We wanted to do a family “experience” for Christmas this year, so some friends recommended an overnight at The Great Wolf Lodge in Charlotte. It’s a forest-themed hotel with a huge indoor water park, bowling alley, arcades, spa, restaurants, etc, all geared for kids. It’s very overwhelming. But Judah and Amie loved it and had the time of their lives. We really went for the water park, which they couldn’t get enough of. Judah was tall enough to ride all of the water slides but one, and once he worked up the courage to try them, that’s all he wanted to do. David and I were sore from hours of walking…

Suddenly we’re entering the holiday season and it feels strange and slightly surreal to find that we’re picking up where we left off, enjoying long walks and crispy fall leaves, resuming beloved old traditions.  Sometimes it feels like we never left. Yesterday a friend asked me how I’m feeling, not being in South Asia during this time of year.  I told her, honestly, “I don’t know.”  One second I’m crying because I’m not there, one second I’m crying with joy and relief because I’m here for good; I’m with my family, I’m healthy.  Clearly it’s emotional either way . . . I guess all of this will just take time…