Neighborly Etiquette

Something just had to be created with all these ripe figs . . .

. . . before these two men in the house ate them. So, I made this awesome (if I say so myself) French Fig Cherry Torte. And, being the kind who wants to share and give, I asked these two men to walk some over to the widow across the street.

The phone rang around 7:50 am and it was the widow across the street. She wanted to know if I'd noticed the plate she returned on the table in our front patio.

She awoke at 4:30 am to bake these blueberry muffins so as to not return the plate empty.

Neighborly etiquette says . . . when you are blessed in receiving a plate or bowl or dish of something special . . .

. . . you return the plate or bowl or dish back with something special.

Neighborly Etiquette

http://lylahledner.blogspot.com/2009/07/neighborly-etiquette.html

Our Daughters from India Graduate from ASU

Michael and I are proud parents and two years ago God expanded our family to include our daughters from India.

Recently, we had the joy of being their "mom and dad" rejoicing as they received their degrees from ASU's Engineering College.

Bindu's Graduation (Masters) from ASU




Ambika's Graduation (Masters) from ASU

Our Daughters from India Graduate from ASU

http://lylahledner.blogspot.com/2009/07/our-daughters-from-india-graduate-from.html

chinese/american "olympics" in scottsdale

Last Sunday night Michael and I opened the doors of our home to not only our home group but six guests from China (who are studying here at ASU).

The guys decided to have NOT have an Americans against the Chinese water volleyball competition. Rather, instead it was the Americans/Chinese against Americans/Chinese competition.

Scroll down to see how delightfully crowed our pool was. All the wives sat around the edge. I LOVE building bridges from one nation to another through the heart.

Here we gathered to honor Nathan Paul's sixteeneth birthday. Our guests from China sang "Happy Birthday" in Chinese. Memorable!

chinese/american "olympics" in scottsdale

http://lylahledner.blogspot.com/2008/08/chineseamerican-olympics-in-scottsdale.html

i LOVE indian food - the dhaba

Last night Michael and I took two of our Indian daughters, Vidya and Ambika out for Indian food. We went to a brand new happening place called The Dhaba which a favored northern Indian cuisine of the Punjab region. It's a relaxed yet stylish atmosphere whose clientel is mostly young Indian families.

We enjoyed homemade breads, tandoori halal meats and a variety of other wonderful dishes. It was the best. If you live in the Phoenix valley, you MUST go.

Take note - of my new orange top - called a Kurthi - a gift from India from my daughters: Sowyma, Bindu, Vidya and Ambika.

i LOVE indian food - the dhaba

http://lylahledner.blogspot.com/2008/08/i-love-indian-food-dhaba.html

weddings - from the nations

It's a wedding month for us! Mitch and Andi got engaged and Vidya is marrying Ravi and then a few weeks ago a young couple asked our friend (Mitch) who in America, could sign their marriage license. Well, lo and behold, hubs can.

So, we joined with our friends, John and Linda and their friends at their home in front of a back yard lake and Michael officiated a simple but sweet American wedding with the vows of life long commitment to love and to cherish.

Just today Vidya, one of our daughters from India, sent us this:

She's getting married! We love weddings! So long to be there . . . but . . . will be in my heart.

weddings - from the nations

http://lylahledner.blogspot.com/2008/06/weddings-from-nations.html

serving a little chinese and eating a little indian (food)

How can American's NOT get to know people of other nations? I just don't get it. This past Saturday I spent a good junk of time with two of my daughters from India - Sowmya and Ambika (both are masters students at Arizona State University).

We ate Indian food, laughed and talked about all kinds of subjects: religion, politics, the trouble the world is in, being women and I'm sure there were a few other topics mixed in there.

One thing that struck me and I'll never forget. They said that when they came to America they'd hoped for an American friend. Unfortunately, their classes seemed to be full of Indian students and didn't seem that their be an opportunity for that American friendship.

Well, as God and Life would have it - Michael and I joined Friendship Partners so that we could make friendships with students of other countries AND the super cool thing is that these beautiful young women along with two of their roommates AND two of their guy friends from India got to be our "friends." Not only that, but we've adopted them as our daughters and sons and now they not only have "American" parents, but they have sisters (Candace and Jenni and Breanna) and brothers (Mark, Gerald, Griffin) and they are aunties and uncles to a bunch of little ones!

The coolest thing was what Vidya said, "Your family is not a typical American family."
So, I ask you - how can you NOT build a bridge - make a connection - open your home - feed your neighbor - because when you do - they in turn feed you too.

This was our Chinese feast at from here at Jing and HuiYang's home.

I told you Linda was smacking her lips.

Zane, one of our picky eaters, did a pretty good job enjoying his Chinese dumplings!

The cute couple!

Now, I ask you another question: How blessed are we?

serving a little chinese and eating a little indian (food)

http://lylahledner.blogspot.com/2008/06/serving-little-chinese-and-eating.html

cookin' a little chinese

Last Monday, Michael and I, and our friend Linda along with two of our grandkiddos were invited to Jing and HuiYang's home to make Chinese dumplings. Yum.

We made Chinese dumplings and we built bridges. What a combo

Ivana's game at trying. Hey, it's like playing with play doh!

Jing shows Ivana and Linda the trick to making pretty looking dumplings, filled with Linda's favorite foods - shrimp and pork!

