(these [Nine] Moments)

Where have I been? Working, Learning, Playing, Cooking, Teaching, Cleaning, Sharing, and sooo much more.

 I apologize for my lengthened absence. So here is a little bit of Thursday for Friday.

We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures.  ~Thornton Wilder

 We had an excellent Thanksgiving Holiday in the rainy but beautifully green Pacific Northwest. Portland to be exact. Grandma and Grandpa (Jenn's parents) hosted a great family gathering and we ate and laughed and played and had sooo much fun that our cameras rarely came out (a blessing and a curse). Here is Avi playing with one of Grandma's awesome toys!!

 One disadvantage to traveling by plane at thanksgiving is that we don't get sent home with any leftovers. But our friend/neighbor Allie made a 28 pound turkey and shared some of lots of her leftovers. Avi and I got to work and made (for my first time) gluten free egg noodles for our turkey noodle soup. 

 It was okay. The noodles turned out pretty good for a rushed first time. But I used a few different recipes from the web and it was under seasoned. I froze the leftovers so I will add more seasonings before we eat the next batch. The cute part was watching Jenn get seconds and thirds the whole time saying how under seasoned it was. And she was probably on her thirds when she realized that when I said the gluten free noodles were homemade - that meant Avi and I made them. :)

 I have been struggling to balance it all. And even though my bedtime has been uber late in the past several months, I still wake up early. UGH. But I do get to see magical mornings like this! 

 Avi and his/our friend Ella playing together. We hadn't seen Ella and her parents in sooo long that Avi said he wanted to "go on the Ella plane".  It broke my heart and made me smile all at the same time - what else could be the reason we haven't seen her except that she must have moved so far away, we'd need to fly on a plane, he reasoned. (Less than five miles to be exact). Making this play-date happen (and later dinner with her mama too) was sooo much sweeter than this photo could capture. 

 I am in love with my growing boy. His language continues to grow and amaze me. "I think.... shall we go feed the goats?" When the goats didn't come to his calls, "Come here goats. It's me, Avi" (a rarity, they always come), he decided to pocket the bait. 

 If one flies often and looks closely, they might recognize that this photo was taken on an airplane. But I wasn't traveling back from Portland. This flight took me to Salt Lake City, Utah for a Training/Class through the VRS Interpreting Institute. I flew out (alone) on a Thursday and came home that Sunday. The longest trip I've had away from Avi thus far. It was bittersweet! Freedom and heartache all at once. (Yes, that is a Vodka Soda I'm drinking)

 On Saturday, after being in training all day, a handful of us took the train into Temple Square to see the lights. I had forgotten that saying, "When in Rome..." as I asked the hostess of a restaurant on the roof of the Joseph Smith Memorial building if they had a bar. 

 But the training was amazing. I came away from it with a whole huge heap of ideas to use in my class, a new found desire to get my Ph.D., and a gaggle of amazing interpreter educators from across the country that I can now call colleagues and friends...including the amazing Sharon Neumann Solow (above).

Coming home was such sweetness. My boy seemed changed. His face, his voice different. Taller. And when I arrived he said, "Ema, you all done with Salt Lake City!" Here he is helping me with dinner. Messy but worth it!

I want to apologize in advance for any future absences that might occur. I'm winding down my semester (read: lots of grading) and trying my best to sit down at the sewing machine to finish (and start) some holiday gifts. Chanukkah begins at sundown this saturday. I'm not ready for the holidays. It was 75 degrees here on Wednesday. Where is the snow? Where has the time gone? On December 25th, Avi will be 2 & 1/2. Where has the time gone? 

I will post as I can... and know that I'm missing reading all your posts as well. I hope to be catching up soon!