Thirty eight years and counting!!

I just realised that today, (November 6th.), is a very important day for our family. We - my two children and I-arrived in this country for the very first time thirty eight years ago today. My husband had been here before for a couple of years. Then he left for England to get his training in Surgery. We got married while he was there.

Thirty eight years! So much has happened since that very cold day in Bangor, Maine. That was our port of entry in United States. I vaguely remember standing there and trying to humor our very tired two and half year old daughter and one and half year old son. Finally we got our 'green cards'-which were actually blue and boarded a flight to John F. Kennedy airport in New York where we hoped a friend waited to take us to his home.


Anyway, as I said before so much has happened in these years. Those two children have grown up to be responsible adults with adorable children of their own. We now have five very good looking well mannered, smart, witty grandchildren who make us feel proud to be their grand parents. My husband started his general surgery practice in this small bluegrass community and practiced successfully for twenty six years. He was well known for his expertise, fairness and caring nature amongst his patients, employees, and colleagues. Though he has closed his practice almost ten years ago his patients and coworkers still remember him fondly. He must have influenced his children positively. Our daughter is as hard working as her father and is raising her two sons in the same way that she was raised, in a loving but firm atmosphere. Our son has followed his father's footsteps and become a physician too. People who have come in contact with him tell me that he reminds them of his father. One very interesting fact about our children is that both of them became presidents of their junior as well as their senior classes in high school. I think that feat was a first for sister and brother in the local high school and a feat that has still not been matched. As for me, I received my teaching certificate from the state of Kentucky, got another Masters degree, taught in the local public school system working with the gifted children, resigned and started a catering company and spent some interesting years with that. I was compelled to give that up to look after my aging aunt. About eight years ago I started to work in our local library as a part-time reference library assistant.



Things have changed in this community too. Population of this county has grown four fold since we moved here. We got a new hospital, a new library, two new elementary schools, one elementary school was rebuilt after a tornado destroyed it, another was constructed in northern part of the county to replace an outdated and over populated one; an oulet mall came to town that attracted many tourists and other strip malls were also built. Most notable change took place when Toyota decided to built a factory here. Of course many of the changes that I have written about happened because of Toyota. The county went from being 'dry' to 'wet.' That attracted a few chain eateries here as well as opened some new resturants. Instead of one Chinese places to eat we now have four or five. If we so desire we can also eat Mexican cuisine too. And all these places have become 'smoke-free' zones too. We also have a wonderful exercise facility complete with a walking track and huge indoor swimming pool. Because of the population explosion numerous subdivisions have sprung up all over the town and county. People of many origins now call Scott County their home. I am sure there are other changes that have taken place in addition to the ones that I have mentioned.

We have also witnessed coming and going of seven presidents, changes in lifestyles, advances in technology, medicine, capture and release of hostages, read about global warming, and just recently applauded the election of the first black president of this country.

All this makes me realise once more that nothing in this life is static. Changes are happening all the time There are many instances that we should be thankful for. Also, there are, and always would be, things to pray for. I am just grateful to have the opportunity to live and learn in this great community and be a part of it. I do not know how many days or years that I have left, but I pray that I continue to see other changes that take place here.