Fast Track Through Seattle

I can't believe I never finished my Seattle blog... and I still have to blog about Alaska and Oregon!  Jason and I spent a day just wondering around Seattle.  Neither of us are into the art museums or any museum at all, so we just walked around.  They had a really nice trail along the waterfront that we walked in the morning.  This statue above was made to frame the Seattle Space Needle. 

Why did I take this photo you ask??

I took a small detour towards this gas station to get some water and we could smell the barbeque!!  This small BBQ shack next door had just open.  Well.. if you know my husband, you know that he can't turn down barbeque and this was something he had not had since before India.  We tried a sample and the cook convinced us to buy a sandwich.  I mean, how many times can you say that you randomly walked into a shack (by a gas station!!) and ordered lunch??? So... if you are ever in Seattle, look this place up.

That evening, we took an underground tour.  It wasn't scary, but it did give us insight to all the prostitution that went on back in the old days.  Many women made a fortune mingling with the opposite sex.  ;)
 

Who can turn down a room for 75 cents??

I can't walk by a fire museum without going in it...

I am realizing that if I don't blog about it right away, I forget all the neat, random and quite useless facts about things.  I promise I will do better and catch up soon! The following morning, we set sail on our cruise!   Adios Seattle!  

Seattle

The famous Pike Street Market

After spending a year (okay, 11 months 1 day) in India, we decided a long vacation was well worth it.  We got to take short weekend trips here and there, but we really wanted a vacation without the threat of having to cancel or Jason having to keep his phone close by in case the refinery needed him.  What better way to cut yourself off from the world than a cruise?

After trying to find a Caribbean cruise to take with family, we opted for an Alaskan cruise.  We had never seen that part of the country before and we had heard so many good things about it.  Well, I think all Jason heard was that they are known for their craft beers.  Instead of flying to Seattle just for the cruise, we decided to extend the trip and tour Seattle as well.  This might not be as informative as the other posts about our vacations, but I'm trying to catch up here!

The famous Pike Place Fish Co.  You've probably seen it on travel shows - they throw fish.  I could have watched them all day, but Jason is a slave driver on these walking tours!  No rest for the wicked - or the pregnant.

The original Starbucks - notice the line.  It was reallllllly long.  We aren't a fan of paying lots of money for overpriced coffee so we skipped this.

Jason would rather spend his money on craft beers.

Everytime he got beer - I got chocolate.  Fair, right?

I promise we did more than walk around the market, drink beer and eat chocolate.. but I'll update on that later! 

London is TWO!

You all know that my sister decorates cakes, cupcakes and cakepops, right?  If you didn't... you do now.  We knew we would be home for a few days before heading back to Chicago on Saturday so I got to help Sara decorate a cake for London's 2nd birthday party.  I have to admit, it was a lot of fun...but boy did my feet hurt afterwards.  We drove 6 hours with a two tiered cake in the car (it wasn't stacked yet) and about two dozen cake pops.  I was a little nervous, but it didn't seem to faze Jason.  It was a lot of fun to see everyone and of course, London is pretty cute!  Somehow, we've made both of his birthdays (we had to leave early last year though).  We can never seem to RSVP for anything really due to the job, but we always make it back for him!  I guess we'll just have to make it an annual trip to Chicago!

My first day on the job!

Finished products!

Ready for his cake!

2nd Birthday!

Angela, London and Troy

Caitlin, Matt, Fanon, Shannon and Ben - Caitlin is always making a face in my photos.

This kid LOVES his cornhole.  Not Joking.  He even got a set to travel with!

That concludes our Saturday in Chicago before jetting off on Sunday to.....wait for it.... Seattle!  We took one last vacation or what you might consider a "Babymoon".  I will update you on that another time.. maybe tomorrow.  This mama is tired and going to bed!   

Catching Up To Speed

Did I make you tired from reading that last blog post?  I wrote it so quickly that I just went back and read it.  It wore me out!  We're always on the go, so I guess that shouldn't surprise me that we were in a hurry!  I'm not going to back date these posts but I will fill you in on our life for the past month.  I can't believe I didn't post AT ALL in August!

The night before we left, the hotel threw us a very nice going away party.  They do it for all long term guests so I can't say I didn't see it coming, but it still thoughtful of them.  We really enjoyed our time with everyone and met so many wonderful people! I could go on and on.. but I have a lot of catching up to do on here!

We left on Sunday and arrived into Chicago on Monday.  We spent Monday and Tuesday with our friends in Chicago catching up - ONE year is a LONG time to be away!  Meagan and Justin had a big cookout at their condo and it was the perfect way to see everyone.  Wednesday morning, we drove home and spent two crazy busy days with our family.  We just so happen to arrive home on my mom's birthday too!  We had a nice dinner at my parents house and Jasons family came as well.  I was too overwhelmed (and maybe a bit culture shocked that were back and not still in India) to take any photos of our family.  It was just so great to be back!  Here are some photos to update you on our quick trip:

  We've been busy......

