Surprisingly Emotional

14 Days Until the Move

Mike had told me earlier in the week that the Rabbi had requested that we attend Friday services. I didn't see anything wrong with that so I agreed. I didn't realize that services were at 8pm but that's okay.

We get to the synagogue and find our seats. This service was mostly sung, which was nice. The kids were fantastic. Daniel sat on my lap most of the time and Hannah spent a good portion of the service trying to make Mike and me hold hands. Towards the end of the service, they ask Mike to come forward and do some things with the Torah. They then say some wonderful things about him and how they are sad that we are all leaving but know that we'll do well in Kansas. I'm becoming a little teary eyed at this point. They hand Mike a certificate and ask the five of us to stand so that they can sing us a song to send us on our way. (I'm crying just typing this, btw) It was such a beautiful song and the whole gesture was so moving and I was crying like a baby the whole time.

After the service, Betty (one of the founding members of the synagogue...she's so adorable) came over and told us that the kids deserved that certificate more than Mike did. We say thank you and, under protest from Jacob, head downstairs for the oneg.

After the Rabbi cut the challah, he walked over to talk to me. He told me that I was really putting him in a spot. I asked how? He said that now he was going to have to find someone to replace me on the Education Committee. I laughed and said "yeah, I must really be putting you in a learch there, Rabbi!" (For those of you that don't get it, in the 1 1/2 years I've been on the Education Committee, I've been to one meeting.) I then tell him that if I had thought about it earlier, I could have made a challah for the oneg. His eyes get big and he says, "I wish you would have! I forgot you make challah." I say, "well, when we first moved here, I didn't know where to buy a challah so I spent a little better than a week perfecting my recipe." He says, "I know. I've had your challah. It's much better than this stuff the store calls 'challah.'" He then asks me something about sending one every week. I laugh and say I'll try.

So, after a few goodbyes, we head for home. The whole thing was surprisingly emotional for me. Even Mike had said that he was surprised that I had been crying. I told him that I was too. I hadn't realized, when we decided to go, that this would be saying goodbye (although the kids do still have Sunday School for the next two weeks). Two weeks from today, I'm going to be a wreck.