Spring Fashion 2009

Thankfully, my two biggest fashions shows for Spring are done. I won't day they went without any hitches though. At the Bag Ladies Luncheon which was the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's annual fundraiser, the MC/Clothing Designer announced the handbags as designed by "Manisha Designs" and forgot to describe them with each outfit!

Then at the evening event which was Jacksonville Magazine's first cover model competition and fashion show at the amazing One Ocean at the beach, the announcer Cole Pepper forgot my handbags in the script. Ha ha!

Things happen and I learned you just have to go with the flow. Thanks to my friends who came out to be with me and for my hubby always there for me! I had a great time at both events and more than anything, having my handbags well received by the audience and friends alike was the best thing ever. The way they matched the outfits and photo opps that resulted were a great promotion for my business. I have to thank my Sales Exec. Julie for helping pull both of these events off smoothly.

I can now rest for a little while...until that design bug bites me!

Art Wednesdays

Saloni's days off from school are Wednesdays and Fridays and I just love these days. I often call them pajama days because we stay at home and do all sorts of fun projects, art work and eat anything and everything. I have to say that she is an organizer extraordinaire. Anytime there's a closet that needs help, Saloni jumps in and puts everything in its place. I love it!

Sohan is always up for any mischief and these days, he loves getting into every cabinet and crevice. I honestly think those who use parent locks on cabinets miss out on all the curious moments kids have. But hey, everyone is different and I'm just happy to my two nut jobs to keep me nutty.

A Reunion for all Ages

If you know me well, you know that I come from quite a small family. And I mean very small. You can count the total number of aunts, uncles and cousins from both sides of my parents and the number falls under ten! So imagine my astonishment when I married Sunil and his first cousins alone are in the double digits. Wow! Lots of names and faces to remember but also lots of fun to be had. I honestly learned the meaning of family after getting married. I learned about sacrifice and trust, give and take, being loyal and being loved and also being there in all times - good or bad.

If there were ever a perfect definition of family, it would have been in the last ten days of what was touted as "The Senior Joshi Reunion". It was meant for all of Sunil's dad's living siblings and their spouses to come together for ten days of eating, laughing and reminiscing. There was plenty of that and more. I learned about family members that had passed and what they were like. I learned about how hard his older brother worked to get all of his siblings to America. I learned what struggles and sacrifices they all made so that we kids could have a good life. Wow. No Hollywood movie could get close to capturing these tender emotions on film.

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Tender thoughts and tears were shared when we celebrated Vishnu kaka's 73rd birthday

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Each day, they planned different activities that took them out and about in Jacksonville and as far as Lakeland to the Swaminarayan temple. A week from today, we had all of them over dinner and you know how nervous I get when there's a large dinner at our place. But thankfully, all went well and everything tasted good! And the best part of the evening was yet to come. We sat them all down and then Sunil gave an intro of a dvd that we created for them to view. Intrigued? You can check it out here: http://www.justinnetti.com/client/video/ There wasn't a dry eye in the house! Sunil and I had predicted some emotional reactions, but nothing like this. It was great. The ladies even got treated with custom-designed clutch purses from me in black and gold sari fabric and a copy of the dvd for the family. The emotions that were felt in that room on that night just can't be compared to any other I've felt with family. Especially this family. My family.

Dinner at our place

Karaoke night - you just had to be there!

Having a ball with Saloni and Arjun

Presenting Jag fans Nalin Sr. and Nalin Jr. (Sohan)

Oh yes, part of the fun - cooking and endless eating!

No Joshi get-together is complete without the very competitive card game of Zero

As one of the quotes in the dvd said, "the family you come from is just as important as the family you are going to have." I couldn't agree more. I love being a Joshi. So, thanks to you "Seniors" for everything you have done to bring us here and to teach us that family is the only unit that will always be there for you. No matter what.

Dear Dad

Dear Dad,

I woke up to feed Sohan at 6am this morning and couldn't fall back to sleep. You see, I was thinking of the Saturdays when we would wake up early. You were always an early riser, well you and Mom. I guess that's why that saying is true - early to bed and early to rise, makes a man happy, healthy and wise. Because if anything Dad, I feel frazzled, tired and not so wise. Were there always so many things to do? So many responsibilities, so much paperwork, so much of everything? You and Mom made it look so easy. Of course, you were blessed with not having to check multiple e-mail accounts, choose from 400+ cable channels, waste 15 minutes staring at choices of yogurt (non-fat, low-fat, flavored, unflavored, brand name vs. generic - it's too much!) and so on...

I miss those day when we could easily sit at the breakfast table and while you and Mom sipped on extremely hot tea, I don't know how your mouth survived, I would munch away on sourdough toast or Honey Bunches of Oats cereal. Every bird in Irvine was awake outside and all that was ahead was a few errands and a vast expanse of time.

Dad, now that things are different, I'm not sure how to rewind those days with you. You know I'm a sucker for reminiscing. I can do that all day through photo albums, conversations, mementos...I just hope that somewhere in the corner of your mind, you've kept a special place to go back to those days. Every morning that I hear the birds chirp as the sun peeks it's head above the trees next door, I think of our mornings.

And by the way, no excuses, I'm going to wash the car in the driveway, the old-fashioned way. Those times when we washed all of the cars together made for some of the best conversations, I guess because it was uninterrupted time. I have to find that happy place of time again. And so, I'm going down to set the breakfast table before everyone awakes, just like Mom would. Because Dad, I wish you were here...join us for breakfast won't you?















Jax Beach April 2007