The Merry Month of March

We've certainly been busy with many celebrations and joyful activities lately.

We started out with the Poetry Slam. This cool cat was the brilliant idea of David. He developed the idea with his classroom. Each student recited their own or borrowed poetry in front of the class. In the tradition of the Beatniks, they wore black and snapped their fingers in approval. It was such a hit, David was asked if he would organized a school event, opened to all students and whomever else would like to go on stage and recite poetry. The theme - a coffeehouse with candles at each table, everyone wore black, snapped their fingers instead of clapping, and even had a musician in the background, playing jazz as each one spoke. It was a huge success. He packed in a full house and kids and adults of all ages, got up and recited poetry. Even Natalie got into the act and recited, "Mr. Nobody".

My birthday soon followed. It started off a week before at my sister's house. She threw together a little party, where I enjoyed eating, opening gifts, and playing the wii. The celebration continued on throughout the week with the kids excitedly sharing with me their colorful birthday creations. On my actual birthday, I was awoken to lots of kisses and a birthday song. But the fun didn't stop there - my day at work was filled with birthday wishes and when I got home, I was greeted with flowers, a delicious meal and a surprise birthday cake that David made. My friend Nilofar came over and surprised me with a beautiful, hand-made table runner from Iran and we had a wonderful time watching Lost together. Something we haven't been able to do in almost a year, since she moved away from the neighborhood.

read the card-I don't think it was chosen for the words inside : )

Life slowed down somewhat mid-month but soon picked up again last week. There was Noah's school play, Purim, and Noah's 6th birthday.

The night before Purim, Noah's kindergarten class performed a play for the parents. The children came up with an idea, wrote the play, created and painted the backdrops and costumes, and of course performed it for us. It was absolutely adorable and quite a success. Afterwards they each showed off their book reports. The subject was dinosaurs and the children had to do research on the Internet, write a story and illustrate it, and then recite it to the audience of parents. It was awesome to watch each of them reading - in Kindergarten. Their teacher, Mrs. Dean is a dynamic, amazing woman and teacher. We are very lucky to have her as Noah's teacher. Noah has already progressed into first grade reading and math levels. This is a great accomplishment. When he started Kindergarten he was slightly behind but now he is flying high.

Because the kids were off from school on Friday (Noah's birthday, Purim and Good Friday) and we wanted to share his birthday with his classroom, we began Noah's birthday celebration a day before. I brought in cupcakes and goodie bags. But all the fun and junk food didn't end there. A few hours after school ended, Noah, Natalie, David and I headed out for our Purim celebrations. The Megilla reading was brought to life through music, songs, and a wonderful puppet play that we enjoy attending year after year. Afterwards, I headed home with Noah (hey - Lost was on - I can't miss that) and David took Natalie to our shul and continued the fun by hanging out with friends and partying it up at their carnival.

Friday morning was filled with birthday hugs and kisses to Noah, and then delivering our Mishloah Manot baskets to the children's friends. That evening, we continued his birthday celebration with a huge family get together dinner. David's mother drove down from New Jersey to spend the weekend with us, David's uncle came by and of course, my sister and brother-n-law were there, as well as my niece and her children. A fun time was had by all and Noah was especially excited by his Spiderman birthday cake and all his birthday gifts.

And it didn't end there either!!! The next morning, Noah continued his celebration with three close friends, his sister and Grandma. I took them out for breakfast and then to the movies to watch Horton Hears a Who? Afterwards we had to time to wind down, before heading back out for dinner. Where of course, what's dinner without dessert and a little embarrassment. Yes, it was arranged to have all the servers come over and sing Happy Birthday.

Whew! What a weekend. We topped it off this morning by picking up Natalie from a birthday party sleepover and then headed to the Kosher Pastry Oven for a delicious breakfast and then said goodbye to Grandma.

So what else is on the schedule? Plenty! Spring has arrived, the trees and flowers are blossoming, the birds are singing and there are more festivities and get togethers to enjoy.

Are there any songs that you listen to, that almost anytime you hear them, chokes you up and fill your eyes with tears? For me, the answer is yes. I have a great attachment to music, and definitely, there are songs, that everytime I listen to them, I always get emotional.

