gratitude, #711-739.

711. Mom and Dad Gentino in our South Asia world

712. Suitcases full of books and Christmas presents

713. Chocolate chips and maple syrup and Starbucks Thanksgiving blend

714. Our homey apartment

715. Space to breathe

716. The wonder of real bathtubs and a real oven

717. A chance to appreciate things I never thought to appreciate before

718. Trading Hindu temple music for the Muslim call to prayer

719. Lilly, who eases my load

720. Our tilty, patchy fake Christmas tree

721. Christmas music on Grooveshark.com

722. Kurta shopping on Commercial Street with Linda

723. Lalbagh Botanical Gardens . . . an oasis of green

724. My two new house plants

725. A Christmas poinsettia for our balcony

726. Seeing John and Alison and the boys settled in their new home

727. Our date night babysitting co-op

728. Friends to explore our neighborhood with

729. Tasty new restaurants . . . Ocea, Fanoo’s, and Green Theory (and we only saw a rat in one of them)

730. Living in a Muslim neighborhood where beef is plentiful

731. Thomas and Mary, Sadiq, Farheen . . . new friends

732. Anu, Deepakshi, Arvind, Maria . . . old friends come to visit

733. Homemade pumpkin spice lattes

734. My first chicken shawarma

735. Judah thinks his Grandpa can fix anything

736. Laugher and Phase 10 around the dining room table last night

737. A spur-of-the-moment cappuccino date with my husband

738. Gathering around the candlelight for advent

739. Too many gifts to count