Saying Goodbye...

...to our friends and "family" in Cochin.

 

Housekeeping gave us flowers THE DAY we were leaving.  Did they think I'd pack them?

Catching up with our friends and family in Chicago...

Hema, London and Caitlin

"Where's your eyebrows, London?"

 ...and surprising everyone with our good news!

 

Baby Peckenpaugh due Feb 7th!

I thought it'd be funny to end this blog right here, but by now, everyone that reads this knows our "secrets".  We are done traveling and are settling down in our hometown.  It all happened so fast that it seems like just yesterday I took a pregnancy test! 

Let's recap real fast:   Mary got pregnant.  Jason got contacted about a job at home.  Mary got two lines on a test.  Jason got more information about said job.  Jason interviewed for job via Skype.  Mary and Jason discussed long and hard about said job.  Mary and Jason weren't ready to stop traveling, but now they had an itty bitty baby to think about.  Jason got an offer.  Jason accepted. 

I bet that was as annoying to read as it was to type.  I will slowly catch up on the blog and of course I have to change this entire blog... I mean, we're not living out of suitcases or living in India anymore.  Yes, I plan to keep the blog.  I'll make it into one on how I become domesticated again.  It should be interesting!

Stay Tuned...

I'm typing this really fast as we are again on the move.  Jasons last day at the refinery was last Friday and we hurried off on Sunday....arrived in Chicago on Monday.... hung out with friends for a few days... and drove home to Evansville on Wednesday.  It's been crazy these last few days hence no blog post.  We can't sit still for long so we are headed back to Chicago today to celebrate London's 2nd Birthday and then off to Seattle tomorrow.  We are spending a few days there and then sailing to Alaska for a week!  We are going to enjoy not having internet or phone for at least a week so don't expect any updates but... we are home safe and sound.  No, we don't know our next assignment.  Just living life day by day for now.  Stay tuned for more about our exciting adventures!  ;)

So Hard To Say Goodbye

Gopa, Remya, Me and Neena with all the kids and their moms.

As of right now, things are very 'day to day' with Jasons job here.  Last week at this time, we thought we'd be leaving.  Today, we're still hoping to leave this weekend, but you just never know what the refinery will try to pull next!  Since our plans are up in the air, Friday was my last day at school.  I hated saying bye a few days early, but when it gets to the very end of the job, it really is "maybe tomorrow".  I didn't like the idea of going in on Friday and telling them that I didn't know if I would even be there Monday.  That just isn't fair.  Looking back, I suppose I could have gone in Monday, Tuesday and even today, but I didn't know that on Friday.  I really thought I'd be packing Monday.  Wishful thinking, right?  I had such a wonderful 'send off' that I didn't want to go back in on Monday and say "Psych!  I'm still here"!  They didn't get the idea that we really don't know when we are leaving.

Friday was such a great day for us at school.  I normally didn't go in on many Fridays because lately, especially since school started back up in June, only 2-3 kids would show up.  With me included, there would be 3 teachers helping 2-3 kids.  I expected the same, except for a few kids whom I begged their parents to bring them explaining that Friday was my last day.  I can be selfish and want to see them once more, right?  Well, Neena took care of all that for me!  She called all the parents and TWELVE kids showed up!  I just kept thinking.. man, this is a big class for a Friday!  Then, one of the kids that Kat and I helped last semester who is now in mainstream school even came.  I talked to her mother for a bit and thanked her for bringing her.  She said Neena called (thats when I found out the reason for so many kids showing up, lol) and she wanted to bring Nandana one more time to see the kids and say bye to me.  How sweet is that? 

The morning went the same as always and after their potty break, we just played on the floor with all the kids.  It gave me the chance to love on all of them one last time!  I passed out sweets (that's the tradition here...sweets for everything!) right before the kids left.  Ijo's grandpa was running behind picking up him so I held him a bit longer.  Mentally, he's right at his age.  He just has physical problems that prevent him from talking or having a lot of movement.  I was telling him that if his grandpa didn't show up that I would take him with me!!  He got really excited :)  I told him that I couldn't do that because his family would miss him too much, but that I would keep in touch with his mom and Neena so I'd always know how he was doing.  I think he was the only one that understood that I was leaving.  His dad lives in Dubai while working so the teachers told him that's where I was going on a plane.  I got a phone call from Neena on Monday afternoon saying that he cried all morning.  There is a new volunteer that has lighter hair and must remind him of me.  He was upset because of someone new being there and me not being there.  Neena warned me that would happen, but it just broke my heart to hear that. 

