Time flies whe you're having fun!

We are in Mumbai and settled....well we've been here 6 months I would hope so by now right? I absolutely love it here and have no plans of leaving anytime soon. I am adapting so well that I've even started some of the customs here...Bindis, Henna Tattoos, and even wearing some of the local clothing styles.

The children love it here as well. Makayla just finished 3rd grade and did so with great grades. She has made a ton for friends (but most are on holiday during the summer months), so for now she's stuck with me and Ant. Anthony who not longer wishes we call him Ant, is doing great. He's learning to spell words and writing his name. He loves having his big sister home to play with him. We recently hired a part time nanny that comes three days a week and takes them out or plays inside with them while I do my homework or workout. I am so thankful for this!!!

Michael is doing great. He was promoted right after we moved here and his job has been quite demanding. I have always known I was married to a work-a-holic but wow he works ALL the time these days. Poor thing has 2 jobs (for the same company) and manages 2 rigs. He loves his job though and loves the challenge.

I'm doing well. Started my lifestyle change and I am working on getting back down to my skinny days. Has not been the easiest thing for me but I will do it this time for sure. I have been enjoying my time in Mumbai and look forward to staying here a few more years.

Well that's about all for now...off to get some rest before its time to workout.
Here are some pictures for your viewing pleasure.

 Ant and Kayla in Dubai

 Ant and Kayla dancing for the first time together.

 Our new baby (he's not so little now)

 Ant with some locals during Holi.

 Kayla after her hair cut.

 Ant playing in the park.

 I just love this pic! Mike and Ant playing in the park.

 Mike and the kids dying eggs for Easter.

 The kids and I dying eggs for Easter.

Mike and Kayla on Easter.

~Expat Wife

Time Sure Flies

The last time I blogged we were still in Houston, TX. Well we are not longer in Houston or the United States. Things got very very busy after my last post and I lost track of time as well as my mind. We packed out on Dec 17th and left Houston on Dec 22nd. We spent a week in Mobile visiting family for Christmas.

Michael and the kids Christmas Morning

We then traveled to Athens, GA where we spent 3 weeks with family. It was not supposed to be 3 weeks but due to issues at the visa office it took an extra two weeks to get my visa. I'm always the trouble maker I swear. Here is a pick from that visit...

Maya and Anthony

While in Ga we celebrated Anthony's 4th birthday. Time flies by and you feel like you have missed so much. I am so proud to call Bug my baby. He is rotten to the core but I love him so much. Here is Anthony on his birthday....

We officially became ExPats on January 21st when we landed in Mumbai at 1AM. Since we landed it has been quite the journey. I am learning new things every day. I have had my ups and my downs since being here but I have to admit I absolutely LOVE it here. Everyday driving to my daughters school is an adventure. We have to travel through "the slums" and you see people brushing their teeth by the road, babies playing in the dirt piles by the road, and millions of cars. But you see the faces of people who are humble and who are the nicest you have ever met. When we drive through I have this sense of happiness and joy go through me even though I'm looking at people who are not nearly as well off as myself and I truly feel bad for them. You know what's amazing is that they do not feel sorry for themselves, they believe that if you have money, items, and such you were a good person in your past life and it was granted on you for that. The people here have not been rude to me, have not given me nasty looks, have not said one negative thing to me...and I have to admit I do not miss being in the US where people are rude, negative, and most are rotten. Do not get me wrong there are good people in the US, but it's so different here. I know I am a foreigner and I have not met every person here, but I love it here still and I love the people.
Anthony is getting restless so we should probably find something to do for 2 hours until we venture out into all that is Mumbai. Here are a few pics before I go...

A view from my chair at the pool

Don't ask me who knows...

Mike and the Kids

According to my best friend I ACTUALLY look happy. I was!

Mike and the kids again

Doing what he does best...He deserves to relax!

~ExpatWife

Please slow down time!

