In January 2011, I started a new job (Hillel Program Director at Franklin & Marshall College) the same week that Nora was diagnosed with pneumonia and Sam left for 10 days in Amsterdam and The Hague with his MUN students (where he got really, really sick). I'd say the rest of the year continued like that: lots of highs, lots of lows, lots of moving around.
I worked at F&M through the Spring semester and really enjoyed my time celebrating Shabbat (read: providing dinner for 50-110 students each Friday!) and other exciting and meaningful events and holidays with the students there.
In the spring Sam and I re-vamped a T-Shirt line that my dad had pioneered in the 70s - you can check it out here and we started barefoot running (all the rage here in Lancaster).
In June, Nora turned 2 with an excellent day at Dutch Wonderland and two days later we moved into our house -- the first residence we've ever owned!
In July I started a new, full-time job at Lancaster Country Day School in the admission office. Yes, we are once again working full-time together and we're both very happy there.
As summer gave way to fall, Sam started his second year of teaching at LCDS and his first year as the middle school boys soccer head coach and I started an on-line class at PSU and we got pregnant!
It was a crazy, crazy few months but Sam was proud to finish the season undefeated with a 10-0-2 record, and though I don't have my final grade yet, I am 99% sure I got above a B+ (the minimum grade necessary to transfer back to Baruch for my MSEd program). Nora had a great fall - she loved going to her Abba's games and running around on the sidelines and she has been carefully watching my ever-expanding tummy -- she likes to tell people there is a baby in there and give my belly pats and kisses.
We are truly enjoying being back on the east coast in South Central PA. There are so many things for Nora to do, including Dutch Wonderland, Cherry Crest Farms (see holiday card below), the Please Touch Museum in Philly and the Hands on House here in Lancaster. There are also several farm shows which we have enjoyed far more than I could have imagined! We've also been lucky to make some amazing friends who truly enrich our lives.
We love having visitors and driving just a few short hours to see our friends and family.
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We were however sad to lose some really special women this year. My great aunt, Sam's grandmother and a friend & colleague here in Lancaster all passed away in 2011. They will be sorely missed. * * *
We are already looking forward to 2012 when I should be able to complete my Master's degree just in time to have kid #2! Nora will be starting pre-school at LCDS with us (provided she gives up diapers!) and Sam will finish his second year of teaching and enjoy a (not-so) restful summer chasing Nora around the pool .... Stay tuned!
