2024 Year in Review

 

This year has brought so much that we can be thankful for. We have created several memories together. We have all grown and changed so much this year. The two little  Muggles have grown so tall that we have struggled to keep pants and shoes that fit! One of the good things about being in India is that shorts are a bit more forgiving for growing legs than pants are! We have traveled around the world and loved every moment of it! 

We welcomed 2024 with Disney in Hong Kong and we said farewell with Disney at Walt Disney World. 

We have laughed and we have cried. We have worked hard and accomplished new heights. We have overcome doubts and worries. We broke bones and we bled. Most of all we have loved being together. It has truly been a year to remember. 

Here are is our year in some quick statistics: 

- We lived in two different countries--USA and India
- We traveled to 4 different continents--North America, Asia, Europe, and Oceania
- We visited 11 US States--DC, WV, VA, MD, DE, UT, FL, HI, NJ, NY, and PA
- We visited 8 Indian States--Goa, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Hayarana, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, New Delhi, Tamil Nadu
- We traveled to 8 Countries--USA, India, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, France, UAE,  and Hong Kong 

- We survived 3 rounds of Chemo treatments

- We made said goodbye to good friends and made new friends

- We (the two Muggles) made a viral video playing the piano

- We cheered on the USA at the Summer Olympics in Paris

Here is a brief summary of our time this year. You can find detailed blogs on all of the stories under the options on the right column of the blog Home page. 

JANUARY

In January we went to Hong Kong to rind in the new year. It was the first time that Lady Hiva had been there. Last time the Muggles and I went we had to stay in the hotel for the week because of the HUGE typhoon that arrived while we were there. We loved exploring the park together. Then we spent several days enjoying Hong Kong and all it offers--food, shopping, and culture!

We decided to make a quick trip later in the month to see the "Golden Triangle" in India. This included Jaipur, Agra (Taj Mahal), and New Delhi. It was an amazing trip. We were so glad that we did it. Seeing the Taj Mahal in person is an indescribable experience. 

FEBRUARY 

The end of January, all of February and most of March I was doing chemo treatments. I stayed inside with windows closed for the entire time that I was doing chemo. So thankful for technology so I could work and have contact from the outside world while I was healing. 

MARCH

Pluba came to India to visit while I was doing Chemo. It was good to have her there. We all loved having her see where we live. She was able to experience India first hand. 

After 3 months of being trapped inside in the dark, we decided to go on a post-chemo treatment trip. Lady Hiva wanted to go to Japan to see the Sakura Blossoms for her birthday. However, tickets were so expensive! So we found cheap tickets to Australia and New Zealand. It became one of our favorite trips of all time! We cannot wait to go back. All of us hope that we will get a chance to live in either of those countries some day. 

APRIL

April was eventful. Koala Bear was doing her favorite past-time (climbing) and broke her arm. We were introduced to the depths of the Indian healthcare system! That was an enlightening experience. 

Lucky Dragon did a capstone project on the UN Sustainable Development Goals. He chose to do it on cleaning the ocean and ridding ourselves of single-use plastics. It was actually a really cool experience to see the fishing villages of Mumbai and watch Lucky Dragon talk about sustainable fishing with the villagers. 

MAY

During May we were all busy with school and work. But we made a really quick trip to Dubai. It was so great to be in a place with amazing shopping and all the amenities of a global city! We spent our days outside at the pool, the beach, or inside in one of the various activities of the city. 

Lady Hiva had a work trip to Gujarat and I had a work trip to Chennai. It was a good way to see other parts of the country. 

JUNE

June found us in Japan! This was the trip Lady Hiva had wanted to take in March, but the tickets were less than half the price in June. So off we went. This too, was such a memorable experience. We all loved Japan. The food, the people, the culture, the cleanliness!

We spent several days exploring Tokyo and then a few days going to Tokyo Disney. Both had so many great things to experience. 

Then we took the bullet train to Kyoto. It was fun to see the countryside from the train. We LOVED Kyoto! It was everything that we all love. Green trees, outdoor spaces, good food, and plenty to see and do! None of us wanted to go home to India after our time was done in Japan. 

JULY

July was our last month living in India. It brought so many big emotions. We were excited for our new adventure, but extremely sad to leave friends. Our month was full of spending as much time with friends as possible. Both Muggles made such amazing friends while we were here. 

We made one more within India trip to Goa. It was a trip we kept putting off because it was so close. But we promised one of our good friends we would go take photos of the place she was born and lived before she was adopted by a family in Utah. It was a quick trip--and not really our favorite, but we crossed it off the list! 

Lucky Dragon and Koala Bear were asked to play a famous Hindi song honoring India for Indian Independence day. The US Consulate in Mumbai made a video of it and the video went viral! We were so proud of them they practiced nearly all day for two weeks to prepare. They were champions!

It was so hard to say goodbye to such dear friends. We were so blessed to have them all in our lives. 

AUGUST

In August we had an eventful month! We started out in France for the Paris Olympics. This was one of the highlights of our year. (so many to choose from). We cheered until we could not even talk. We would do it again in a heartbeat. 

We then spent time in Florida re-engaging ourselves in USA culture. It was hot and sweaty, but we loved it. We had a short stint in Utah  where Koala Bear decided to go to the hospital again. This time from falling off a horse that was running and she was covered with road rashes. Thankfully, nothing more serious was done. Then we went back to DC for school to start. 

