Update on Carmen

Thanks to all of you who prayed with us for Carmen's backache & for the many who sent messages and/or called. She is doing much better now.
Though on medication and anti-inflammatory tablets, she says the pain has reduced by about 75-90%. So, she is getting back to her rhythm, albeit slowly!

My mum who had to go Chennai for a 'possible' eye-surgery returned within a week, as the doc said that she is fine and doesn't need any review for at least another year.
With her coming back, she has taken over the cooking and other little little things around the house.

In her absence, however, I was able to hone my culinary skills.
I tried my hand on The Shepherd's Pie and Lasagne - both turned out exceptionally well :-)
The kids also gave a helping hand in cooking. Tryphena loves to fry the Ladies Finger (Okra) and has learnt to fry her own pappad & eggs.

Theo for his share wanted to help in chopping the tomatoes one day, so I let him with a warning to be careful. Not soon after that he told me, "Papa, give me a minute .. i will come back and cut the rest" and he left. I was busy doing something else and so didn't ask him or notice what he was up to.
And he never returned for a while, and Carmen told me a little later that he had slit his finger in the process :-( Oouch!!
But he dismissed the fact that he cut himself when he returned and said, "Papa can i cut the rest?" - I honestly didn't know what that 'rest' meant - tomatoes or the rest of his finger!!!
Not to mention, we had a very red tomato that day in our curry :-)

The kids have started their I Term exam this week. By the end of the month, they should be finished ... and as usual, we will be making a trip to Goa to visit Carmen's mum and spending about 10 days with her.
The kids are so looking forward to it.
Their only prayer is that Carmen's back holds up for that long arduous 10-12 hrs. drive from B'lore to Goa.
It's something which we, as a family, look forward to each year. Pray that it will not be disrupted.

Carmen's Health

As I am writing this, Carmen is in bed with an acute pain on her lower back. MRI scan revealed a slight bulge at the root of L4 & L5 discs.
As per the medical opinion it's supposed to revert back to normal position, provided she undertakes a complete bed rest - no walking at length, no travel by car, no carrying heavy things, but lying flat on her back on a flat surface.
She is also on a hip belt for lumbar support.

Suddenly things have come to a stand still in the house, especially with my limitations around the house.
Mum, who is with us has to go to Chennai on Tuesday (7th), for an eye surgery.

With no one else in the house, it's going to be a challenge to keep things going this month.
Carmen hopes to recover well in time for a long trip to Goa early October.

God's grace is always sufficient, no matter what we go through!
And this is just one such instance, where we need to experience His grace in a supernatural way!!