Thankful we are under one roof; that is all that really matters. We opened presents over FaceTime, took Quiet for a walk in the 'hood, and simultaneously ate and watched Emily in Paris (season 2), Look Up (great, but a tad depressing), and Elf (always a winner!). Check out Meme's cool t-shirt from Chad--so true! :) LOL
Meme packed up a ton of decorations and candy for Julia to be able to join the gingerbread house decorating party via Zoom. Ethan and Kathryn brought the delivery--nice to see them! It was not quite the same, but still very special and nice to keep the tradition alive.
There was a lot going on this month--way too many nutrition presentations and deadlines that consumed my time. Quick December catch-up: Julia was on a panel at the AGU conference (virtually) and it was very successful, despite some technical difficulties on site and online. Benjamin came back to St. Paul briefly, before going to Dallas for special training. Julia was exposed to COVID after picking up her friends from attending AGU in person. :( Julia arrived in DC, only to receive the dreaded text and phone call that her friend had tested positive for antigens and then confirmed with a PCR. Julia quarantined in her bedroom, attended her best friend's wedding via Zoom, and told Benjamin not to come. So sad. Within a day or so, Julia developed symptoms--headache and sore throat. On day 5 after exposure, Julia tested positive for COVID. Steven tested negative for antigens last night after some concerns of a runny nose. We continue to be together, yet apart. While it may not be what we envisioned for Christmas 2021 (Susannah's wedding, cookie decorating party, gingerbread house decorating, time with family), at least Julia is home. I would have been on a flight to St. Paul otherwise. Thankful and blessed with hope for 2022.
We have so much to be thankful for this year. Although Julia came to DC quite sick with a head cold, all plans were kept over the Thanksgiving break. Right from the airport, we went to Harris Teeter for her booster shot. According to the CDC, if you are well enough to get out of bed, you are well enough to get the booster. Done. She had a couple of days to hack up a bucket of phlegm, then we were off to Brooklyn, NY, for Thanksgiving. It was lovely to spend time with family and make some new friends too--Jinny, Mark, Maisy, and Maddie. On Friday, we spent time with Don and Laura (Arty and his wife too).
Saturday, we had mom and Miriam over for dinner--just like old times. Julia spent time with Jessie and the Holton girlfriends. On Sunday, Elizabeth came over to see Julia and visit. She's a sweetie. And suddenly, Monday came, and Julia hopped back on a plane to St. Paul.
Julia is back in the 'hood and came sicker than a dog. After testing negative for COVID and strep, she hopped on a plane, and then we went directly to get her booster shot. According to the CDC, if you have a cold and can still get out of bed, you can get your booster. I got mine the week before and was very achy and sore.
Check out Meme in her basketball pinny! She's joined a league and is learning the game--so impressive. She also came over and sampled our homemade cannolis before heading up to Brooklyn, NY. Per Steven's request, I now have a mini-Dash pizzelle maker. This batch was gluten-free.
Julia will be on a panel discussion at the AGU conference in December. Exciting!
I cooked up a turkey on Sunday--so yummy. Julia brought some deliciousness from Alaska--smoked Sockeye salmon and sea salt! Thankfully, I got my farm delivery (including another turkey!) before heading up to NY.
Julia has really hit her groove with new friend connections this year. So glad she has more social, school, and work interactions to keep her warm and toasty through the winter season. Pictured below is her potluck event at her apartment and a picture of her Ethiopian cuisine from Bole.
First flat with the Buick in St. Paul. Julia handled it like a trooper--a total time sucker, but will eventually be fixed. She stayed in St. Paul for Halloween; love her Bob Dylan look! She spent time with friends and had a great weekend. Check out her butternut ravioli dinner.
Here in the neighborhood, we had Meme, Magda, Anita (nanny), Amali, and Sharif over for Halloween. The 'hood did not disappoint. We heard three different live bands, saw exceptional decorations, and enjoyed the crowd of kids. Fun, fun! We also celebrated Booberry's one-year anniversary of her arrival home.