The boys, Ijo and Akshay pose in their chairs that Kat and I bought them. :)  I really wish Kat was still here in India to see them in person, but thankfully one of us is still here.  I sent her photos of the chairs and I am just glad I could see it through! 

My little Annmol....  I'm going to miss her always climbing onto my lap.  Seriously, she won't go to anyone else!  I was even teasing her a bit and tried to get her to sit by herself, but she immediately turned around and sat on me.  So sweet :)

Monica was in a kissing mood today!  She was loving on Safa all afternoon.  She did get a new band to help with her huge glasses, but is having another eye surgery in August.  I gave them the business card to the place where I found proper glasses for small children.  I hope they take her after her surgeries are done.

Nandana and her silly faces!  She wouldn't smile and look at the camera at the same time!  She is the student now in mainstream school that came back for the day.  Her mother is really nice and actually wanted to take this photo.  She is doing well in normal school and did not want to sit on her old chair for Neenas class!!  She did okay just walking around and helping Remya. 

I had a really hard time saying bye to Neena and Remya.  Neena has been like a second mom to me while I've been here.  She even brings me in some of her lunch to try!  I bought her a webcam so she can download Skype and hopefully we can stay in touch.  I am friends with her daughter, Anna, on Facebook so we can at least stay in contact that way.  Remya is having a baby in November and I made them promise to send me a photo!  All three of us were crying by the time I was saying bye. 

One day last week we painted with the kids again.  They love it so I didn't think it was odd that we were painting for the second time recently.  Right before leaving, they gave me the posters the kids painted!  The kids did hand prints on this one and then Francis (on a recent post playing chess with Alexander) drew the flowers connecting the hand prints.  The other one is just their own artwork of smudges with Francis drawing in the black leaves and flowers.  We don't even have a house yet but I'm already thinking of where I could put these.  What a sweet gift that I will always treasure!

Saying goodbye to the vocational students was also hard!  Those kids are so determined and hard working.  I will really miss making bags with them.  Okay, maybe not the bag making part.. but I will miss them!  This was the best photo that turned out.  With so many people in it, it is hard to get everyone to look at the same time!  Warren and Rachel are on the far left - they are volunteers from Northern Ireland here for a month.  We've hung out with them quite a bit.  It's always an interesting night!  They still have a few more weeks and Rachel is helping Neena so I've been getting updates from her.  They are both wonderful with the vocational students as well.  I think the school likes having a tall man around for the older boys and Rachel is great with her English teaching!

Alexander is by Rachel and is looking at Warren...haha.  Friday was also his last day.  He is a pysio therapy student who was only here a month.  He seemed to really enjoy it!

Sarah is in the middle by me...well, my head. lol.  She came about a month ago and is leaving tomorrow.  Everyone seems to come and go while we are still here!  She's been a lot of fun to hang out with and has joined us on many nights out here!  Hopefully we can all meet up again soon!

It was a really emotional day for me!  I didn't think I'd cry that much, but I just couldn't help it.  We might get another assignment in India and then I'd have the chance to visit, but the thought of possibly never seeing the kids again really hurt.  This was such an amazing opportunity for Kat and I to help at the school and something that I will never forget!  I like to think that not only did I volunteer, but I made a difference.  I know they made a difference in my life.  :) 

It's About Time!

We're getting close to wrapping things up here so this post is all about the stuff we've done in the last few days to slowly start to say goodbye.  Ian is also leaving on Friday so we've hit up a few of his favorite places as well.  I will start off this post by saying that we FINALLY got the chairs for the boys at school!  They were actually delivered on Saturday and I was pleasantly shocked.  It only took 4 months!  I'm afraid that if Jason and I wouldn't have gone out there, they might still be waiting for these chairs next month.  I don't mean to sound egotistical, but everyone is so relaxed here and some teachers did mention that if we hadn't gone there, they might not get them for a long time.  There was a third chair made for an older student that was measured completely wrong - the guy must have been blind or unable to read the measuring tape because the girl cannot even sit back in it - it's not wide enough for her shoulders. I asked if the Physio had tried to contact them again to have them come and fix it.  He said he had, but of course no one was returning his phone calls but he didn't want to ruin the relationship with this man (also a physio) so he wouldn't bug him.  UM...WHAT??   GO out there!  I understand where he's coming from, but here you have to be forward and take the step to get things done. I'm just thankful that the chairs for our boys are done!  I won't go into any more detail because I'm done with my rant.  They weren't made exactly how we ordered them, but they are still 100% better than what they were in.

Ijo - he doesn't need the arm straps.  Not sure why they were put on.  He also has room to grow into it.  The leg braces help him to relax and stay in the sitting position.

Both chairs slightly recline so they will learn better posture and not slump over.

Akshay - he was being quite lazy today and kept trying to stick his chest out and not sit properly, but he will get used to it. 

