next Week?

I didn't, until today after my kids' Sunday School.
This is what happens in a world without Easter bunnies and spring breaks and hideous pastel colors flooding Wal-mart.  I gotta say, it's nice being without all the American materialism.

Quite a few changes have been happening in my home since April began:

• I arrived home one evening to find that I had a new teenager with no information about her.  That was a slight surprise.  I won't be giving anymore information about her other than that she's gorgeous and absolutely wonderful, as she's only here temporarily and I would like to protect her privacy.  Anyways, that made me the 22 year old mother of 22 kids.  Exciting stuff.
•  Then there were birthdays.  Lots and lots of birthdays.  So, my kids now range from ages 3-16.  It also gives me a valid reason to scold my ayahs when I see them feeding the newly 3 year old Chelsea and not making her go to the toilet.  SHE'S THREE YEARS OLD, SHE'S NOT A BABY! I yell. And then I take her little chubby right hand and put it in the rice bowl, (she sheds a tear), I bring her hand clutching the rice to her mouth, and she magically decides she can eat the entire contents of the bowl. It's magic, I tell you.

• Friday was exciting.  I turned 23.  That itself wasn't overly exciting as I was busy fulfilling a dream of mine by sending one of my daughters to Hyderabad for adoption things.  She'll live there and work on her English skills with a private tutor before having her second court date and going home with her forever family once and for all!  We had all the schoolkids over for an ice cream party on our roof and then a group prayer time before saying goodbye. 

 Now, one of her sisters was having a pretty hard time saying goodbye, but considering that the water tank was overflowing and trying to flood the roof and the number of the little and/or inattentive children present, no one else seemed to have much chance to think about feelings.  So, that was good, and I was grateful the tears didn't pour out from everywhere. BUT as the mama, it was really hard to watch this daughter say goodbye to each of her sisters as the party finished.  They were being silly and joking and teasing--not really understanding that this could be the last time they will ever see each other. I understood that though, and it broke my heart.  But, her leaving is first and foremost a happy thing, and I'm not complaining that I'm back down to 21 kiddos!

• Most every child in my home has since learned that adoption is actually a real thing, not something imaginary like it probably used to seem.  I know this because EVERY verbal child in my home has asked me, "'Murica? My Amurica going, sister?" each day.  And some, like Jeanette and Phoebe and Jackie, tend to ask about every 5 minutes.  Some kids, like Jackie, are little and adorable and spunky, and they have a pretty good chance of being adopted--locally or internationally. For others, like Hannah and Christina--not so much.  I get the not-so-fun job of explaining that some kids will go to America, some kids will go to Italy (where's that, mummy?), some kids will go to Hyderabad, some kids might go to Delhi, and some kids will stay here in Ongole with Sarahakka.  
• We reached our $1k goal for furnishing our homes!  Our new furniture was delivered Wednesday, and there still is no rice hiding between the cushions! Can you tell that Heidi and Angel like their new nap spot?
  
• 18 of 21 kids have new haircuts.  Some of these were much easier than others. Keep in mind, I'd never cut anyone's hair other than my own until I started on a curly haired kid. Luckily, most of them turned out pretty well.  I did introduce this thing called "layers" to their hair, and they're not necessarily so much of a fan of those. But, it does make them look awfully cuter!
  
  
  
• We went on a walk this afternoon with every single member of my family and 2 ayahs.  I love that Paula gets to be apart of these things now that she has her wheelchair!  AND she got to be like the other big girls and help a little one by holding (and buckling in) Chelsea on her lap.  Let's just say they both thought they were pretty cool stuff!  On this walk, we also got to meet Leo, the new puppy at Truth Home. I wish I had brought my camera...
• Finally, my last and VERY important update:  Angel has learned how to sing, finally.  She turns four next month and I'm really trying to work on basic preschool level things & speech with her and Chelsea.  Angel sang some version of what sounded like "Jesus Loves Me" the other day, and last night we sang "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" on the way home from getting my parotha & chana daal.  Because obviously, a white girl and the world's cutest 3 year old don't attract enough attention around Ongole and need a little bit  more :)