Back in Pittsburgh

Kyndall, Simone

Got busy toward the end of last week so I didn't have a chance to acknowledge how much we enjoyed Simone and Kyndall's month-long visit.

They arrived Dec.10, the day after Simone finished her first semester at Carnegie Mellon. Over the next four weeks they spread themselves thin trying to see friends and relatives in two states. They were with Kyndall's family on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day,but they were here on New Years Eve so we could all celebrate Jordan's birthday and New Years Day, when we had the Rauh clan over.

On their last evening in Portland, Lori and I took them to dinner at an old family favorite -- My Canh, a Vietnamese-Thai restaurant in the Hollywood district. They were tired, but happy to have shared the gifts of good food and good company with so many people during their visit. They were looking forward to getting back to their own house in Pittsburgh, but feeling a little wistful about having to leave Portland.

Today marked the start of a new semester at Carnegie Mellon and a fresh set of classes for Simone. She did exceptionally well last term, so we hope her success continues. Don't know when we'll see them again -- maybe this summer, maybe next fall. A lot depends on where Simone goes for a summer internship. Fingers crossed for a good placement in a dynamic community.