"Imagine That"

This is Zoë's new phrase: "Imagine That!" Well... it is so. The last blog post was over 2 months ago, since which time we have had two visits from family members, a trip to NYC, a milestone achieved in aesthetic design (more about that soon! Read on...), several strawberries picked and consumed and ... oh! what else? Jobs attained and forsaken, leases renewed (wait! was it? Need to add to the 'To Do' list), et cetera. It's been busy. It's intimidating to try to report on any (forget all!) of these things, so forgive me while I throw a bunch of pictures up and a video too (it's a great one!) and instead, I leave you to extrapolate between the photo journaling :)

Pictures of our Spring 2012 (including Easter, Cherry Blossoms, visits from Basu's & Nulman's, random others)

Our trip to NYC ( p.s. Isn't Simona's Anna a real cutie? )... and here's the MUST-SEE video of Zoe joining Brian in entertaining the Central Park with her music:

Hope you enjoy!

Oh, one more thing -- the "aesthetic milestone"? Miss Zoë Zych has gotten her pretty ears pierced and now wears amethyst post earrings. This has made her very tough and very silly (ok, ok... she's still the same) In her words, though:"Now, I'm all grown up, like you, Mommy!") Thought you should know :)

snow=winter (part 2)

And apparently it also means that I suddenly have the boon of extra time! Because I just posted all the comings and goings for October earlier, and now... onto November!

Oddly it seems that I gave my camera the month off because I took very few pictures. And oddly, I have very little memory of this month... it seems that it went by too quickly. So, I will try to memorialize what I do remember!

Ma and Baba (sorry... Didun and Dadu!) came to visit and we went to the Shenandoah one weekend. It was beautiful! Zoë really enjoyed seeing the deer playing. The timeshare location and the lodgings were very relaxing and peaceful.

We spent Thanksgiving weekend in New York City... visiting several friends and enjoying our time very much. Zoë was so oddly comfortable and at home there...given the amount of fussing in the car towards the end of our drive, she immediately became hyper-observant and interested as we entered the City-- pointing out "taxi!" and "choo choo" and mesmerized by the lights and tall buildings. Maryam had a beautiful apartment and was so sweet to share it with us and make us so comfortable. Simona made her first Thanksgiving meal, turkey and all, in our honor and it was delicious and lovely and ... TOO MUCH FOOD! Then Jen and Brendan hosted Fakesgiving and we went over in the morning. It was nice to be a part of the cooking-all-day and getting ready. We had a wonderful time... but Zoë was beginning a bad cold. We spend the rest of the visit much more low-key, resting and chatting with old friends. It was nice spending some time in the department (my previous second home!) catching up with Jacqueline (my Professor and a very supportive mentor).

After NYC, we all spent a week sick and struggling to stay afloat with our responsibilities... a depressingly common feeling this past year. It was frustrating to have been in NYC surrounded by support and friends, and return home where in our dark hours we feel so alone. It is better now. Partly it was a struggle because Mom had to participate in a Proposal Review panel and evaluating the proposals while sick was a challenge, and then leaving Zoë and Dad to stay in a hotel was hard too. But we all survived, and it was important and a great experience ... and in the end, it didn't kill us, but it did make us stronger!