I guess by now…. I am all but forgotten in the blog world….. It’s very difficult these days making the time for personal time. Life has become a bit too hectic for my liking… Being a branch manager is tough and really something I had not anticipated coming my way so soon… I am really quite exhausted. The financial year end on March 31st was a real drain on my energy. Since then I have been out of office nearly everyday…

The kids are all set for their summer break. Caitlyn’s school closed on March 31st. Christiana’s last paper was this morning. Her holidays begin tomorrow.

We plan on a 15 day break in May. We will be going to my folks place in Goa. The kids are all set and raring to go….

In other news…. The mango season is just around the corner and our terrace top mango tree is looking good… Now all we have to do is say a prayer that the rain stays away and the fruit grow well…

Yes!!!! I have decided to make a comeback!!! And what better season than Advent???

Well as you all might have guessed… I have been really busy…. You the saying you can’t have everything in life… I figure it’s true… Both Ralph and I are at highs in our careers but our personal time has taken a real nose dive…

Well there’s been a lot of happenings lately. We visited the cities of Udaipur and Bangalore in the month of November. Udaipur was an official trip and since it was organised by Ralph, we got to take the kids with us. We had a great time - shopping, sightseeing the palace and local attractions. Since this was during the kids mid term vacations we took them to Bangalore to visit with their cousins (Ralph’s eldest sister).

My kids come up with real shockers… Caitlyn my 4 year old, informed us all that she really likes older men ( as in college boys and ‘grown up’ me) but is not at all into boys her age or school boys as she puts it…

Chris and Cait both had their birthdays since I last posted… Chris has turned 6 and Cait 4 and as she says… she’s all ‘growed’ up… They have their school Christmas party on Thursday after which the schools close for theseason. They will open again on the 2nd of January. Christiana is a cow for the Christmas live crib at her school. She was originally chosen to play Mother Mary, but it seems one of the teachers’ daughter insisted she be made Mother Mary, so she had to settle for being a cow… Well that can’t really be helped, so I’ve made her a cow mask and need to make the tail. Caitlyn is  little upset as she had wanted to become an angel but she is a little quiet in class, so I guess the teacher hasn’t chosen her. I have assured her there will be many more chances for her and that she has to learn to speak up in class.

I do hope everyone has a great christmas…..

I know, but then what can I say…??? I’ve been busy….

Life is too hectic these days…. No time to smell the roses, so to say…

I’ve had to go in on a Sunday as well, and that is a no no in my books, as Sundays are sacred…. but duty called… It’s been a roller coaster kind of week, had a lot of ups and downs, and there is more in store as the month end approaches…

First my younger sister Sarita is leaving for a pilgirmmage tour to Europe… the lucky girl…. She is visiting Lourdes, Fatima, Italy (Rome), and I should think the Vatican as well. I am so green with envy. Anyways, I need suggestions on what I should ask her to get me….  I do not know a lot of Catholic bloggers, but Red /Mar , if you can give me a couple of ideas it would be great… She was asking we where I can get reasonably priced Catholic stuff like Rosaries, statues, etc…. but not in the touristy shops as they are quite expensive…. Any ideas ????

Onto other things…. I got one of my juniors transferred yesterday… I am usually not a confrontionist (is there a word like that???). I hate fights and battles, but she back talked in front of customers and refused to own up to her mistakes, and I cannot tolerate lack of sense of responsibility… I do expect the level of commitment to the job that I have but atleast  a 50% is needed from them if I am to achieve results. She has been givingme a lot of trouble from the beginning. Infact the earlier manager had worse problems, I am told…. Well, I had had enough.She is an officer & quite a senior staff. If she cannot work in the team, she is an impediment and therefore a liability. My Regional Manager, was thankfully cooperative… He knows her history, and knows the efforts I have made to turn her around.

The kids are fine and so is hubby. Chris celebrates her birthday next week….she is turning 6…

I am usually a very optimistic person. I try to see the silver lining in every cloud. As a result, every incident, moment or happening, is treated as a learning moment. I have usually found that I learn something new about myself, or my capabilties. I am really quite a positive person. But have no capabilities for gushiness, nor am I a very get out there and be visible kind of gal… I never usually take the initiative to make friends. Infact one of the things that people tell me is that they were drawn to me because I was quieter, and a mysterious… Ofcourse once I get to know you… that all disappears…

Anyway, back to my topic…. I always thought I would never have kids of my own… I didn’t think I would know what to do with them. Sure, when I carried them they never cry or bawl their eyes out, but the thought of the responsibility and messes and what have you, I never thought of having kids as one of my great accomplishment, or desires. Growing up I dreamt of careers and even boyfrinds but never about having kids….

