The Welcome!

This week was pathetic!
1. I wrote a horrible blog.
2. I was loaded with work! I wanted to ask my TL to give me some 4 -5 monitors and Keyboards. I kept wishing something happens to me and all of a sudden I get 6 hands and 2 heads. Ewww..!! How gross would it be!
3. I had 3 escalations in a week! Man now this was totally stressful and I would call it bad time! I returned home with severe headache everyday.
4. I worked 12-13 hours for the whole week.
5. I missed my work out.
6. I had one meal a day.
7. Great arguments with my manager which led to silence fasting for the whole week.
8. I picked an argument on silly things with my mom! Actually, I never know when to shut up! Plus, I am extremely absent minded + lazy + lethargic + stubborn + argumentative. And you know how moms hate us for that. For some reason they are always right! I do pity my dad sometimes.
9. Finally!! Exams!!! Aarrgh I hate them! Really, I hate them more than a cockroach or a worm!

I always say “Good things never end they just take a break, bad things come in then!” Likewise, this week was equally good and significant.

Now I have a request don’t expect too much out this blog. This blog talks about an incident that happened in my life on a Thursday night errr… I mean few of my cousins and their kids had come from US and how we welcomed them. If you think what is so special about welcoming the kids and their cousins.. oops sorry!!  the cousins and their kids. Yes, this was special as there was a special request from the kids on their welcome. Actually I wouldn’t call that a request they complained about the way we welcome them when they come to India.

Every year, I look forward for the month of June. The reason behind this is that my cousins come home this time and when they come my house is like a bazaar. I have 2 cousins who come from US every year to stay at our place. Each has 2 kids and their average age is around 4. Taking care of 4 kids is like taking care of 10 monsters. It’s noisy most of the time. And 2 more cousins of mine Haran and Shriram who stay near my house pack their things and come to my place. So you can imagine!!

So I got a call a month back from my cousin Keeka (Krithika) to inform me about her arrival to Chennai. Last Sunday, she confirmed the date and time of arrival. Later, we spoke the usual things and she handed over the phone to her 5 year old kid Varun. He’s got a very squeaky voice and it is extremely cute on phone. So our conversation went like this –
“Hey Varun! How are you?”
“Cool Gayu, how are you?”
“Good, so what are you getting me from US this time?”
“Nothing! Why should I?” came a little rude. when kids are rude they are either upset or angry. I always try to figure it out.
“Why?” I asked and mocked my voice like I am very sad.
“Coming to India is no fun. We receive people who come to US with flowers and candies. We have a party in the evening and celebrate! But when I come there its only you who come to pick us and we rush, throw our luggage in the car, go home and sleep. The next day, is just another day. It’s so boring! Varsha, Rahul and Sanjay feel the same”
“Well, I promise it’s going to be different this time. You will surely have loads of fun on the day of your arrival.”
“Whoa! Really?”
“Yes, Do you trust Gayu?”
“Yes I do” he was sounding excited now.
“So wait and watch”
“wooowww!” It lasted for another minute “you know what! I have brought some special chocolates and nail polish of my choice for you. 6 different colors and I brought it by saving my pocket money” Oh I love kids! I was overwhelmed by his love.

For the next few minutes we spoke about the other gifts he’s got for my cousins, his school, and the girls in his class, his best friend, his football team.
I immediately called Haran to tell him about how Varun feels and everything should be different this time. We decided to have a blast on the day of his arrival. My mother and Haran set out on a shopping to get few decorative and lots of soft toys for the kids. Shriram joined our preparation. Slowly, the news spread and my uncles and aunts in our locality joined us too. We wrote big welcome placards for them ordered for flowers baskets. We decorated the house with balloons, we took printouts of the pics they sent us and put it all over the living room. To give it a personal touch I decided to write what the kids like, dislike and the mischiefs they do. We filled the balloons with glitter papers and planned to burst it when they come. We passed 2 sleepless nights, but the fun we had was immense. We teased each other, played anthakshari as we worked. I took a video of all. I would say this was just another beautiful moment in my life!

Finally, Thursday was there and all of us left to work and college as usual. The flight was scheduled to arrive at 3.30 AM. This time all of us went to receive them and each one of us had flowers and gifts to give them. We took a big welcome message which said, “Welcome to the darlings of our Family! Varun,Varsha,Rahul and Sanjay” We had stuck few of their cute pics on that. And they came jumped in joy and our cousins sulked for not adding their names we explained that the length of the cloth did not co-operate and promised to have it written the next time. When we came back Varun and all the other kids were so excited to see the decorations and their pics.! They read what was written about them on their photos blushed, got irritated, blamed each other for being so, laughed, sulked, Sanjay the youngest of all got arrogant and beat me when he saw “Sanju kuttu loves to wet the bed every night”. They squealed in joy, surprise never ended for another 30 minutes because we kept soft toys and chocolates everywhere in the house. Wherever they went they discovered something they like. They were extremely happy we played music danced and enjoyed.
I was dancing with Varun when he pulled me to kiss me. I lifted him in my arms and reciprocated when he said, “Gayu you are the best! I love you.!” This brought tears in my eyes and after a long time those were tears that came in happiness ! 
Thanks to god! Who decided that humans should be kids before becoming men and women!