We open the door. A beautiful heart-shaped cake is outside. 11 candles burning merrily around it.
No one in sight.
Well, almost no one.
A glance down the stairwell and we see the happy culprits.
Our amazing friends - John and Nalini Gabriel - with their happy twosome of Nikita and Jasper. This family started out from their home at 11 PM and prepared the surprise for our 11th wedding anniversary that started at 12 AM this morning!
Big grins as they came up the steps, hugs all around, amazement for our groggy kids as they woke up to the wonderful sight of their friends so unexpectedly present in our home. A big bowl of fruits (complete with coconut) followed. Then grateful prayer together for God's loving kindness.His amazing kindness to us as a couple for helping us complete 11 full years of marriage. To us as a family for giving us a set of friends like this who place us first in their hearts. John left for Pune early in the morning. Nalini and the girls played hooky and took a day off school (unheard of in Mumbai-town). We were delighted that they stayed with us till 11 am before taking the busses back to Borivali and then on to their home at Goregaon.
What with a full 1 hour of sleep from 11ish to 12ish and then all of us up well past 2 am as we soaked in the joy of being together it was a shortish night. But how blessed to be blessed by such love.
11 years ago today - the two of us intertwined our lives together on a cold clear morning in Rourkela, Orissa. We did so through the promise that we took before God and man. Looking back we can only marvel. We have had our shares of rough-edges. Since we are our closest neighbours we have rubbed off on each other (and the rubbin' has not always beeen smooth). But what amazing grace as we see sooooooooooooo many many areas (to use my Dad's way of expressing himself) where God has allowed us to bless each other. Love is a decision - and has been nurtured over the years in countless ways.
And who could have imagined the marvels that Asha and Enoch are. Such mysteries they are - and in many ways how unprepared we have been to nurture them. And yet here they are - a blossoming girl who is about to touch 10 in mid-January, and a strapping lad who will be nudging 8 the month after. Two bundles of love and affection where the essential wonder of life is being played out before our eyes.So much to be thankful for in the past. So much to live for in the present. Such hope for the future.
Its a great life. 11 years of marriage have been very, very, very good to us.
To all who have been along with us for this journey - thanks!
Happy Anniversary Andi and Sheba! May God bless the family specially this year. Thank you for sharing your lives so freely with so many people. The pages of this blog are filled with stories of people who were rejected everywhere else, but found love from you. Your family is an inspiration to so many of us. May you continue to be blessed to be a blessing. I am so grateful to God that our paths crossed for two short weeks in Satbarwa - that time and all that has followed has enriched my life (and now Amy's) greatly.
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