So these are a few things about myself and life in general, I learnt on becoming a mother…

1. I am capable of being a good mom…
2. I always thought kids were great but in the arms of other moms and not mine… until I had and held my own…
3. I never thought it possible to be so blissful and fearful at the same time…
4. I learnt new depths of love… I never thought possible.
5. For some reason, though I have been loved really well growing up and as an adult. I always thought of dying for love of someone as ridiculous and insane, until I held my baby for the first time in my arms…
6. I always thought of looking after babies as a chore, until my own… then I realised it is a labour of love…
7. I never thought I would be capable of being a mom… I am a trifle bit too selfish… But I now realise, that all it took was a priority shift… and it isn’t really difficult to be selfless at all…
8. I learnt that my career ambitions are not really a priority and the most important thing in my life but that my family is…
9. I learnt that I am not really scared of little babies and that they are really not as delicate as I thought they were… 
10. I realised I am a baby person after all!!! & not baby phobic…
11. There are a whole lot more…. but I guess the post would get to big and too mushy….
12. My thoughts on my 1st born….. given below…

At the Birth of my Baby Girl, Christiana…

The stork came to visit that lovely day
That’s what most folk did have to say
But I know behind it a sweet secret lay…
God had decided to send a special gift my way..

God blessed me most specially that rainy morn’
He sent my little bundle of joy to be born
Not just showers of water but blessings poured down
He anointed my existence with a tiny little crown

A day when I experienced such exquisite bliss
When mother and daughter shared their first kiss
A love so special came to life as I held her in my arms
I’ll love and nurture her through life’s storms and calms

Yup!!! days like this I kinda wish I was like one of the Hindu Gods… (They have more than 2 hands) But then again it’s not just extra hands I need but an extra microprocessor of a brain, capable of multi-tasking to a rather high degree.

I had to work on Sunday as well. The Company had sponsored some road show in tandem with the Times Of India (a national newspaper publication), which is done on the weekend. The kids were down with a viral infection and I think I went a little crazy. All’s well that ends well, but at this rate I will need more frequent breaks as the pressure does get cumbersome at times. As it is these days I keep seeing the various files I am underwriting and recommending for sanction even in my dreams… And I’d rather not have work in my dreams as well!!! But my mind is constantly working and re-working how I should present cases that may seem doubtful on paper but I know are good cases in my gut!!!

I may have to go to Mount Abu (hill station - quite famous) in the 1st or 2nd week of October for the half yearly Area Managers Conference. And Ralph to may have o go out of town sometime soon…All in all rather hectic. We have been putting off these stages in our careers for the last 5 years because of the kids, but it seems we could not delay any more… I had hoped for another 2 years more atleast for me, but it seems it’s not on the cards…

I am walking on air…. I have been receiving a few pats on the back this past week and it’s really been a morale boost for me. My General Manager (Marketing), from the head office called to speak with me and tell me that I was doing a good job… My office is running second as far as business generated for the month is concerned. And we are real close to the office at first position… So all the old hands are getting hyper… Well I guess all they needed was a breath of fresh air in the form of yours truly

I guess these days I’m all about work… but what can I say…it’s suddenly very happening…

 Christiana’s 2nd set of tests start on Tuesday. Monday is  a holiday for the kids and me… So we get a longer weekend….

So till next week, or hopefully sooner…. Ciao

I first thought of naming my post ‘Domestically Challenged’…

My house looks like a tornado hit it, these days. It’s a mess… I cannot find the dining table nor the centre table… there is so much stuff on it… I really need to buckle down and CLEAN!!!.

The thing is I get pretty tired these days after work. Then to come home and clean and cook is a major problem. When I was posted in the administrative office, work pressure was negligible, but now it’s quite heavy. Add to that the fact that I am pretty lazy when it come to work / chores at home… and the result is a messy home.

Work is really challenging, and I am constantly on the move…. Lots of clients to meet, lots of contacts to make and a whole lot more to do. As I wrote on the 1st I did around 80- 85 million in sanctions forJuly.this month I have alread loged in around Rs. 65 million and it is just the beginning of the 2nd week. Actually I was aiming to 100 million for the 1st forthnight… thee are still a couple of ay s left… Will I do it??? Only time will tell…

I took the kids to my office ysterday. They have a holiday on Saturday and the baby sitter had to go out early. Since I knew I would be late… I tookthem to work. Ofcourse I had to split my time printing out colouring pages for them to keep them occupied but I managed to get quite a bit of my work done… and I think the kids enjoyed themselves as well…