life this year has been busy beyond belief. at least once a week erim and i seemed to sit down and wonder if this “way” is the “right way” or not. we seemed to be running in all directions without any real end in sight. as a family that used to eat dinner together at least five nights a week we suddenly found ourselves eating one at a time depending on the craziness of that night’s activities. needless to say the self-isolation requirements of the novel coronavirus took us all by surprise and threw us all for a serious loop. we each went from having four to five obligations a day to really, well actually, pretty much none.
within this time period life came full circle and it is asya’s birthday month again! (in the meantime i completely managed to miss writing anything for alara and alegra’s birthdays) so here comes a recap post par excellence 🙂
alara turned 15 on June 23, 2019….
15 is big! i totally remember being 15. no longer a freshmen in high school you will soon be a full high schooler. things become more serious, you have more responsibilities (but not quite as many as you will soon as the end of high school approaches), but along with all of these you now have the skills, knowledge, and ability to start to make your own path. very cool.
between your birthday and today you have really made the most of your time. beyond working as hard as ever at school you also spent an amazing summer term at georgetown (proud mama’s alma mater) and started a fantastic community service program teaching art to a group of underpriviledged children in istanbul. you are amazing kiddo and i am so proud of all the amazing things you have already accomplished this year… the end of 15 is looking to be a bit tricky thanks to the coronavirus but here’s to keeping your chin up and your spirits high. we love you beautiful girl.
alegra turned 9 on June 23, 2019…
last year of the single digits little one. there has been so much change this year for you! fourth grade means the first year of proper exams at school; piano lessons, math lessons, russian lesson- you are full to the brim; a new pony, benjamin button, means even more riding and even more training; and now we have shifted to complete online learning due to Co-Vid 19. And you, my sweet girl, have taken all this in stride- still smiling and still bringing joy to us all every time life throws us a curve ball. thank you for that my lovie! i can’t wait to watch you continue to bring your amazing energy to this world as you get closer and closer to double digits- we love you my littlest love.
asiko, where to start… the day you turned 17 was really as stressful a day as they come. it can’t have been easy handling the changing reality of our world as you navigate these last few months of eleventh grade. i am sorry that this all seemed to happen at once for you, and i hope that things will calm down sooner rather than later.
16 to 17 has been pretty cool. over the past year you have seen a lot and lived a lot too. pretty much a whole summer in europe riding horses and seeing the dressage life upclose; an amazing trip to south africa where we experienced our first taste of game drives and lodge life; learning photography on the fly; and IB classes for the first time and the first chance to really pursue your own interests…there has been a great deal of newness. Co-Vid 19 is as new as it comes and it has sent us all reeling. i cannot in any way forsee what is yet to come this spring and summer, but this i know, your big heart and gentle ways will help you through whatever gets you down. we love you so much asiko.
a certain slant of light 