Last night we went for dinner and drinks at the Taj Malabar with Ian.  He used to stay there a long time ago and wanted to say bye to the staff.  It was great to have a nice glass of Chilean wine with dinner!  Today I made one last stop through Fort Kochi and the Jewtown shops and then over into the city.  Through John, we met Crystal and her family here.  They own a small shop in the Fort Kochi area so I had to go check that out as well. I'm officially done buying things.  I might have to leave everything else behind just to get all my neat things home.  I'm not joking.

The bartenders said it would cost a lot of money to get this glass full of wine.  Note to self: find those glasses for our "home" that we will eventually have one day.

Just drying chilies on the roof....If only I were taller, I might have had a better photo.

I have multiple photos like this.  No one seems to mind the signs and no one seems to enforce it.

Sarah got a cake made for Ian's going away party.  It was yummy!

The mini-bus (aka party bus) broke down on the way to the bar.  I invited some of the volunteers from school and their friends so it was such a fun time!  12 people in total!  What a party :)  lol  That's a lot for India.

Look at that stud!  We all chipped in for flowers for the girls since we're all leaving soon (girls included... but not John).

Ten Month Blues

"What are you doing still here?"

I know, I'm really behind on this blog.  Can you imagine staying in the same place for 10 months and trying to update every single day?  I was doing soo good.  And then 10 months hit - June 23rd to be exact.  I shouldn't complain - we're in a nice hotel, have met other people to hang out with, have good food to eat and I have some cute kids that keep my busy every morning.  But still... 10 months.   Here's a wrapup of the last few days:

Personally, I find this doll really creepy.  So does Ijo, but Annmol seems to LOVE it. 

Francis and Alexander playing chess.  Alexander is the new Physio Therapy Intern

Four of the kids played with fingerpaints the other day at school....

Good thing that paint in non-toxic.  I was helping Akhila and she even got it all over my arms and legs!

JASON CAME INTO SCHOOL WITH ME TODAY!!!  YES, I'M TYPING IN CAPS.  THAT'S HOW EXCITED I AM!

We then proceeded to the SAI Rehab place where they are making chairs for two of the boys.  Something about a man being there makes a bit of a difference in getting things done.  More on this hot topic later.

Yes, we made Kraft mac-n-cheese in the tea kettle.  Don't judge... remember -  10 months.

Jason also picked up his suit last weekend.  What a stud!

  The chairs.  Oh, what a mess.  Four months ago, the kids got measured and Kat and I made a deposit on them.  Three weeks ago, they had to remeasure the kids and said the chairs would be ready "next week".  Last week we were told they would be delivered on Monday.  On Monday, I called (after they didn't show up) and was told "tomorrow".  Tuesday... no chairs.  Again, I was told "tomorrow".  Wednesday.. no chairs.  You see the pattern.  Wednesday, the guy hung up on me and Thursday he wouldn't even answer my calls.  Today, Jason and I decided to pay them a visit.  We are really upset that these children do not have their chairs yet that were ordered and paid for 4 months ago.  Completely unacceptable.  I think having Jason there made a difference.  They don't like women telling them what to do.  Basically, we threatened to report them to the government and tell anyone that wants to sponsor a chair to NOT deal with them.  We demanded to see the chairs and make them finish them and we would be taking them with us.  They told us that they only  needed a second coat of paint and they'd be ready.  Well.....  they started cutting the wood for the second chair while we stood there.  They are horrible liars.  If they aren't at school by tomorrow afternoon, I'm calling and throwing a fit again.  We weren't rude, but we were trying to make a point.  They think they got our money and can drag their feet.  I've never been this determined before.  I see these kids every day and how badly they need the chairs.  It's only right that someone fights for them....lord knows things are too relaxed here and nothing gets done.    - 10 months.  Poor Jason has to deal with this every day at the refinery. 

  Why the '10 month blues' title, you ask?  It's hit me.  Big time.  I'm ready to go home.  I'm ready to see family.  I'm ready to see friends.  I'm getting irritated easier (see above - chairs).  I'm ready to eat Mexican food and homemade food.  I'm ready to shop at a nice grocery store and Target.  I'm ready to drive a car.  I'm ready to stop getting asked "where are you from".  I just miss everything.  I need new clothes.  Indian laundry isn't too nice to any article of clothing and you can only hand wash things so many times.  Okay, I'm done.  You get the point.  Things could be wrapping up within a week, but that's too hopeful to count on.  Nothing goes right here.  I plan on being out of the country by the time my Visa expires in August.  I've started counting down the days.  I know it'll go by fast. 

I've given up on the photo a day, but I will continue to update.  I promise to do better, but when you take the same route everyday it's hard to will myself to find something to take a photo of!  I apologize for the terrible, depressing blog update, but this is what I'm feeling right now.  Send some good vibes my way!  I hope we'll be home soon!