2025 Recap

 Time to do a recap of the year gone by, before Q1 ends!

January - meeting friends and starting our local philanthropy at a giving circle started by a friend. It's called the Immigrant Giving Circle. 

February -New York for a board meeting. By chance, my brother was there at the same time, and we met for breakfast! Did a FREEZING guided walk in the Lower East Side with a friend's son. It would have been more enjoyable if I hadn't felt that my fingers and toes were frostbitten.

March - Walking tour of Leesburg with friends (again, freezing!) Ads was home for spring break so for the first time, all four of us went to the Tidal Basin for cherry blossoms.

Started a new job as Operations Director in a local nonprofit and was so happy!

April - first concert of the year at the temple. Bluebell season!

The highlight of April was spring break with Yukta in Belize. What a wonderful time we had! Truly relaxed, blissful, and great weather. I'd go back again in a jiffy.

Gave our first grant from the Immigrant Giving Circle, and had a nice event at the Community Foundation in Leesburg.

May - Bethany Beach, Delaware, for Memorial Day. Karaoke, beach, lots of fun! S's birthday at home.

June - Our 25th wedding anniversary! Ads was back in Madison for his internship so S, Y and I went out for a lovely dinner. A week later, Ads came to babysit his sister. S & I flew to Bozemen, MT, for a long-awaited week in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. It was all we expected it to be, and more. 

Also June and into the Independence Day weekend, we went to see Ads at Madison and squeezed in 2 college tours at Purdue and Indiana University. The weather was fabulous (warm). S & I did a day trip to Devil's Lake State Park in Wisconsin and hiked there. 

July (end)- I flew to Vancouver for a family reunion. We took a ferry to Victoria on Vancouver Island and had a wonderful 3 days of family bonding and celebrating multiple milestone birthdays.

August- Adv is finally out his teens! His 20th birthday at home. Sheila came from Mumbai to spend a few days with us. I took her to DC and Great Falls. Joyee and Piyush showed up a few days later. 

September - the BEST month ever! My 50th birthday, and so many events leading up to it. Lunch and wine at Stone Tower winery, hiking at Harper's Ferry, English tea at Mocatinos, lunch at Zaytinya in DC (where a couple of our friends surprised me!), and a big surprise birthday party organized by the neighbors. What more can a girl ask for! To be surrounded by friends and family, sweet neighbors, and to get a birthday video from friends who could not be there. 

At the end of September, our big gala at work. where I was announced as the new Executive Director of the organization. Navarathri was low-key this time as I couldn't host at home due to the gala. Still managed to visit others' Golus.

October - visit of friends from Mumbai. Fall colors. New Mexico with Joyee. Diwali, at home, Hillside party. Spent a couple of nights in DC for a board meeting. 

November - New York for Y's birthday. Mamma Mia and Hamilton shows, fall colors in Central Park. Downton Abbey Tea with friends - had so much fun! Thanksgiving was quiet and at home.

December - Egypt! A bucket-list trip for sure. 

Epic year, 2025.