Still dreaming Nepali dreams...

I know, I know, it seemed I had abandoned my post, if anyone out there was keeping tabs. It has been quite a difficult time. Winter is never the best time of year for me, and this one has been no exception. Our fundraising efforts have had to be set upon the back burner as we have simply been confronted with too many more pressing matters. I am very sorry to tell you, we have had to postpone our trip to Nepal. Not cancel, just postpone, but still, we are so looking forward to it, it has been constantly in our hearts and minds since we began planning back in September, that the idea of waiting even a few more months was a hard conclusion to come to. We need more time to save, to fundraise, and to organize ourselves. Our new departure date will depend on my summer income prospects--either we will leave in late summer and spend Christmas in Belfast with Michael's family on our return, or we will begin our journey in December in Belfast, and keep on towards Nepal. We have never spent Christmas in Ireland with Michael's mother and relatives before, so this in itself is pretty exciting. Naomi is sure to be spoiled rotten, her grandmother can't wait to get a hold of her and buy her all her wee heart desires. Sadly, Naomi and her Irish grandma have only met each other twice, and it has been two and a half years since the last visit.

I am continuing on with my graduate studies, but somehow I seem to be having a harder time keeping on top of things, but then I am working now too. School often has me so unsure of myself and so stressed out and frustrated that I wish I worked more and went to achool less. I'm content at work, I work with good people, and best of all, it ends as I leave the door. School is neverending--there's always more studying to do, upcoming assignments, worrying about grades (but mine have been excellent so far, dammit, I can do this science stuff too, even if everyone thought I was an arts-brain!). I keep telling myself the end is in sight:6 more weeks until end of term. Just 6 weeks.

On the homefront, the most exciting news is that I registered Naomi to begin school in September (we will be pulling her out to go to Nepal, although she will be going to school with Nepali children when we get there). Oh my big girl. Everyone tells me as a mom I will cry on that first day, but I don't think I will. But I just know she'll light up her classroom. She is pure light and love, my girl, she keeps me going.

Perhaps due to crazy stress levels or schedules that have us passing like ships in the night, or a lack of sunlight, or some misfortunate planetary alignment, everything else seems to be falling apart. My clothes dryer broke (you have never met a family with worse luck vis a vis appliances). It was a piece of shit to start with, but we can't afford to replace it. But that's hardly relevant anymore, as we are now having plumbing problems. The other day Naomi stuck half a roll of toilet paper down the toilet, and it took a professional 2 hours to unclog it. The upside was that since he was there anyway, we finally had someone look at the bathroom sink Michael has been promising to fix for over three months (I am so sick of brushing my teeth over the bathtub!). Our hundred-year+ plumbing was too much for him, the plumber needs to come back to sort out the sink. But it doesn't even end there, oh no. The day after he left the water started running, which means it has to be shut off except to occasionally flush the toilet or take care of an overgrowing pile of dishes. Now the water is the colour of mud. Great. Can't wash the laundry in that. Our house is now quickly being overrun by dirty clothes and dishes.

So perhaps for these reasons, it is understandable that Michael and I have had some bad days as husband and wife. Why is being a grown up so hard? Remember when you were a kid and thought all your problems would be solved by growing up?