5.03.2010

Bat Mitzvah, the weekend, and Africa

I made a commitment to comment on everyone else's blogs today before I started typing up my own post. I think I got everyone! I'm going to try to keep doing that going forward so I don't get too wrapped up in my own stuff to support my pals.

This weekend was very nice. Saturday was my niece's Bat Mitzvah, and it was pretty incredible. The service was two hours long, and she basically led the whole thing. I got all teary at my sister's speech, and I was impressed that my parents (strict Catholics) participated in the service too. My niece did a great job, hardly made any mistakes and just sounded lovely, although I couldn't understand most of it, seeing as at least half of it was in Hebrew! The party afterwards was amazing. There was a DJ with 4 dancers to keep the party going and teach people some moves (e.g. the Electric Slide, and the moves to Thriller). They had all kinds of neon stuff - hats, funky gloves, and these body stamps that all glowed under a black light. And there was a photo booth and a candy bar. Pretty much every kid's fantasy, but the adults had fun too!

After all that, hubs (who had a cold) and I needed some time to recover! So we napped at home for a couple hours before heading over to my brother and SIL's for some Wii. It was a very mellow evening since us old folks were all exhausted from the Bat Mitzvah. Sunday we just did a little house and yard work, and I got to spend a couple hours in the sun too. Although I didn't get much color. For some reason no matter how low of SPF I use, it seems like it completely blocks out the sun! But if I don't use any then I instantly burn. It's going to be a real pain for me to get a tan!

In totally unrelated news... Today is a really big day for my parents - they're leaving on a three-week trip to Africa! Over the past several years they've become good friends with a priest (Fr. E) from Cameroon. They met him when he was serving at their church, and now he lives in Washington DC. But they've been helping Fr. E (monetarily of course) to build a church and school in his village in Cameroon. Now they get to go see what they've helped build, and meet the people they're helping as well. Fr. E is traveling with them (thank goodness!), but I'm still a little worried! I know it will be a huge culture shock for them, but I hope it will affect them in a good way. Please send up a little prayer and good travel vibes for a safe trip!

I hope you're all having a decent Monday, and that it's going by quickly and painlessly!

8 comments:

elephantscanremember said...

I am glad you had a great weekend. It does sound a bit tiring!

I will keep your parents in my prayers.

-my husband grows cotton- said...

And here I thought you were going to Africa! How awesome that your parents get to go.

Glad you had a great weekend :) Hope you have a great week!

Niibiishen said...

Good to hear that you had a good weekend! My sister spent time in Nigeria and it changed her, for the better of course! I am sure they will have lots of stories for you!

My Vegas said...

whoa! I think it's great that they are travelling to Africa. I am jealous.

Alexis said...

I've been to Africa 2 times. The first time was to The Gambia and it was a very hard trip. I enjoyed it, but not in the sense that it was fun...just life changing. The second time I went to Kenya, and I left a piece of my heart there. I loved it. It's the most beautiful place I have ever been to and the people were so friendly. I hope they have a great time! Three weeks is good. I don't think you can really get a good feel for the culture there for shorter than that.

Jana said...

sorry to hear that you had food poisoning, hope you are feeling better. I have never been to a bat mitzvah, I bet is was cool.

Kate said...

Oh - Africa will be so incredible for them! I hope they have a safe journey & I'm glad you had a good weekend.

^J^ said...

Africa??? I lived there for half my life!! From what I remember(I was 13 when we came back to the US), it was AWESOME! Course we lived in South Africa, but Camaroon, sounds very familiar. I'll have to ask my dad if we visited there or why I remember it? Praying for safe travels for your parents and a calmness for you so that you don't worry about them(too much)! ;)

Glad you had fun at the bat. I'm not even gonna try & spell the other part. Hope your DH gets to feeling better.