31 days : A writing challenge every October, every year

31 Days is an online writing challenge started by home blogger, Myquillyn Smith (The Nester) where bloggers pick one topic and write a post on that topic every day in October. We all link up just once on day one (linky opens on the evening of October 1st) so that we can see all the topics and read the ones that most interest us. The linky will stay open through October 5th for late comers but will be closed after that.

As a writer, 31 Days challenges you to go deeper into one topic.

As a reader, 31 Days will most likely have a few topics that you are curious about, it’s a great time to get to know some new bloggers.

To read the 31 Days Topics starting in October simply click back to the home page scroll down and pick any category from the black squares and click on it, you’ll be taken to a plethora of wonderful ideas, enjoy! To see past 31 Days topics, click here.

To join in writing for 31 Days (#write31Days) simply sign up here or on the sidebar. Then link up once between October 1 and October 5th and write a post every day in October.

So this is what "31 days of " is all about. I will pre write a few days worth of posts and post one each day. Especially with less than a month to the arrival of baby number 3. Nothing is predictable. But I still wanted to do it this year. I did one in 2012. So here goes!

Oops! Before I forget. Here is what I will be writing on for the next 31 days.

31 days to organizing the home.

A wonderful visit from my brother

Since my brother joined his new work in Palo Alto, California after his Phd, we knew there were chances of him coming here since he was required to visit the Bosch companies in Germany. A quick visit was planned this weekend, initially an attempt was made to make it a surprise one. But many other factors came into play, so he had to let us know he was coming to Stuttgart.  We didn't tell the kids who were coming. But somebody really close.

He was scheduled to arrive in Eindhoven Saturday morning around 11. Around 8 am he called saying he overslept and thought it might be good to cancel, since driving 5 hours after a late start would be pointless, since he would leave Sunday evening.

It was his way of trying to squeeze in another mini surprise. He was right outside the door....
When the kids heard me talk to him in Malayalam on the phone just before he appeared in our drive way, Benjamin deduced from other clues that this is a "Malayalam Guy"! The kids jumped on top of him when they saw him.Like a pair of monkeys!

Even though it was such a short visit, it was so nice to see him , 9 months after his wedding. Cooked his favorite food, like cutlets, kachimor with rice. He sure was tired of eating all the potatoes and meat in Germany.

The spread and him

Focussed on his lunch

Wine, cheese, olives and sausages

Sunday lunch at Happy Italy, Eindhoven Centre

Goofy Kids

The boys

He ate his ice- cream and ate mine while I went into a shop

one more last one

Goodbye

Expecting more visits from him in the near future.
Bye, Tutu mama!

Five minute Friday : Hold on

Joining in with  Kate Motaung and hundreds of women across the globe, writing on a single prompt for 5 minutes. Unedited. Fluid. Here goes.

HOLD

GO
It's so human that we hold on to past hurts, and things that didn't work rather than to those that did, and the answered prayers.

We listened to Max Lucado's "Fearless " Sermon in our cell group last night.  He said," Fear numbs our memories, creates a form of Spiritual Alzeimer's . We unknowingly hold on to the fear rather than to Him. He asked "Why are you afraid?"to the disciples when the storm shook them and their boat. Without an answer or further questioning he calmed the lake. They were so fresh from the miracle Makers wonders. The healing, driving out demons, raising from the dead and yet they held on to their fear:"Why don't you care , Lord?"

As we progress in our journey, we learn and relearn lessons. He waits patiently for us , every step of the way as we play this game of holding and leaving his Hands. He waits for our firm grip, never leaving grip, lasting until the end of our journey.

STOP

Five Minute Friday : Whisper

Joining in with  Kate Motaung and hundreds of women across the globe, writing on a single prompt for 5 minutes. Unedited. Fluid. Here goes.

Whisper

GO

The last stretch, and the OOO's and Ah's for everyone have subsided. The kids and husband have an attention span of a few seconds when I rush them to see the baby kick and move around. The kids need reminding that there's a baby and I am not going to jump with them, or pick up toys a million times. Especially those tiny Lego's.

But, for me , little one, every movement , after all these weeks, are precious. Its as if it's the first kick I can see and feel. It's though you are whispering to me through every movement. I am here. I am awake. I hear you and my brothers. It's feels like the first time.

I imagine how you would look, and images of a little Benjamin or little Elijah pop. Who would you look like? You know O Lord! This little one will be just how You designed him to be. Exactly what the Maker has planned.

STOP

Reaching out to remember things of the past and things to come

It' s been 6 months and 5 days since I posted on this blog. And there is a good reason for that. Lots of good reasons. We went on holidays to Rothenburg and Koblenz , Germany during the carnival holidays late February. We had a lovely time exploring different place, and taking long walks across streams.

By the time we came back, I was tired. Really tired and sleepy. All the time. To backtrack a bit, we have been planning to have number 3 added to our family of 4. So, that could be the link to all the sleeping and tiredness. On March 7th , I did multiple tests and found out, sure enough we were going to have that number 3. Happy and blessed to get pregnant easily and quickly was added to my list of "things to be grateful for".

After that time just flew. I slept wherever I sat. Mornings were battle sessions with evil nausea. And I was wiped out taking take of the boys and the house.Thankfully, I had great friends who cooked dinners and helped in many ways.

