the countdown begins...

It's remarkable to think that we only have 10 days left to spend in India. The last month and a half haven't exactly flown by, but I feel like I've just really gotten accustomed to living in India, seeing Ryan do physio and walk in her calipers, and trying to fit everything in that we want to do. It's weird to think that we have less than two weeks left to do that. There seems like so much more to accomplish - both physically for Ryan and in terms of what we want to do in India before we go.

The last few days have a been a bit of a whirlwind. Erin left on Wednesday morning, and on Tuesday I found out that Kanako's dog is really ill and she needed to get home immediately. After a few days of going back and forth to the airport, calling the airlines a million times, and finding numerous inexpensive tickets online that disappeared as soon as
we tried to purchase them, we finally got Kanako home on Wednesday night. Her puppy is happy to have her home.

With Kanako leaving, I've moved back into the hospital (or at least I'm in the middle of doing so.) I have a lot left to do at my apartment (namely laundry and cleaning) but I figure I have about 10 days to do it, so I'm taking my time.

Today (15 August) was Indian Independence Day, and we celebrated with a great party at the hospital (complete with a band singing crazy English songs) as well as with birthday cake for Ryan and I (it was actually for Kanako, whose birthday is today, but since she left early, we had to celebrate Ryan and I's.)

Speaking of birthdays, mine is tomorrow (I'll be 26) and the anticipation of it has to be the most anticlimactic thing I've ever felt. As I've aged, I've tended to feel much less excited anticipation before my birthday, but this year is just crazy. It's like I have no connection to the fact that it's "my special day" whatsoever. Perhaps it's because this trip is really not about me, but it's somewhat refreshing to respond to the question, "what are you going to do for your birthday?" with "well, I think I'll go watch Ryan do physio, maybe go swimming, and go over and do some laundry at my apartment." I feel so mundane.

Ryan and I will have Ayurvedic massages on Sunday and then we'll go out to dinner at the Imperial Hotel to celebrate the anniversaries of our birth, so don't worry.

Anyway, life, as always, is exciting here in India, and I'm looking forward to seeing with the home stretch has in store for us.