Merry Christmas 2015

Wednesday December 16th, Laura watched Asa while Lahla and I went out to dinner at the Crown and Goose, an English pub/restaurant in the Old City area of Knoxville. Frog and Toad's Dixie Quartet, a jazz quintet (it would suck to be that fifth guy, right?) led by a guy, Jason Thompson, who played baritone sax for Gran Torino, was playing Christmas music. About half way through our meal, they played Vince Guaraldi's "Christmas is Coming" and it made our night. They slowed the tempo slightly and the lead guy played an additional alto sax part that was so perfect now it makes me think something is missing when I hear the original. One of our favorite Christmas songs, performed by a band we have gone to see many times, and we were right in front of them eating some wintry comfort food. 

It was nice to get a moment like that in the midst of a hectic holiday season. Asa has been doing what toddlers do--from singing Jingle Bells (with some words missing) to throwing a tantrum so he could play Unca-Avery's guitar, to saying, "Hi daddy, it's me, Asa." As if maybe I didn't recognize him? The tantrums are increasing, I guess, but it's been a great year. Asa learned to sleep on his own, eat on his own, go up and down stairs on his own...and now want to do everything on his own and when he can't has a fit. 

It's been a good year for me, too, as far as learning and progressing on my dissertation. Last spring I wrote the proposal, and since then I've drafted three and a half (of five) chapters and have a couple of those more or less revised. I have some nice evidence to support a kind of road map for adult learning that the field has very little of, so I'm excited to share that with the academic world as soon as I get a few other projects done. Like the rest of my dissertation! 

In June, Lahla and I celebrated our fifth anniversary in Asheville and continue to learn and grow in love. We had some nice meals at our favorite spots: Chai Pani and Cúrate, and spent a little time at Santé as well. It was our first time away from Asa, and mainly we talked about him the whole time. He had fun staying with Nonna and PopPop. We're having a lot of fun with Asa and marvel together at his development. 

We wish you all the best in the new year!