It is hard to believe that another year has gone by. We have lived in the Washington metro area for just over one year. It has been a good year overall. The children have settled into new schools, meeting kids in the neighborhood, playing on soccer teams, and visiting all the monuments, memorials, and museums in downtown Washington, D.C. Vijay likes his job and enjoys the people he works with. Erica is busy with maintaining the family and keeping the home running.
Rajiv is now 11 years old and soon to be 12 years. It is amazing how fast they do grow up! He is attending a different elementary school for 6th grade, since he placed into the advance academic program. He really is having the best school year yet, with 2 good friends, being challenged academically, and just enjoying school. Kiran is now 10 years old and in 5th grade.
He also enjoys school much more this year since he isnt the new kid and has a few friends and is familiar with the routine and school. Kiran still is our pet lover and he says we have 8 pets! ( 2 hamsters, 2 rabbits, 2 hermit crabs, 1 red-footed tortoise and 1 Honduran milk snake). Pori is 7 years old and is homeschooled by mom this year. She enjoys being at home and learning with mom.
This has been a year of soccer for us. Rajiv and Kiran are really improving on their skills. This past fall season, their team placed 4th in over 50 teams. Kiran has placed to play on a travel team next year. So we will be busy with many travels to games.
This past year we did some small trips to Annapolis, MD and Virginia Beach over the summer. These were both fun for us all.
Our biggest trip we just took over Thanksgiving break was a week in Cancun, Mexico. We really enjoyed our time at the beach- swimming, snorkeling, and jumping waves in the Caribbean Sea. The Caribbean Sea was beautiful and the weather was perfect for us (hot).
We also got to release the last batch of baby sea turtles into the sea. We just happened to take a late evening walk along the beach and came across a group of people releasing the baby seas turtles, into the sea. We got to participate and the kids got to release 4 or 5 of them. We also just enjoyed experiencing a different culture, picking up some of the language, and shopping/ bargaining at the Mexican market.
Hope this Christmas finds all of you in good health and spirits. I pray you can look back on the past year with many good memories, and look forward to a happy and fruitful year ahead. May the Lord continue to use and bless each one of you in your work and lives.
Philippians 4:4-7 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. .. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.