At one point I had to ask Linda to please stop smacking her lips!

Yeah, Ivana's getting the hang of it. What fun for a three and half year old!


You pat the meat mixture into the circle, wet the outside of the dough and the fold it in half - pinching the edges.

Oh, No! Ivana - Don't eat that! It's NOT cooked yet. I won't post what she did with the raw dumpling!

My turn.

Great girl talk in the mean time. Meeting new friends too.


The lovely hostess boiling - twice boiling these Chineese favorites.

cookin' a little chinese

http://lylahledner.blogspot.com/2008/06/cookin-little-chinese.html

opening your home

Michael and I just got a letter from Richard. Last year we built a bridge from Arizona to China. We built it through our hearts to theirs (Richard and Kate's and the other pilots). We started building the bridge at our dining room table. We continue to build bridges with fun celebrations at our home and in their homes and their places of worship.

Richard added to the bridge during the meal at his table. We continued bridge building at a camping trip.

Richard and Kate are just two reasons why we open our home and welcome the Nations (India, China, Afghanistan, or from wherever) to a meal around our table.

Richard's letter made us smile. And, I'm smiling as I write this post. I'm really smiling, because Richard and Kate are some of China's best and Michael and I got to - I'm telling you - we got to have Richard and his other pilot friends share a meal in our home. We are so privileged to do this. We get to do this.

I look forward to the day when Kate shares tea with me around my table and I at her table.
It's almost been one year since Richard and the other pilots in training left to return to China.

Richard writes (unedited),

"Hi Lylah, Hi Michael,

Time goes so fast. How are you these days? I miss you so much.
Last year the August Ileft US, and then I have had about 4 onths ground school in Shanghai airline. . .

. . . The time I stay in US bring to my mind everyday, and I often tell the stories to my family and friends.

Kate ( the beautiful girl above) always ask me how are you now, and tell me to send email to you.

Do you heard the news about WenChuan Earthquake in May 12th?

It's really a huge nature-ties for China...Up to now there about 41353 people died, 274683 people injured and over 10000 people missing.

From May 12th all of the TV channels are reporting the live news of the WenChuan Earthquake.

I'm so sad, and all the Chinese people are so sad. All Chinese people passed round the hat to the victims in Sichuan.May 19th 20th 21th are the days our country condole with the dead people in WenChuan Earthquake.

In the three days all the places for entertainment closed and all the country half-mast.But I think everything will be fine soon as long as we have love in our heart.

And I also have some pictures of Kate and I for you :) your friend Richard

Are you a bridge builder? Or are you one of those who just talks about it? Will you use your hands and your heart and invite someone from one of the Nations to your home? Will you be like a little child - with no judgments - and invite someone from the Nations to your home to eat around your table?

opening your home

http://lylahledner.blogspot.com/2008/05/opening-your-home.html

game night with the girls

Daughter Candace loves parties and games and anything exciting and so she hosted a girl's game night at my home this past Friday. One of my daughters from India came to share in the fun. Not only was it her first "girl game night" but we got to be in on the NEWS. Vidya's marrying Ravi this June! Wouldn't it be incredible to go to a wedding in India! She'll be returning to Bangalor in June to marry the love of her life.

In case you don't see Vidya, she's the beautiful one on the right with the very bright smile (she'd just spoken with Ravi).

We played two truths and a lie and some other bearing your soul kind of game. Tons of fun.

game night with the girls

http://lylahledner.blogspot.com/2008/04/game-night-with-girls.html

Crossing Cultures - Lunch and The Temple

Ambika and yours truly.

Recently Michael and I along with Candace and a three of our grandkiddos spent the afternoon with our beautiful "sons and daughters" from India. Sowmya, Bindu, Ambika, Vidya (and our sons Vinay and Sri) invited us to a wonderful lunch (amazing Indian food) at their apartment and then a trip to their Temple to experience their expression of worship.

Vidya showing the boys some super cool stuff on the computer -
bugs and birds and life things created. See Vidya's super cool blog.

Her photograpy is incredible.

These young people are some of God's best. The more we spend time with them, the more we love them. Our relationship won't end when they finish their education and return to India or wherever their jobs and life take them. It will continue - because we carry them in our hearts.

Together, we're bridge builders - learning, loving and living. Bridge builders enter in to understand each other's worlds. This Sunday some of our "kids" will come into our world and experience more of what our life is like - with our family.

Ivana (with a Bindi) and Vinay.

Vinay explaining to Michael.

Crossing Cultures - Lunch and The Temple

http://lylahledner.blogspot.com/2008/03/crossing-cultures-lunch-and-temple.html

Building Bridges to Somalie Hearts

Wednesday is my discipleship time with Lori, Maria and Andi. We skipped our coffee talk time and took a trip to Somalie Land (the place I call where my Somalie women friends live). Andi actually is also a experienced bridge builder and has a heart for Somalie women too.

This is Degha's baby boy. He has the sweetest, peaceful spirit. Isn't that hair fabulous!
Maria and Lori holding Zahara's new baby girl. She's not even a week old. Sweet sleep.
Somalie women are so hospitable - Degha served us tea.

Building Bridges to Somalie Hearts

http://lylahledner.blogspot.com/2008/03/building-bridges-to-somalie-hearts.html