Passport Photo

After getting Caleb's birth certificate, we next had to get photos for his US passport. The photographer snapped this photo and the US Vice Consulate said that this was the best photo of a new born he has ever scene. Sorry for the quality. It is a picture of a picture.

Getting His Indian Birth Certificate

Getting Caleb's government issued birth certificate was an experience. The day before I went, I called the office to see what time they opened. I was told 9:00 am. The next morning I returned to this building just before nine and arrived just after the security guard had opened the door (meaning he also just arrived). About 9:30 the office staff finally arrived to turn on both of the computers in the office. It wasn't until 10:15 that the one man who could sign the official birth certificate arrived. Once everyone was there and in place, the process took less than 2 minutes because I was first in line.

Our Little Peanut

Caleb has to be swaddled in order to sleep. He tries to squirm out of the blanket, but if he gets free he starts to cry. The pacifier in his mouth is just for show; he refuses to take it. He's laying in the bassinet of the pack-n-play we got the day before he was born.

First Time to Church

We wanted to be able to use the old Baptist line, "I've been in church since the day I was born!" so we took him to church the first Sunday we were home.

Caleb Has Arrived!!

Caleb Josiah Houk was born on October 1, 2008 at 3:29pm in Delhi, India. He weighed in at 7lbs. 1oz. and was 19in. long.

Grocery Shopping in Shillong

We have a wonderful vegetable market not too far from our home. It reminds me of a farmers market in the States. Sometimes the selection is wonderful and fresh and sometimes the selection is a bit grim. Either way, it is wonderful to have so many fresh vegetables available at a very cheap price. I get all the fresh vegetables we can possibly eat (and we eat a ton) for the week for $3-$4!

There are two long rows of vegetable stalls to choose from. The vendors sit at the back of the stall and you fill a basket with whatever you want. They weigh it and put it in a plastic bag for you.

A Glimpse at Teaching in India

Jared took some volunteers to a small tea estate south of us to train some fellow laborers in the harvest.

They hung blankets around this open air community center to make a temporary meeting hall for the classes.

We moved the training outside as it was cooler with the breeze. The goat decided to join us as he snacked on a piece of trash!

Next, the cow decided to listen in on the training as well. You never know what you might see!