Rosh Hashanah...Happy New Year!

What an awe inspiring few days I have had!!!  Wednesday night was Eruv Rosh Hashanah, followed by a three day Yom Tov.  Rosh Hashanah ended at sundown on Friday night, right as Shabbat began.  I learned a lot over the last few days and wanted to share the highlights.

• We are blessed to live in a community where we were invited to all four Yom Tov meals.
• Our  oven has a safety feature that turns itself off after a given (though unknown) amount of time.
• One of the Rabbis invited us as last minute Shabbat guests for dinner since our oven went cold and we were not supposed to turn it back on.
• Shabbat dinner with just the Rabbi's family felt like a true family dinner and was intimate and cozy.
• Our chulent was delicious, and we learned from making it for the first time.
• If you freeze Yartzeit candles, they last a little longer.
• A three day holiday takes a lot more planning and organizing if you are creating any meals or hosting any guests.
• Finding the right combination of favorite toys and comfort items will allow an 18 month old with separation anxiety to feel comfortable enough to let Mommy leave her in childcare so that Mommy can pray.
• A mommy who is not used to this will leave praying numerous times to listen outside of said daughter's childcare room to make sure this is really happening.

I hope to continue learning about and through the holidays as this year and future years progress.  We are already looking toward Yom Kippur (Friday night) and Sukkot which follows shortly thereafter.