Effort and luck

The leftover turkey is warmly ensconced in a pot pie and three calorie-laden desserts lie in waiting in my freezer: the holidays are over.

And, if I may say so myself, I did good!

With luck, all of the slight imperfections of my Thanksgiving feast were corrected for the Friday night family gathering. The roast and turkey were succulent and tender, according to the omnivores at the table, and the brussel sprouts and potatoes were roasted to perfection! The parade of pies made kids' eyes bug out and grown-up mouths water, and, most importantly, we were surrounded by family.

Living in San Antonio, we rarely had the opportunity to spend time with my husband's family in Chicago. My children had never met their cousins; four boys ranging in age from two to eight, and the most adorable one-year old baby girl with a delicious sense of humor. The twin boys stayed home with their mom, suffering the effects of a recent flu shot, but the older cousins immediately connected with my son. They played board games, legos, and who-knows what else, while the adults chatted. My baby showed off her acts of derring-do, prompting the oldest cousin to comment:

"She is the most non-fragile baby in the world!"

Meanwhile, the baby cousin kept us in stitches with her "weasel face" and snorts.

My mother-in-law is the glue that binds us all together. She gave us the occasion to come together, and will, no doubt, make sure we continue to make the effort. It is so special seeing her interacting with all of her grandkids and nieces and nephews. She radiates such love for her family.

I'm going to love watching these kids grow up together. Cousins my children's ages were one thing we sorely missed in San Antonio. With effort and luck, these kids will become as close as I was with my family in Texas.

* * *

Effort and luck: I can't think of two better words to express the tail end of the year. December is a few days away, my husband is bogging down for final exams. With effort and luck he'll be happy with the results. I can't begin to imagine what the stress and anxiety of law school exams must be like. I watch my husband every night preparing his outlines, and compiling reams of work he's produced over the last four months. The amount of cases he's read and briefed in such a short period of time is mind-boggling. With effort and luck, the information will be readily accessible when he needs it!

With effort and luck, the kids are preparing for their end-of-the-year performances, and wrapping things up at school. My son has his Chumash, or bible, dedication in a couple of weeks. He will receive his very own copy of the Five Books of Moses, to mark the beginning of a lifetime of learning Jewish Texts. Nothing fills me with greater pride and excitement. With effort and luck, he will hold, read, pour over, and absorb the teachings for many years to come.

My daughter has begun to rehearse for her June ballet recital, but parents will get a sneak preview in a couple of weeks as well. Which little girl will we see? The shy, bashful girl who blushes coyly when asked to show us what she knows, or the bold diva, who can't wait? With effort and luck, Miss Katie will bring out the latter, on that Tuesday afternoon, and my daughter will glow with the pride of displaying how much she's learned in four short months.

And I'm beginning to think about Chanukah. With effort and luck, I can bring the excitement, fun, and warm glow that the eight-day festival has come to mean to my family, to our apartment in Chicago.

Chanukah was such a special, beautiful time of year on Sholom Place. All of the neighbors would put their menorahs on small tables outside their front doors. Families would all come out at dusk to light the candles and sing the prayers. My kids would walk from house to house exploring the many different kinds of menorahs: silver, brass, homemade, oil filled, ornate, and plain. The neighborhood glowed with the warm, simple lights of dozens of small flames. Inside, we'd tear through the piles of presents from parents and grandparents, parcelled out a few gifts each night. And we'd enjoy homemade sufganiyot, Chanukah jelly donuts, brought over by friends. I made the traditional latkes, which my children would only eat completely drowned under a mound of applesauce.

Thinking about Chanukah fills me with excitement and anxiety. My husband will be finishing up his last exam on the sixth day. A few days later, we'll be driving home for a short visit. It will take a lot of effort and luck to spend time with all of our friends in such a short span of time. How am I going to get my fill of my parents, my friends, my community, and the warm San Antonio winter in one week? With effort and luck it will be enough to sustain me until the next visit.

* * *

November is sinking into a memory, and I am looking back at the last four months, gobsmacked. How did the time pass so quickly? It feels like just a few weeks ago we were starting to pack for the big move! Despite the kvetching and complaining, it's been really good so far. I've made great friends (shout out to my Skokie Girls!), reconnected with old friends and family, and have had the opportunity to get to know a very cool new city. My kids are happy (when Mom's not cooking for scores of people), my husband's happy (or at least will be when he gets through his exams), and it's in the sixties today!

Did I mention the three pies in the freezer? Mmmmmmm!