SEPTEMBER

We loved being in Washington, DC. Thankfully, there are plenty of friends for the two Muggles. We have loved being with old friends from previous times living here. The schools are amazing, we have spent as much time as possible outside and we love it all. 



OCTOBER

October was full of Autumn activities. We went to 'pumpkin patches, drank apple cider, picked apples, and all of the fun activities that we love about being in the USA for autumn. 

We also made a few trips to the beach. One trip to Virginia Beach and another to Rehoboth Beach in Delaware. They are not home, but it is still the beach and we all love it. 

I started another round of chemo this month. That, too, was a bummer. I was hoping that I was done, but they felt that I needed another round. I am hoping that this round the end. But we will see. 

October also brought another trip from Papa and Pluba. The Muggles liked having them here during Halloween. I did not make it out much during Halloween because of the chemo treatments, but it was still fun to see all the photos of the family enjoying it. Koala Bear performed with her choir at the city Halloween event. It was fun to watch her be so excited to sing. 

NOVEMBER

The November highlight was our trip to New York City after Thanksgiving to watch Wicked on Broadway. It was a much better experience in New York than last time right after COVID. We all had a good time. 

DECEMBER

The last month of the year we did all things Christmas! It was a packed month. We baked bread, we bought gifts. We made gifts. We made cookies. We spent time with friends. We attended concerts and we did service. It was a perfect holiday season. 

Trans-Siberian Orchestra Holiday Concert. 

The US Navy Band Christmas Special Concert.

Lucky Dragon and Koala Bear were the background music for the city holiday event. Again, I was so proud of them for sharing their talents. Lucky Dragon did a concert with his saxophone. He started to play this year and is doing amazing. 

We went to the Harry Potter's Forbidden Forest event here in Virginia. It was so great to experience it. 

It was truly an amazing year. Yes, it was hard. Yes, there were things that we never imagined, but we did it. Such a great year. Now we are ready for the adventure ahead! 

A Quick Stop in Utah

On our journey we made a quick stop in Utah. We had intended to be there longer but Lucky Dragon had his first day of orientation for school so we had to rush back to DC. So we packed in all the activities we could. 

We were not able to see nearly all the people we wanted to see while we were there. There are so many people that we love and wanted to see, but there is so little time. We were lucky that Leni planned a family day at the pickleball courts so we were able to see all the family who could make it! It was so much fun. I had to work to stay out of the direct sun, but we played pickleball until the lights went out! 

These two loved being with cousins. They could not wait to be with them. Some of their favorite people are their cousins. We love that because Lady Hiva and I both grew up with cousins being like family to us. 

Cousins and dirt, there is nothing better! 

Rain followed us even to the desert! Rained in Mumbai, Rained in Paris, Rained in DC, Rained in FL, Rained in UT! 

We loved making it to our ward in Eagle Mountain. So many people there that we love and miss. We were able to get hugs from many of them...but still missed so many others. 

We asked some people at the park to take a family photo of us...but we are unsure why she thought we wanted to rubbish bin in the photo! HAHA

The Muggles were so excited to be in Beaver for a few days and see the animals. I am not sure either of them came inside until it was late and dark. One of their favorite things from the entire trip was harvesting vegetables from the garden with Papa. 

At any given moment these two were with the dogs. One of the down sides of being in the Foreign Service is how hard it is to have an animal. All the moving does not really make it feasible. 

We decided to go ride horses one of the days but Koala Bear was on the back of a horse with one of her cousins and the horses started to run. We were happy that Lucky Dragon stayed on for the ride (a city boy that does not ride much). Sadly, Koala Bear thought her hat was going to blow off so she reached up to grab it and fell of the horse when she did. I was keeping my eye on them from a few fields away and all of a sudden I saw that two of the people on horses had stopped. I knew that they would not stop unless something had happened. I jumped in the car and took off towards them. At each group of kids I assessed how they were doing and if they were all on their horses I sped off to the next group. 

Sadly, it was Koala Bear who had been hurt. She was covered from head to toe in road rash and blood when I reached her. Tough girl was up trying to walk home though. Luckily, I had been watching and we got to them in a matter of minutes. We rushed to the hospital. I was glad she did not rebreak the arm she just fixed. Poor girl. She was banged up really bad. BRUISES everywhere. 

The before photos. 

The after photos. This guy was so good to come and be with her while they did all of their evaluations. She asked for a blessing and that was good too! We were so happy when they told us that it was all bad bruising but nothing was broken. And no internal bleeding. 

Lucky Dragon loved this sign in the hospital. Lady Hiva and the kids watch videos from Nurse John and quote them all the time. One of their favorites is the video about the PACU. Lucky Dragon wanted a photo. 

Heather bought two pinatas for all of the cousins to hit as a "back to school" experience. They loved that. Koala Bear just had to watch because she was so sore. We covered her in aquaphor (we love that stuff)

This guy could not wait to head back into the garden with Papa!

We made one last stop to say goodbye to Lady Hiva's siblings before we left. 

We stopped and ate at our favorite Asian food place--Haku Ramen. It was SO delicious. 

One of our really good friends was adopted from GOA. We wanted to see her before we left. 

It was a quick trip, but we were able to have plenty of fun! And we will be back.