I did it!

In the past few weeks I have deal with:
6 days of yomtov
3 shabbatot
1 major fast
4 large meals with company and countless others for the family
5 weeks of school
3 exams
1 lab report and 2 short assignments
mountains of laundry
children home from school due to non-stop holidays
a baby who still does not like to nap or sleep
a minor foot injury
1 birthday party for my husband
1 nursing school application
...and lived to tell the tale!

I feel accomplished, proud and very very tired. It seemed like every moment I had was allocated towards one project or another, whether it was cooking, studying for an exam or other family business that needed attending to. The last hurdle is this weekend, when we are having a guest speaker at our shul which means yet another big meal to cook/serve and clean up.
I kept telling my friend that I just had to get through till this past Wednesday- and I did.  I am hoping that things will lighten up once we start our regular schedule, where every other day is not a holiday or Shabbos. Although I am not so sure because as soon as yomtov was over, I scheduled about 5 doctor's appointments for the children and myself. But I am not going to worry about that just yet.
For now, I will just try to catch up on some sleep...

Closed for the Holiday

Shavuos begins tonight so I have been too busy to post and will be lighting candles very soon. Hope to have some cute stories for you on Friday.  A shiur I listened to recommended learning one piece of Torah that you really feel connected to, so that is my goal, to find some time for that in the next 48 hours.
Will report back on that as well. In the meantime, wishing you all a wonderful yomtov. And if you have a few minutes, please say a prayer for Rina bat Ruth, a teenage girl with Down Syndrome who has been in the ICU for severe pnemonia for several days already and is still in need of our prayers.

A Dad's thoughts about Birth

I really must get ready for yomtov but just wanted to share a great quote about birth I came across this week. A fellow doula had a baby boy a few weeks ago, at home of course. She sent out her birth story from her husband's perspective and at the end, he said something that really resonated:
"I cannot say enough about the experience. It's surreal, it's challenging, it's hard, and it's beautiful. It's the hardest thing Wendy has ever done and the hardest thing I've ever experienced with someone. "
And with that as food for thought, I will wish you all a very good yomtov.