Tree is up; Cold is on

Since Thanksgiving, it has cooled off here in Phoenix - which is nice since we are approaching Winter! So we've had some winter type activity going on...
Satvinder and I put up the Christmas tree

One night we went spent the evening around a backyard fire with friends, drinking apple cider for seasonal effect.

Any excuse to snuggle up is good by me!

Super Awesome Fantastic!!!

I attended my first home birth today. And it was simply amazing. What a joy to witness birth in the peaceful, supportive environment of home - with family, friends, and skilled midwives. It was...divine.

It was such a contrast to most hospital births. Such a contrast in the feeling of peace, the respect for the natural flow of the experience, the gentle care - and the absence of fear. All the highs with none of the lows. My heart is full. And my hat is off to this beautiful mother and baby. Whahe Guru - How great is God.

Happy Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving blessings to all. Here's a few pictures from our day:
Satvinder wearing the fantastic new dress and jacket that Sewa Kaur made for her birthday.

Thanksgiving meal at the ashram - a vegetarian feast

Playing games with friends. I won.

Making Pies

Friends came over today and we made pies together. This pic shows Narsingh, Nirangkaar, & Satvinder working on the cheesecake. (We also made pecan pies.)

Important plans for tomorrow: eating pies.

Birthday Party

Satvinder had her birthday party on Sunday at Build-a-bear workshop. It was a day of fun, family, and friends.
After picking out an animal and stuffing it, the kids gave wishes and love to the hearts for their animals. Here the kids are holding a birthday wish heart to put in Satvinder's bear.

Then they picked out clothes or accessories for their animals and we *tried* to get a group photo.

Satvinder and her bear, Belle.

Satvinder received a lovely princess cake made by our friend, Dominique...

...and many wonderful gifts to delight a 4 year old girl.

Thanks to all who shared the day with us and all who sent their love from afar!

Birthday Walk

Satvinder's school has a sweet way of acknowledging birthdays - they do the "Birthday Walk". Her birthday is this weekend so we did her walk today.

Here Satvinder is showing the healthy snack she brought to share with her class.


The class sat in a circle. In the middle was a table with a candle, representing the sun. For each year of her life, Satvinder had the opportunity to share something about herself at that age or share a picture.


Then she she carried a globe around the sun for each year. Afterwards, the children were given the opportunity to give her birthday wishes. Their wishes were things like "I wish you a happy birthday" or "I wish you lots of presents" or, my favorite, "I wish you would come to my house."

It was a really peaceful, calm, and sweet experience.

Happy Birthday, Mangala Sadhu Sangeet Singh!

On this day the Lord gave you life
May you use it to serve Him (Her...It)
All our loving prayers will be with you
May you never forget Him (Her...It)

May the long time sun shine upon you
All love surround you
And the pure light within you
Guide your way on

Sat Nam

It's in the genes

Satvinder has become enamored of computer games - which is not a surprise given who her father is. She has the best monitor in the house - our tv. She sits on the coffee table and enjoys her gaming on the big screen. She is really skillful with the mouse and navigating new games on her own, considering how young she is.

It is good in small chunks of time. The tendency to be totally engrossed is already showing itself. Whatever you do, don't try to TALK to her while she is playing.

Weekend Pics

Just getting around to posting some pictures from the weekend:

Satvinder had her first sleepover on Friday - with her friend, Elia.


Going to Gurdwara on Sunday.

The Business of Being Born

I want to encourage you all to see The Business of Being Born,a new movie about birth in our country, as it could be a great eye-opener. You don't have to be a birth junkie to benefit from this movie - Awareness inspires change...and we are all agents of change.

Watch the trailer at thebusinessofbeingborn.com

Special screenings (like the one I went to tonight) are happening all over - keep an eye out in your area. It will also come to select theaters in 2008 and will be available on Netflix.

For women, giving birth is an experience we will never forget - and one that forever changes us. For all of us, how we come into the world affects us. It affects us as individuals, as a society, as a human race.

I believe this movie can be a great starting point for reflection, discussion, and (I pray) change. Check it out and share it.

Thanks, Mimi

Satvinder got an early birthday present from her Mimi: a new baby doll. It has been exciting for The Pinky, as she shares my fondness for pregnancy and babies.

She has her own ways of showing that fondness...in song, for example.

Song to the new baby
by Satvinder

"You are so so beautiful
very beautiful baby
I love you
the most of all my daughters"

Less Clutter, Less Waste

We are entering into the season of Catalog Overload...here's something you can do to reduce paper waste and clutter:

Go to http://www.catalogchoice.org

Catalog Choice is an easy, free service that allows you to decline unsolicited catalogs, reducing the number of catalogs in your mailbox and lightening your footprint on the environment.

I find it quite satisfying.

Fortune Cookies: Tasty and Wise

Halloween

Pictures from our Halloween:

I got tired of the usual - so I did a peace pumpkin.


Community meal at the ashram. This happens every Wednesday night - People cook a nice dinner and we all come and eat together. Our evening started here.


Trick-or-treating with friends.


Kids & pumpkins: Sat Darshan, Aletha, Nirangkaar, & Satvinder


Rai Singh, Nirmal, Me, Mangala Sadhu Sangeet, and The Pinky


After trick-or-treating, Satvinder parked herself in our front doorway and handed out candy. Lucky for us, we still get away with dumping Satvinder's gathered candy into our "give-away" bowl. She gets a few pieces and then the rest disappears!