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New Candidate and a Funny Aspen Comment

March 7, 2010 in Uncategorized by admin

Nothing political, but it’s official:  after passing my Candidacy Exam I am now an bonafide “PhD Candidate in Comparative Literature.”  Tons of work and stress going into it, but my adviser’s cheering congratulations after my 5-person committee deliberated was well worth it.  Sick though it may sound, the whole thing, including the hour-long oral exam/discussion [...]

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3

Poetic Ilana

January 14, 2010 in Uncategorized by admin

On our way to her first official rock climbing class, Ilana recited this little poem she had made up today:
“Day gets short, night gets long,
blackbirds cease their little song;
Hush my darling, do not wake,
now the land the night will take.”
I’m a proud Momma.  I love the sentiment, I love the word choice, I love [...]

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2

For the Parents of all the Amazing, Magical Cousins Turning 10 This Year

January 1, 2010 in Uncategorized by admin

some thoughts…
On Turning Ten
The whole idea of it makes me feel
like I’m coming down with something,
something worse than any stomach ache
or the headaches I get from reading in bad light–
a kind of measles of the spirit,
a mumps of the psyche,
a disfiguring chicken pox of the soul.
You tell me it is too early to be looking [...]

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2

A Christmas Miracle!

December 20, 2009 in Uncategorized by admin

Back in September we woke up one Monday morning to find the front driver’s side window of our 4Runner shattered and our ipod stolen.  I wanted to move.  I was so upset by the theft and that there was auto glass all over the grass where my kids play, and I hated to go to [...]

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Who is this man, really?
3

Santa Doubt

December 16, 2009 in Uncategorized by admin

It makes sense, really.  I mean, Forester is 7.5 yrs old, so of course he is going to start wondering about that big guy with the beard in the red suit, but I didn’t expect the breaking point to be so trivial…
Santa Claus came to visit all the kids in our ward at our ward [...]

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4

In Pennsylvania: If you Smell Smoke, Get Out

October 7, 2009 in Uncategorized by admin

Part Last (well, for now)
MOVE #2 And, we’re moving in about 3 weeks.  Yes, the lesson here is NEVER, no matter what craziness happened with your move and how many people attest to the fact that where you’re moving is nice, NEVER sign a lease before you’ve checked out the property.  It’s nice enough, but [...]

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1

In Pennsylvania: Justin

October 5, 2009 in Uncategorized by admin

Part V
HOUSE-HUSBAND Justin cooks me dinner each night (I have class until 5:30 Mon-Thurs.).  He just got a part time job facilitating training courses through the Human Resources Development Department at Penn State and will keep that up even after he has a full time job–it’s a cool opportunity.  In the meantime, he’s enjoying the [...]

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1

In Pennsylvania: Julie

October 2, 2009 in Uncategorized by admin

Part II

JULIE’S SCHOOL Orientation was great, school started and I’m lucky enough that all my classes actually fit my field of study (that NEVER happens as a medievalist).  I started with 3 and 1 audit but quickly decided “hey, I can write one more 20 page paper, right? (and give another 2 20-min presentations and [...]

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0

In Pennsylvania: Aspen and Ronan

September 30, 2009 in Uncategorized by admin

Part IV
PRE-K KIDDOS Aspen and Ronan hang out with Dad each day.  They have a routine and Justin has determined that these two are hard to feed.  But, despite the fact that they are our most picky eaters, they both LOVE macaroni and cheese with cut up hot dogs.  I think they have it for [...]

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In Pennsylvania: Ilana and Forester

September 28, 2009 in Uncategorized by admin

Part III
ELEMENTARY STUDENTS Ilana and Forester both adore their schools!  They are at two different schools,  but next year will be at the same school.  Forester is at the local elementary school and Ilana is at a charter school.  Not that I have any weird feelings about public schools, but the charter has some cool [...]

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