turkey baster baby?

so, it's a little embarrassing that it was my mother who put together this week's pregnancy pursuit with this week's pilgrim pursuit, but there it is. last month, the angels of conception were not so thrilled with my 6-hour hike in the Negev. I thought it was a very spiritual way to start a little life; they apparently did not.

so tomorrow is my third time (please be the charm) -- and not only is it cool in some general family sense to do this on the holiday of family gatherings, but for my particular family, Thanksgiving is the #1 holiday. e.g. my last 40 thanksgivings (which is all of them), I have spent with all of my relatives at my parents' house -- both sides of my family. yes, there are individuals and/or the cousins now in Texas who don't always make it, but if I were to say that my Thanksgiving is a family affair of about 50 people, that would be about right. so, as I am 5,000 miles away in Jerusalem, I find myself missing Thanksgiving for the first time in my life -- but for the fabulous opportunity to conceive in Jerusalem.

so, I'm happy about that -- couldn't really ask for better family karma -- and while I will so much miss cutting all the carrots, roasting the vegetables, pouring the juice into the same pitchers as they've been poured into for decades (apple, cran, tomato), putting the cloth napkins in the silver biscuit box for the pretzels, snitching bits of turkey while my dad carves it, asking my mom up the stairs how again I make the gravy, leaning against the kitchen counter and talking with my aunts and uncles -- I can tell that I'm beginning to get more concerned that it will go off without a hitch, without me even there.

ah life. can't have everything.