Very soon, it was time for the two week break in May, and we decided to go to Kuwait for the holiday, as I just received my Dutch passport. That meant, I didn't have to get visas and could just go immediately. And I could eat all the food I was craving for. 2 weeks at my parents was lovely. We stayed home most days and went out to malls in the evening. Other evening we were invited for dinner at houses of old friends. My dad had sudden work in Germany and that meant they could come back with us. And they stayed two weeks with us. Since I left home for university at 18 and after getting married, this is the first time I have stayed for an extended time of 1 month with my parents in a long time. And it felt good. Like old times.

After they left, it was fast forward to winding up work at my school and with kids before the start of the summer. Need I say more about the summer? It was just fun, relaxation, playdates, and more fun and more relaxation. Bobby was away in Shanghai for two weeks for work. And after he came, we went to the Rijks Museum and Nemo, the science centre

My parents went to the US to be part of my brothers Phd graduation ceremony.And also to celebrate my dads 60th birthday. I was meant to go too! They sure did celebrate in style.

The last week of summer, was our Bible club at church run by our friends and loads of volunteers. Space Academy(story of Daniel in Babylon) was fabulous. I worked with the 4-5 year olds. Even though the program was from 9:30- 12:00, we stayed for lunch, helped clean up and plan for the next day. It was around 4:30 most days before we got home. It was fun just to be with friends and get to know other people more. The kids of course loved it, as they got to have a whole day of playing with their friends for 5 days. The funny thing was as we would leave for home, they would ask if they could have a play date. What was the whole day then?Waking up early for Space Academy prepared us for the school week which started Monday. Though Elijah did prefer to go to Space Academy rather than school.

As we come to the end of the first week of school after summer, things have settled into a routine. We continue to prepare for the baby's arrival in November. And look forward to things in store for us. Exciting!

Elijah not small anymore

 Elijah our youngest , turned 4 a few weeks ago. And here in the Netherlands, that means he starts school and many other things. He was ready for school since he was 3. Not just pre school, but real school. Every other day or so , when we went to drop Benjamin at school, he would ask ," Am I going to school today?". And I would reply, "not today, but soon". And finally that day arrived, 3 days before his birthday.

But a few weeks before, we received a card from the school welcoming us to his new class. So we decided to go and have look at the new class and the new teacher. He was'nt as excited as I thought he would be. He was whinny and cranky. Said he didnt want any birthday cake or any superheroes on it. He wanted a dog. So I told him he already had a toy doggy and hadnt played with it for so long.
Actually, he wanted a real dog. A big brown dog with no spots and a little bark.I am not a fan of animals and definitely not having one as a pet. And especially a big one with a little bark. Too many specifications. He was nervous now that he was actually going to see his class.
He wouldnt get out of the car, and when I could finally get him out , we made the slowest walk from the car to the school.
We stayed outside the class and watched all the children enter as the bell rang. He had a glimpse of his teacher. He began to loosen up and wasnt all cheerful, but at least not tense.I spoke to the teacher while he clung to me. And in 5 minutes we were back in the car and on our way home.

A week before his birthday he also started his first swimming lesson. Not swimming lessons with Bobby in the pool with him, but he alone and me sitting in the gallery. Of course,

2 years old

  I could sit on the bench next to the pool for the first day. He absolutely loved it. He did everything that the teacher asked him to and was practicing so hard.

The following Monday, his first day at school, he woke up crying and complaining that his foot hurt. I had to carry him dowstairs and feed him porridge.But after a while, after he ate and I spoke to him, he got better and started jumping and hopping around. Bobby was almost ready to not send him to school.... There was a pattern here, so I knew. He was excited so much, he kept singing and hopping all the way to school. It was a sight to see him all grown up, with his new spiderman bag across his shoulder. He even told me what he wanted  for lunch. Seeing him like this I was too shocked to cry.

He was in his element and his moment had come.

And I realized, there goes my son...... I wont have him with me like I used to before. But I was quickly reminded that he had every other Friday off. Phew..... Another 2 years of that. I can hold on a little longer.


May our sons love God and seek Him dilligently. (Inspired from Proverbs 8:17 )


Batman Cake

Spiderman Cake







Family Devotions

Over the years we have been struggling to maintain a family devotional time . I would start and be dedicated to it for a few days and then Life happens and its long forgotten.

With my "One word" focus PURSUE,  by God's grace we have been able to meet together as a family in the morning everyday since we got back from India. Except for Sundays.

We have been following the reading plan "walk with Jesus:21 days through Mathew, with accompanied 1:50 minutes videos by Phil Vischer. (creator of Veggie tales and What's in the Bible)

We watch the video, read the Bible passage corresponding to that event in Mathew and discuss about it, ending with Bobby or I praying. We also ask the kids to say one thing they are grateful for, or let them pray a few lines when they wish to. We also have walked through "The Lord's Prayer" with the kids. Explaining it through a book  we have. Benjamin now knows this prayer by heart and Elijah knows a few random verses.

There are other reading plans that you can choose from, which might suit your family.

By having a family devotion time, we expect to instill important values in our children on the importance of prayer together as a family, and individually, modeling how to pray and leaning God's Word.
There are certain values we want to teach our kids, such as we go to church every Sunday irrespective of whether we "feel like it "or not. Of course if we are away or not well, then its different.  We try not to "say yes" to birthday parties or foot ball games on a Sunday morning.
You might disagree with me, but these are some family rules we try to stick to. I do know it will become more difficult to stick to, as the kids grow up. But hopefully , this is ingrained in them, so they themselves know the importance and choose not to be somewhere else at this time. So, having a quiet time every day will be natural and normal. So, even if they lose their way , they will remember and come back.
 All we can do as parents is model, pray, pray and pray.