Everyday feels like a good day...

The batch of salty tea must be done, weeee!  Today Bishnu brought the tea in a mug without salt... life is good.

Yesterday we took the kids on a walk to the top of a "hill" for a picnic.  Hill is a relative term in Nepal.  When we went to buy goods Sarah asked Manoj how long it would take, he said, "around 3 hours, then we'll do a 2 hour rest and come back".  Hill is a relative term in Nepal.  But we ended up not going quite that long, but Sarah and I wandered around Bhaktapur for 2+ hours after getting our visitor pass to make up for it.

The littlest Angina led the way up the hill, Sudip and the other little ones also in the front.  I had my pack and the kids had some too and would alternate them about.

Early on in the walk we passed the skinniest dog I have ever seen.  Manoj pointed him out, otherwise I wouldn't have seen.   It was so sad and I had none of the supplies to give him.  He just was laying there, his ribs showing completely.  It made me feel better for the neglected pup at the orphanage... but it was still a sick feeling.  A bit later we passed another dog eating a dead chicken, raw.

For the entire walk but maybe 10 minutes I was holding hands with at least one of the kids.

Sudip is my little man now, I love that peanut.  He really could've cared less about Sarah and I being here, whereas some of the kids, especially Nisha and Bitisha just lit up because we'd walk into a room.  But I won Sudip over with a cushion fight a few days ago and yesterday after our awesome soccer game in the rain, where I had fallen all over the mud he ran out and jumped into my muddy arms after my team scored a goal.  It was so cute to see him clapping on the sidelines along with Nisha who watched most of the hour or so time we were playing.  She'd yell out, "Sister, sister very nice" and give me a thumbs up.  Samjhana, Manoj's wife, was also watching our game, but i later realized she was pretty angry with us because we were getting all muddy.  Her and Ganga eventually called off our game and she yelled something in Nepali, mostly to Manoj.  But Ganga couldn't help but laugh and she looked out from the upstairs window at the kids would just slip and fall in because of the rain and mud.  I think I smiled the whole time we were out there.

with Sudip

Everyday feels like a good day here now, I was afraid I'd just be spending the weeks mostly counting down to the weekends, but I am enjoying each day and almost each minute with the kids.  I am excited about Chitwan this weekend though.