One of them is Barbara Streisand's Papa Can You Hear Me, from the movie Yentle. When I was just 19 years old, my father passed away in Israel. Soon after he died, and I returned back to the US, this movie came out. And to this day, everytime I listen to it, I cry.

Here is a clip of the song.




The Hatikva is another one of those songs, I get so emotional over. I don't know when it began, but whenever I hear it, no matter where I hear it - on TV, a school function, browsing through youtube, or even like today at the closing ceremony of my daughter's Bnei Akiva meeting - The Hatikva always has the same affect on me ... tears.

Well, here is a funny coincidence. When I was thinking of what I wanted to share in this post and the meaning behind the song, Papa Can You Hear Me , I thought about a small soundbite of my father's voice that my brother had a recording of. My brother Steve put together a little presentation that he sent to all the family which included one of these priceless moments. I hadn't listen to this in a long time, so I forgot that not only was I on the clip, but, I am singing The Hatikva.

So like me, but probably for a VERY different reason, after you listen to this version (circa 1977), you too will cry, everytime you hear it played.

(btw, the photos in the presentation were taken a few years after the recording. They are mostly of me at my Bat Mitzvah - where you can see I still had lots of babyfat.)

Dad, You're Not a Virgin

Uh oh, I'm not ready for this yet. I know it's just around the corner - the sex conversation but PLEASE not now. At age 6, we discussed in very dry, scientific detail the basics of how babies are born, but nothing about VIRGINS or SEX. Yikes!!!

Check out David's new blog, The Random Traveler, and Other Stories to read about the conversation he had with our daughter, during their car ride home from school.

Hey, I Remembered

I've finally remembered to upload the pictures from my cell phone. Ok, some of them have been there for a while, but here they are. Enjoy.

There's a funny story about this photo moment on my other blog .

Natalie and I having a bit of mother-daughter time in New York City. Btw, she kicked my butt at Backgammon. She is also sporting her new, beautiful necklace that she picked out and bought for herself. She was very proud.

That's our noah always showing off with funny faces.

That WAS our cat Challah. No, Noodles didn't finally get her wish of giving him a ride of his life, but we did decide to give him away. He was a little too ornery for her.

hkxx

And To Life Celebrated

In Loving Memory of David's Father

z"l

Richard M. S. (1944-2008)

He leaves behind his wife Florence, his son David, his daughter Emily, his sister Rene, his grandchildren - Natalie, Noah and Sebastian,

and many other dear friends and family.

May God confort you among the other mourners of Zion and Jerusalem

(Ha'Makom yenahem etkhem betokh she'ar avelei Tziyonvi'Yerushalayim)

DEATH

This past year I have been surrounded by the passings of others ... family members, family members of my friends, family members of community acquaintances, and neighbors.

A year ago my husband lost his stepfather and just recently his aunt just lost her mother. Within the last six months one friend of mine lost his father, another his brother, a few acquaintences have lost their parents, and four neighbors have also died.

And now, we are about to experience it again. I know the cycle of life and death doesn't stand still, but I just feel my children are learning some life lessons quite early.

Today, my husband and I had to sit with our children and explain to them that their other grandfather is dying. Papa Rick, who at only 64 had survived unbeatable odds not once but twice, is dying from an unidentifiable bacterial infection. He survived Non-Hodgkins lymphoma and a heart transplant. And now, it seems that his body is shutting down not only because of the infection, but of the side effects of all the drugs he has been on since late last summer.

Its so odd to know that just last July he and his wife were enjoying playing with the kids at the family's annual 4th of July picnic. Back then, it was Rick and his wife, Florence, that was comforting my mother-n-law, for she had just lost her husband, six months prior.

David and I have been discussing whether or not it was the right thing to do to have the kids see their grandfather in the hospital (which will now be transform into Hospice care) and I assure him it was. Although his father was out of it most of our visit, he did open his eyes a few times briefly and his whole face lit up when he saw them standing there. I only wish my husband and Florence could have seen it. They had stepped out of the room.

It is difficult for the children to comprehend what is happening, why it happens (Noah, who is 5, asked why old people always get sick and die) but I think they understood just how much their presence helped a dying man, and those around him.

(Florence, David, & Rick)

(David, Rick & Emily)