keep kindness going

26 acts of kindness just wasn't enough
i decided to start a facebook page
and a twitter feed
promoting kindness

i really enjoyed doing random acts of kindness
especially for people
i never knew
just knowing that i could possibly
make someone happy
gave me goosebumps

facebook page is
https://www.facebook.com/KeepKindnessGoing/info

twitter page is
https://twitter.com/KeepKindness

NFTY

NFTY
national
TOFTY
regional
OKATY
local

that was over 25 years ago
i never went to a national event
they didn't even have national conferences then
but i went to as many regional events
as i could
so many of my lifelong friends
came from those days

i went to a ton of local events too
because our jewish population
in my little city where i was born
was not big
so we hung out at our temple
with our youth group
our friends from childhood

we played together
we prayed together
and
we sang together
often

this past weekend
i got to experience
my first national
NFTY event

what a blast
the same songs
the same prayers
the same people
with just different faces
were all over the hotel
downtown
i took Bethany
and she loved it too

it bring back so many memories
and i got to be there with my
very best friend
who i met though TOFTY

and saw many friends
who i know through camp
which is knowing them
through NFTY

it was so wonderful
to be a part of it
all over again

i hope my kids get to experience
all the wonderful things too

you would never believe it, really

who could have guessed
who could have thought this to be
who would have ever begun to believe

the snow
we thought that was enough
then the power outage
the canceled flights
the family that never made it in
the friends who couldn't get in town

my niece who took planes, trains and automobiles to get in
wasn't that enough?

no
it could not end there

NBA all star game
so stars
and fans
from all over
flooded the city
and
not just anywhere
but the mall
the Galleria mall
where
all our guests were staying
where we were staying
where the evening party was being held

after Lucy's wonderful service
we ran home real fast
thank goodness our power was back
we changed into casual clothes
and rested
then drove back to the hotel

there were lines to get in
what is going on
we wondered
but didn't really care

Lucy and Bethany
and their friends
wanted to go in the mall
sure I thought
give me some alone time
I could use it

that is how I found out
the mall was jam packed
full of people
star sightings
player sightings
friends texting friends
or through twitter
who knows
but
it was crazy

We started to get ready
the woman doing our hair called
she was stuck in traffic
the photographer called
she was stuck in the mess too
she ended up
parking at Target
and walking to the mall
it was that bad

My husband was angry
very angry
I tried to be patient
like I usually do
I tried to stay away from him
usually the best idea

we ended up having friends being turned away
from the hotel
kids being dropped off
all around the mall
and running to the opening
to the hotel
to get to the party

we actually had a party crasher too
I saw her
made me feel like the Obama's

vendors were late
vendors messed up
don't get me started on the
picture t-shirts
Lucy was so upset about that part

but
other than than
she was happy
most of her friends were there
I kept asking her

some of our guests
just never made it
some of our older relatives
just couldn't wait that long

some relatives and friends
went drinking or eating
elsewhere
and joined us later

thank goodness
Lucy was happy
my husband ended the evening happy
after yelling at as many people
as he could

and I was crying throughout
the picture montage
watching all my babies
grow up
and remembering
how much we have been through
all over again

As long as Lucy was happy
that was all that mattered to me

Steps forward

more steps forward
than backwards
and that is what is important

another weekend
another bat mitzvah

Karen went to the sabbath dinner
and I had not even
realized
until we were there
it was her first
big event
where it was not just family
or her friends at school
the first time
she was in a large group
at least
it was in a home
she felt comfortable

I stayed with her most of the time
she did well
some people tried to hug her
not her cup of tea
but she did well

on saturday night
when the rest of us
were at the bat mitzvah
service and party
Karen had a friend
spend the night
they went to dinner
then watched a movie

Bethany and Lucy
my husband and I
enjoyed seeing
the little girl do her torah service
we had watched her grow up
she was a little terror at 5
but now
just beautiful
honest and gracious
at 13
beam from the bima
we laughed
danced and enjoyed her party

one of my middlest's friends
thought I was drunk
but Bethany explained
"oh no
she always dances like that"
as long as I didn't embaress her
I guess is all that mattered

but
baby steps forward
for all of us

parties
sleepovers
friends
laughter
all the girls
laughed when we got home
my three
and one extra
one that I never knew
could be a part of our lives

the child that I still worry about
the one who I thought
would always be my shadow
had a friend spend the night

it had been a long time
since that happened
and it was all
a part
of the moving forward
process
that we are all
grateful for
and
so happy to see

another good weekend

last friday
Bethany
the middlest
the one who is into herself
did a very unselfish thing
I took her
along with some friends
to the airport
they met up with some
youth group members
and chaperones
to fly to New Orleans
to help clean up
the city
which is still
in a sad shape
since the hurricane
over 4 years ago

She spent the whole weekend there
painting houses
hearing stories
meeting people
seeing sights
not texting
or emailing
or looking in the mirror

now I did hear
she liked to talk to her friends
but she did get to work
whenever asked
she enjoyed it

Also
during the weekend
Karen went to a coffee house
at her school
she was social
she had fun

Lucy had another
bat mitzvah to attend
My husband and I went too
we will be doing that a lot this year
but
this time
we felt fine
about leaving Karen alone
she had a good attitude
so that was a strength for us

All of us
got out of the house
all of us
felt good about what we were doing
all of us
were positive
about the experiences
we were having

what more could I ask for right now?

wonderful weekend

so many good things to report

1-the Komen 3day
I have walked this amazing event twice
and it is an experience that
seriously can not be explained
in mere words
it is magical
exhausting
but exhilarating at the same time
I was in the lunch crew last year
and enjoyed that experience just as much
I was giving back
and felt complete
I had signed up
and was planning to do it again this year
but
with all going on
with my biggest and her treatment
I had to withdraw
but my team captain
let me help out for the first day
I dressed up like the others
and after psyching Karen up
and getting her off to school
late again
some days are tougher than others

then
I showed up at the site
The magic in the air
the excitement
ALL THE PINK
I helped welcome walkers into lunch
because I was not official
so I couldn't help with food
not really a problem

It ended up being great
I saw a former team mate
I saw old freinds
made new ones
cheered walkers on
made sure the limping ones
got medical attention
It uplifted me
in a way I was not expecting
in this part of my life experience
I have been so focused
on mental health
and mental illness awareness

it did me good to see the signs
the pictures
of the ones whose memories
will never be forgotten
whose lives were lost
to breast cancer
or ones who were still
fighting the battle
and wouldn't give up

it was great to see my old
crew mates from last year
many of them knew my situation
and they welcomed
me with open arms

it just felt good

2-my best friend's son's bar mitzvah weekend

we helped host the shabbat dinner
at the synogogue they attend
not my usual temple
but one that I also love
the rabbi there
is an inspiration
he always speaks so eloquently
and makes the community feel good
I got to read on the bima
in english
thank goodness

I became a bat mitzvah myself
a year ago
but I can't read all hebrew
so that was a relief

my friend's husband
son
and daughter led most of the service
except for the sermon
that the rabbi preached so well

and when my husband and I got home
we discovered that all 3 girls
had been home
alone
for hours
and there was no fighting

we were thrilled

The next morning
the shabbat
and bar mitzvah service

Lucy and I got there early
he is her friend
very good friend
from life
and camp
so camp friends from out of town
were there too

My husband
middlest and oldest came later
but Karen came
yea
and she dressed nicely
didn't complain
and sat through the service

it was a wonderful
accomplishment

she didn't attend the party that night
but she went out with a friend
like any other teenager
and it made us so happy

the party was amazing
beautifully done
and enjoyed by all

it was a good weekend
one for the books