Mysore, India or "Oh my God..Its Tracy and Ray"

Were here! Here in our beloved Mysore that is~
the weather is perfect and warm and it feels like I just left for a week and am back! It feels INCREDIBLE to be back! This is where I feel my absolute best. Hard to explain...people can't grasp it..some do though. My Indian friends here understand. It is just the way it is.....

Last night I was at Anus and tried to post a blog..I really did...but the conversation at our little table was flowing and it was just so Ironic what happened..
When we arrived at Anus, I asked her if she knew Laruga, as I have some things for her..and Anu told me that she knows of her, but that she didn't come there all that often..she told me where I could find her though...
So I logged on to FB and had a message from LG and I sent her one back...not knowing she was on her way to Anus..she had sensed that I was there! In she walked...and let me tell you..this girl is Beautiful! I knew she was from her pictures..but she is just that much and more in person and she radiates the most beautiful Light..my husband and I were just so happy to sit and visit with her and Finally meet! India is nice that way..here in Mysore, you come together with the most radiant of souls and its all So good!!

After dinner last night at Green Leaf..R and I had a Chai making lesson....and guess where R is right now??? Downstairs in the kitchen making us some CHAI!!!! It is so easy and we found out that we were using the wrong tea at home, and thats why it tasted so Yuck! But now we know the right way and OMG is it GOOD!

Speaking of OH MY GOD..well, its a long story and it is sort of between Ganesh Anu and a few other friends...but long story short..the sign above was VERY priceless upon arrival at the Mysore Train Station when Jeevan, our driver greeted us!! It made everything that we endured during the train trip up worth it ALL!

Yesterday I ran into my friend Sista Shree and T with Operation Shanti..they were driving past R and I..and we jumped into the car and we all drove out to Karuya Mane and were able to see the children! It was SO good to see them all again!! I was amazed at how much they had grown and changed in just 10 months time! They were all so happy to see us arrive and they all ran up with their little hands together and called one by one "Namaste" to us~ It was a precious moment. We went inside and saw the girls room, so wonderfully set up with all of their bunk beds and little bedding all made so nicely. Some of the little ones wanted to be held and I would pick them up and they would want to go over to the little poster with the English words and they would point to the word and I would say it..and Asha, a beauty of almost 15, showed me her books of incredible drawings that she did. SO talented!! She showed me her lesson book from school and her marks and how she has improved~
T was telling the kids that I was the woman who brought all the shoes last year, and they began remembering and some of the boys and girls came up and looked up at me and told me Thank You for the shoes....they were so grateful all over again.

Then, I thought I had made it through the visit without crying...man, I was so proud of myself..and then..I saw Rita.

Rita was the beautiful young woman who was on the street last year when I was here and she had contracted TB and we actually had to carry her to the hopital. She was unable to walk on her own..she was so sick that I was sure she would never leave the hospital alive. I had hopes for her, but I also saw how incredibly sick she was...
But there she stood! Right there in the room near the door as we were leaving and T told me that this was Rita...and I Lost It....I told Rita (even though I don't think she understood a word I spoke to her) that I was SO happy to see her all better and looking so beautiful and healthy. That I was just so glad she was all better..and then I grabbed her and gave her the tightest hug ever..she didn't know how to react..it isn't customary to hug here...but hey, I am a hugger and I hug when I need to!! She smiled so big and then as she smiled I cried, tears of the greatest Joy!

R (my husband) was so deeply touched by all the children..he said to me.."Now I understand why you needed to come back and bring the kids those art supplies" He was near tears himself, but somehow he can hold his back..I haven't learned how to do that yet. :0)
We will go and see the kids again later next week and deliver the art supplies to them then..I can't wait to see their eyes light up!

Every morning, I awaken to the cool breeze blowing in the windows of our adorable room..the sheer silken curtains blow so gently..and then you hear the call to prayer and then all of the various prayers and chants being performed outside in the homes and temples...the sweet smell of incense in the air and then little by little the birds begin their calls and then the rickshaws begin traveling down the street, various dogs will start their barking and I am awake in the place I have grown to love so much and I get this excitement in anticipation of another day here in India and I feel so incredliby blessed to be back.

Were going to have some Chai now...then some Yoga here in our room overlooking the street from our second floor balcony....then who knows what the day will bring..that is half of the fun of it all~

Namaste~~~~