Anybody else?

So, is anybody else going a little bonkers waiting for news from the CARA conference?  Or is it just me?

I don't think our case will be magically green-lighted (I wish!), but I am hoping that some confusion about the new process will be cleared up for orphanage staff and adoption agencies.  I am praying that March and April will reflect that by bringing some progress for the many families who are waiting for state level clearance and NOC.

In the meantime, I have been trying out a new author, Tarquin Hall. He has a series of mysteries (three, so far) featuring an investigator named Vish Puri.  I'm reading The Case of the Deadly Butter Chicken, a title that jumped off the "New Fiction" shelves for me, because it's the alternative name of one of my favorite Indian dishes, Chicken Makhani.  :o)

I am about one-third of the way through the book so far, and it's a well-written, well-plotted mystery novel set in Delhi (where the author lives).  The plot revolves around the death of a man whose son is a famous cricket player, and reaches into organized crime and the 1947 partition of India and Pakistan.  Amidst these serious elements, the book has a refreshing sense of humor that is gentle and witty.

The books contain wonderful descriptions of everyday life in Delhi, which is a treat for a waiting mama.  The author also includes observations about the rising middle class and those left in poverty, and injects a longing for social justice into his main character. 

So, if you're going batty like I am while you wait . . . I recommend this book!  For a taste of Indian culture, a plot that will distract you from thinking about NOCs, and a good dose of wry humor, The Case of the Deadly Butter Chicken is a great choice. 

Of course, I don't know how it ends yet . . .

Life goes on

As our no-news-since-October reality goes on, K is never far from our minds, and often the kids will talk about her, and wonder what she is doing that moment.  She is a regular feature in their prayers, and Anya is beginning to talk about things she will do with K, or ask what K will be able to do when she comes home. (Feed herself?  Walk?  Say any words in English? Drool on my stuff? Cry in the night? Play with stuffed animals or dolls?). 

And all that curiosity has Anya in an inventing kind of mood.  Recent creations include:

"Now anyone can see what it would look like if their face was on the $1 bill!"

Home-made floor-polishing napkin slippers!

While we wait for news from India, family life goes on!  This week brought a concert for our sons' boychoir, with two more coming in the next two weeks (they will get out of school early for those!). I think they look very distinguished in their concert attire, and so grown up.

Anya and I missed this concert -- I think she's headed down the same road of "sinus infection that degenerates into broncho-pneumonia."  Blah.  We will be chatting with the doctor about changing her allergy medicine to avoid heading down the same road again.  We stayed home from the concert and made cookies instead. (We figured the audience members would not appreciate her hacking cough during the performance . . .)

Stirring batter for egg-free oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.

Meanwhile, the other thing we've been experiencing here is lots of snow.  Our kids are big fans of it until about March . . . then the thrill of shoveling and snow play starts to wear a little thin, and we will all be longing for spring. 

Thank you to everyone who is praying for Mr. W . . . your concern for him really touched my heart.  He continues to be hospitalized, and has given everyone (especially his wife) a few scares.  She is a sweet, sweet woman, and has been splitting her time between work and the hospital.  Please keep praying for her -- she has to make very difficult decisions about his ongoing care, and is feeling the weight of responsibility for that. 

I am hoping and praying that the CARA conference in India brings a flurry of progress for many of our children's cases!

Family movie night, complete with a nest on the floor.