A year that was, a year that hopefully will be....
Tuesday, January 1, 2008 at 8:56AM As a family, we do not write those one page recaps of last year with the family photo or even send out a card with wishes. We have debated this over the years and finally figured out that the blog will be as good a place as any to wish everyone. It is almost our family multimedia newsletter!
For a change, you get my picture on the beach instead of the whole family. Last night San graciously agreed to put one photo which includes her, as a new year present! That alone was pushing it...
2007 was intense for us on many fronts. We had just entered into a serious remodelling project that almost ended up being a rebuild of the house. I put the family (especially the MIL) through a lot of trouble, yet again, by going for this home building project. We ended up living in one room for almost three months with a single electric stove on a dining table for a makeshift kitchen!
We did plan it so that the main demolition phase was done while we visited India. The trip which spanned most of Jan and the beginning of February, was an eye opener on many fronts. We were there for San's grandparents "Sadhabishegam", the in-law's wedding day celebration on a crocodile safari in the Goa swamps, saw Goa beaches, the litte one's ear piercing ceremony (Aayushhomam), not to mention seeing my mom after her jinxed knee surgery, visitng my constantly on the move sister, meeting my nephews again, one of them for the first time, crocodile park, dizzee world,...... so much in less than a month!
I took on additional work responsibility and became a manager, in a division that spun off as a startup! The new job has been a humbling learning experience on many levels. In between all that was unfolding, did get to attend a conference in San Francisco and a chance to reflect on the world today! The year flew by till Memorial day, when we went on an unforgettable trip to Yellowstone National park.
It was around the same time that we woke up and realized that Jr., while being extremely happy playing around in the Montessori school was going to have to learn to read and write a little faster. Thanks to "Learn to Read", "hooked on Phonics", Kumon, mommy's perseverence and daddy's special training sessions, Jr. was more than ready for school!
June saw Jr. graduate from the old school, our wedding anniversary celebrated on what has definitely become our favorite place (Route 1 and its national preserves) and a new addition to our family. I am of course, talking about the Digital Rebel XTi!
The rest of the summer was spent playing with the new camera, visiting zoos, more national parks, our first trip to Mono Lake, an almost finished house that never really finished, researching public school education, school parties, local sightseeing, and preparing for a trip to Philadelphia. A trip that brought back so many memories for a decade ago.
The last few months were extremly hectic, working harder than ever, both at work and at home, celebrating Halloween, Navrathri, Kaarthigai deepam, Deepavali, four birthday's on four weekends in November, not to mention a trip to Disneyland and Legoland, Christmas parties and a grand finale, a nice trip to Santa Barbara!
It definitely is easier to recap the year when you have a few posts to jog your memory! 2007 came and went, with us more than happy to have a status quo on many fronts. A silent highlight was the kids not coming down with any major illness and daddy scraping by with a countable number of colds or sore throats!
Another silent highlight was this blog, the people we get to know, friends we made, continue to make, and even get to meet on occasion. A big thanks to all those who give us the world, through different eyes!
Finally, the hope for next year?
My first wish is for my mother to get back on her feet. When one blotched surgery in Madras ends up becoming three surgeries in Bombay and you constantly know that the woman has been suffering for more than a year, you cannot help but pray. My mom, a school teacher of 40+ years, is a fighter. She has promised me that when she actually walks again, she will write a blog about her entire experience. She told me something very profound. "Sometimes, our purpose in life is to be a lesson to others!". I really hope she gets well soon!
My next wish is for another uneventful year, as far as our health goes!
The third wish is for my Brother in law to find his future wife. May all the stars align in the right places, all those black cats stay put and the temple bells ring at the right times when the families meet so that the whole thing gets arranged without a glitch! The same wish also goes for my cousin who is going to enter the bride search arena in 2008!
A wishlist from any dude in the silion valley without a high tech gadget in it, does not qualify as a wish list.
Finally, I wish the Camera would find its future lens!
Hope all of you have your wishes come true this year.....
.
Reader Comments (6)
May all your wishes come true! My heartful prayers.
-wellwisher
Happy New Year Sundar! Your mom is in my prayers! My wishes to San and the kiddos. Have a super 2008!
sundar:
"Daddy took on additional work responsibility ... "
you are catching the terri-itis (as in, the reader is confused as to who is who) - for a minute, i said to myself 'you must be kidding me' before i realized that you had seamlessly transitioned from first person to third person.
all the best for grandma narayanan. it must be really frustrating to deal with something like that.
- s.b.
Anon , thanks.
boo, thanks a bunch..
Wish you all a very happy new year.
s.b. , Daddy is a confusing hodgepodge of random ideas.. daddy can even seamlessly switch into fifth person.. fourth person being a dog like Terri. and it is just daditis..
and btw, the photobook idea is great! going to check it out.
Hi,
The team at Hooked on Phonics came across your blog and wanted to share how thrilled we are that you and your child have been so successful with our products. We love to hear success stories!
We also wanted to let you know that we are going to be on the Home Shopping Network on Wednesday, January 9th at 7:00 AM EST and Thursday, January 10th at 1:00 PM and 6:00 PM EST, and wanted to see if you would be interested in sharing your Learn to Read success story with others as a live caller on the show. Your participation will be approximately 5 to 10 minutes long.
If you are interested in being a caller, please e-mail us with your contact information and which date and time slot works best by 12:00 PM EST, Friday, January 4th, and we will provide additional details.
Please contact Adrienne Sutton at:
adrienne.sutton at smarterville dot com
We look forward to hearing from you!
Hooked on Phonics
Well written ! May all your wishes come true. May some divine momentum get the stars aligned, knees fixed and cheer rendered !