Neev's graduation from pre-K

At the end of the invitation for Neev's Pre-K graduation ceremony it read - don't forget the tissues, hopefully there won't be a dry eye in the room . Was that a helpful tip or what ?

My youngest graduated today from Pre-K . Looking charming as ever in his white shirt and maroon bow tie, he proudly received his folded certificate tied with a ribbon. Ms. Sonia and Ms. Sandy cheered along with others. There were hugs, hand-shakes, high-fives and good-byes. I watched my baby with already wet and crumpled tissue in my grip. Just when the weight of it was feeling unbearable, he ran to me and threw his arms around my neck, burying his face into my nape , murmuring, 'I love you Mama'. In that moment my world which was getting shaded by his growing self , suddenly brightened up. He became my needy,clingy little boy again. Or may be he could see how much I needed for him to be needy - still !

He will start kindergarten in fall, to embark on an independent journey , to learn, to have new experiences and to face the interesting world as it unfolds in front of him.   I am glad I have entire summer for transition ( yes , I need it more than Neev !)

Summer 2012 : Myrtle Beach, Guru Purnima, Grandfather Mountain!

No long vacations this year (are they ever long, really?) ! Spent couple of days at Myrtle beach in June and it was a real treat to meet Anurag's sweet cousin and her family there ! Water is always fun, even though my tolerance for sun soaking is going down. Avi and Neev got along really well with their cousins and enjoyed digging up and filling their sand castle wall. A short but rejuvenating trip !

In July we had the privilege to meet Guru Ji (Sri Sri RaviShankar Ji) for the first time who came to inaugurate the International Center for Meditation and well being in Boone, NC on occassion of Guru Purnima. Walking with him, next to him was divine . The center is set in the majestic beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Boone, North Carolina.  In that unrivaled landscape, spiritual energy wraps your heart and mind and you feel far away from the cares of the world. The center was packed with His followers from all over the world wanting a piece of celestial bliss. If Ashram is the spiritual heaven , the way to reach there is nothing short of a journey to heaven. The sight of flowers, farms and small homes set in the abundance of natural beauty infuses a sense of calm with each breath, as if preparing you for what's to follow.

We stayed in the heart of Boone at Best Western Inn , only 30 minutes away from the ashram.
Our hotel was situated very high from the ground and our room overlooked the mountains. Avi and Neev enjoyed their stay as much as going out, by swimming in the pool and playing air hockey and other arcade games in there.

We went for gem mining in Boone and were quite satisfied with our precious finds. I still have to look for a pretty box or something to display them.

The next day we went to Grandfather Mountain . It felt like a mile above sea level (about 6000 feet) we entered a different world. Nature's wonders never cease ! No matter how many times or how many places you have been to, nature always manages to mesmerize you, each time with a different expression. The views may be ancient, the experiences are always brand new. We made a trip across the Mile High Swinging Bridge (When the wind blows, the Bridge 'sings' in the same way as harmonica, that's why its also called Singing Bridge by some ) and witnessed the most exhilarating  views of Blue Ridge Mountains. That was the highlight for me ! Avi on the other hand was excited to hear someone point at a big house far away in the mountains and referring to it as one of Michael Jordon's residences. :). Despite my fragile nerves on that altitude and a tight hold on Neev, he managed to pull a Tae-kwon-do move - thank goodness we lived to tell the story !

We also stopped at Sphinx and Split Rocks to climb them. It certainly wasn't as easy as it looked. The next stop was Nature Museum and gift shop. We watched a movie about the mountains there and looked at various exhibits displaying big precious stone rocks, lots of other gems, birds of NC and a very interesting exhibit of tree tumor called burl. I had never heard or seen it before.When we came outside, Avi and Neev got to participate in a very interesting nature walk in woods, collect some dirt and mud in a tray and then suck the bugs out of it through a bug vacuum. and seeing it in a bug viewer camera. They just loved catching rolly -polly , lady-bugs, spiders and millipedes and looking at their magnified views. After a picnic lunch we went to the famous fudge shop for dessert and then to Animal Habitats to see some Black Bears, Seals and Bald Eagle.

We had another lovely day in the mountains visiting Moses Cone Manor National Park in Blowing Rock, NC. Its a  3,500 acre estate that was once owned by Moses and Bertha Cone. We went inside Parkway Craft Center and admired its unique treasures and beautifully handmade items. Its located inside what Cones called home once upon a time. There is a 16 acre trout lake, 22 acre bass lake and over 25 miles of carriage trails.  It turned out to be a very beautiful breezy day, just the right one to go for hiking. Our walk was short but enough to make us realize once again what's important and it was to see our two beautiful boys walking with little backpacks on their shoulders, hand in hand under a bridge and turning every once a way to see if we are behind them !!

That's what vacations are for, however much short , to value and regard your blessings !!!