There are things Rebecca will miss so much, she can't remember why she's moving.
Saturday morning was our last session of the temple's religious school for this school year. (I'm kinda sad that it's ending a little early, but also happy that I could be there for the last class of the year.) We did a project on Israel; the kids made Israeli windsocks and all found Israel on the globe. Who knew Israel was on the same latitude line as Louisiana? There were cupcakes with blue Stars of David, and at the end of class, we finally got a good group picture of all of us around the fig tree we planted back here.
As we were all about to leave, I was totally taken by surprise when the other religious school teachers presented me with a going-away gift - a beautiful silver mezuzah! I may have gotten a little emotional. I can't put into words how much this gift touched me, or how blessed I feel to have been a part of this religious school over the last year and a half. These are the times that I will remember when life gets hard. These are the people I will think of when I feel alone.
Such a good picture of everyone! Those kids and that fig tree are all growing so fast!
I've never been so popular as I am now that we're about to move. Ellen & Sarah wanted to treat me to dinner before I leave, so on Sunday night, I went out to Mr. Gatti's with them. Sarah and I were both pretty awesome'ed out by the new touch-screen soda machine, which was so swanky that it reminded me of the food replicator on Star Trek. After we ate, we hit the game room. I went there recently with Briana back here, but it had been completely redone since then! Everything was digital, and there were several new games, including one called “Fruit Ninja” that Sarah played over and over. We both had so much fun, and she won enough tickets to “buy” an official LSU basketball.
We stayed eating, playing games, talking, and putting off saying goodbye for as long as we could (and annoying the crap out of all the employees, I'm sure) but eventually, of course, it came time to leave. Which is when Sarah got these big tears in her eyes and said sadly, “But Rebecca, I don't want you to move.” It was hard. I gave her a butterfly necklace as a going-away present. (I think Ellen was the driving force behind the mezuzah the religious school gave me, and I wanted to reciprocate in at least some small way.) It was actually the necklace I found back here; it's too small for me, and I'm glad I saved it; it was so Sarah.
This evening came another tough goodbye to another mother and daughter, Maggie and Cheryl. (They also took me out for pizza! And I'm not complaining!) Cheryl was one of the very first people I met the first time I ever attended temple, and she made me feel so welcome when I was new and nervous. I gave Maggie a pack of silly-bands as her parting gifts. She's into those, although I think they lost a lot of their coolness when I started wearing them, too. I had bought two packs of the same exact same sea-animal silly-bands and gave one to Maggie and kept one for myself. I told her that this way, we'll still be silly-band twins, even when I'm far away.
Saying goodbye has been harder than I'd expected. I think the best way to finish this entry is with the Angels Blessing.
May your right hand bring you closer to your godliness
May your left hand give you strength to face each day
Before you, may your vision light a path ahead
Behind you, may well-being heal your way
As we were all about to leave, I was totally taken by surprise when the other religious school teachers presented me with a going-away gift - a beautiful silver mezuzah! I may have gotten a little emotional. I can't put into words how much this gift touched me, or how blessed I feel to have been a part of this religious school over the last year and a half. These are the times that I will remember when life gets hard. These are the people I will think of when I feel alone.
Such a good picture of everyone! Those kids and that fig tree are all growing so fast!
I've never been so popular as I am now that we're about to move. Ellen & Sarah wanted to treat me to dinner before I leave, so on Sunday night, I went out to Mr. Gatti's with them. Sarah and I were both pretty awesome'ed out by the new touch-screen soda machine, which was so swanky that it reminded me of the food replicator on Star Trek. After we ate, we hit the game room. I went there recently with Briana back here, but it had been completely redone since then! Everything was digital, and there were several new games, including one called “Fruit Ninja” that Sarah played over and over. We both had so much fun, and she won enough tickets to “buy” an official LSU basketball.
We stayed eating, playing games, talking, and putting off saying goodbye for as long as we could (and annoying the crap out of all the employees, I'm sure) but eventually, of course, it came time to leave. Which is when Sarah got these big tears in her eyes and said sadly, “But Rebecca, I don't want you to move.” It was hard. I gave her a butterfly necklace as a going-away present. (I think Ellen was the driving force behind the mezuzah the religious school gave me, and I wanted to reciprocate in at least some small way.) It was actually the necklace I found back here; it's too small for me, and I'm glad I saved it; it was so Sarah.
This evening came another tough goodbye to another mother and daughter, Maggie and Cheryl. (They also took me out for pizza! And I'm not complaining!) Cheryl was one of the very first people I met the first time I ever attended temple, and she made me feel so welcome when I was new and nervous. I gave Maggie a pack of silly-bands as her parting gifts. She's into those, although I think they lost a lot of their coolness when I started wearing them, too. I had bought two packs of the same exact same sea-animal silly-bands and gave one to Maggie and kept one for myself. I told her that this way, we'll still be silly-band twins, even when I'm far away.
Saying goodbye has been harder than I'd expected. I think the best way to finish this entry is with the Angels Blessing.
May your right hand bring you closer to your godliness
May your left hand give you strength to face each day
Before you, may your vision light a path ahead
Behind you, may well-being heal your way