End Of The Semester Celebration- Spring 2025

After the joy and delight of the Honors Convocation, we drove to Maru Izakaya for our end of the semester celebration. Yessa and I trailed behind the rest at the bookstore, so they go to the restaurant first and got our table. My joy at walking in, seeing the family seated at our table, and being greeted by the owners with delight and smiles; it reminds me again of how much we love living here.

After we ordered our regular meals and settled in to wait with our teas, talk turned to our New York City trip in a month. Buds and I had told the kids we had a surprise for them.

First, a little explanation, I very seldom play tricks on or troll our children, so when I do, it is like setting off a bomb. We like to leave the trolling to Uncle Z who does it so well.

But this time, Buds gave me just enough time after he said, "We have a surprise for you..." pregnant pause, and I said, "We're having a baby."

This is a lifetime fear of Yessa's, and apparently it still can give her heart palpitations. Buster's face was a study in shock, but Monkey took it in stride, probably since she could tell it had to be a joke. Her logical mind protected her from the full explosion of the words.

We were crying with laughter after I quickly took back the statement, and that's when Buds began filming.

The rest of the meal unrolled with thinking about our trip, hopes, dreams, goals, and the events we have coming up. So much to enjoy and plan for in these months ahead.

We loved the meal, and in another example of why this is our favorite place, when the waitress was taking our dessert orders, and Buds declined, she said, "Am I right in remembering that one time Dad wanted dessert, but we were out of the Matcha cheesecake, so he got left out?" We were impressed by, and also laughing at, her memory and question.

We stopped at our favorite bookstore, as is our custom.

Then home to revel in the feeling of contentment that this magic day brought us. Happy for the end of the semester. Happy for the good times to come. Happy to be together. Happy to have so much to laugh over and celebrate with these people I love.