Whew! Cankles.

Never been so happy in my life to have cankles.  I don't have them genetically and I've never been preggers, and I don't think any woman should be tortured by having them unless it IS for the good cause of having a little bun baking in the oven, but today-- TODAY-- I am stoked that I do.

Actually that's a lie-- today I am tired of having big swollen ankles and feet, it's just gross. But YESTERDAY, I was happy for all the cankles I could get because... the swelling was due to being so many hours on a plane! In other words, I MADE IT TO INDIA!!! It took a lot of close calls and a lot of me literally running back and forth through two different airports (and a lot of sweating) and some interesting encounters with Indian officials, but me AND my reunited bag (the bag with only 2 minutes to spare) were both able to fly to London and switch planes and arrive eventually in Chennai, about 2am local time on Sunday. It was about 3 miracles that got me here, including the weather staying good just long enough for me to get out of Chicago, and man am I grateful for them.

Because I'm BACK.  And so many great things have happened so far, so many reasons to be so thankful to be here.

I've missed my girls! To be mobbed by them when they first saw me, to have them calling out "Jennie! Jennie Auntie!" and clamoring to hug me, is about the best thing ever.

Having the (extended) Patel family here to volunteer for this week, is also just about the best thing ever. They are AMAZING-- a total group of 39, from Orange County, CA  who has come to spend this week giving and serving and loving. They are generous and open and willing and gracious and selfless and a whole lot of fun, and I have already told them that I would like them to adopt me, please.

Saw an old friend today, Ruhta, when I went with the medical van to Bethel Nagar. I met Rutha over the summer on a rainy day as Tom, Jared and I walked the little (but orderly) streets of the colony, and we had a nice chat as she shared the space of her outdoor rope bed with us. Today, when I saw her, I gave her three photos I had had printed of her with the three of us that rainy day... and in return, she went all the way to her little house and came back with a bag of fruit, for ME. So humbling. What an incredible gift.

And.. I got to meet this man, who was blind for 18 years but, due to the efforts and persistence of rising star, has, at 80 years old had an operation to restore his sight, and-- it worked! And he has not lost a moment since. He is a hoot and a half.

Isn't that a wonderful smile??

SO happy to be here. And that's not even all of it so far, and there is SO much more to come :)