So things are starting to pick up and move faster and I want them to slow down just a little. I had not really thought much about the things that needed to be done prior to our move (there are A LOT) nor had I thought much about the fact that I would be doing all of them alone with two children. Needless to say soon I will be without sanity.
Today was spent getting things ready for Michael's departure and tomorrow maybe the same thing. Friday the painters are coming to do an estimate on how much it would cost to paint the entire house. Then the 29th Empire Today will be coming to do their estimate on the flooring. I have to start collecting boxes for all this stuff we are not taking with us as well. Then start packing it all up. I am planning a trip to deliver our cats and the van during the Thanksgiving holiday which will take away a week or so of my packing/cleaning time, but will make life easier when things get crazy in December. I am very ready for this to all be over that is for sure.
~Expat Wife

Sign away!

So who ever said going overseas was easy? Whoever it was needs to be popped a good time. So far we've had an interesting round about with legal documents and everything else. We've been signing everything, making copies of everything, and filling everything out...Signing our life away in other words.
Here is a list of what we have had to apply for and what we've needed....
**Passports x4: Birth Certificates (Makayla only had a birth card so we had to rush order a birth certificate for her), 6 Applications (3 for passports at the PO and 3 for passport office), 6 passport photos, 2 hours of standing in line at the PO, 2 weeks of waiting
**Visa (Work Visa for Mike and Visas for us): 4 applications, 4 additional info sheets, 8 passport photos, 4 passports already completed, Copies of 4 birth certificates, Copy of our marriage lic, Copy of Michael's Diploma (Mind you he graduated 12 years ago...THANK YOU Mom and Dad for keeping important info and having a copy!), Any training certificates.
**Physical for Michael and Myself: 7 Shots, 7 viles of blood, Xrays, Hearing Test, Eye Test, Breathing Test, Pik Test, EKG, 10 lab test....not fun! Both of us have to have more shots in 6 months.
**Shots for Children: 3 for Makayla and 3 for Anthony
**Extra Passport for Michael (application, 2 passport photos)
**Business Visa for Michael (application, birth certificate, passport)
**Phone calls from 4 different people at 3 different companies)
**Survey of Belongings for the move
We still have to finish completing Work visa stuff, pack stuff we are not taking, clean the house, clean the carpets, replace carpet in my office, and a million other things.

So like I said, whoever said going overseas was easy was full of themselves and needs a good popping.
Off to clean before our trip tomorrow.
~Expat Wife

You're moving to INDIA!

Ever have a phone call come in and you have to ask "WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY??" Well about a month ago I got that phone call! My husband called one day while I was driving and on the other end of the line I heard, "How do you feel about living in India?" I have to admit the thought had crossed my mind about us moving overseas, but never had I imagined we would be moving so quickly nore did I imagine we would be moving to India of all places. At first I did what about 75% of Americans would do and started coming up with the bad things I had heard about India. The list was growing and growing and my outlook was looking worse. I was not sure this was a place I ever wanted to visit let alone live. I had never really done any research or actually tried to learn anything. My thoughts were..."It's close to the war!, Will it be like Slumdog Millionaire, and everyone be poor?, Is it going to be safe? What about the people?". It just went on and on. After I made it home that day I sat down and started doing some research on India and the city we were moving to (now are moving to), Mumbai. It slowly started to look better, and I started to have some of those issues resolved. I found that we would be an area where there is an American school, we would be living in an amazing apartment, have a driver, maid, nanny...wait where is the bad part about this again? I think it was the maid (and the money) that eventually won me over. I have done A LOT of research on the area and India in general. I've asked questions of Expats currently living in India and even some that have moved back here. So far I've found only 3 problems with our move...1. It rains about 93 inches in 3 months (June through early September), 2. My stomach will have even more issues than it already does, and 3. I will live on the other side of the world from family and friends. Three issues is not too bad for a family of 4 moving to a country that they've never even visited before. I have to admit the closer the time comes the more excited I get. I think this will be an adventure my family will remember forever!
~Expat Wife