September 2017-Lyla 6 yrs old-Abigail Bat Mitzvah

September began with a wonderful trip to Nashville for Abigail’s Bat Mitzvah. Wayne and I picked up Lyla at school on Friday, September 1. Wayne saw Lyla’s school for the first time! We stopped for cake and bathroom at Edgar’s Bakery and then drove to Nashville in a lot of traffic (it was Labor Day weekend) and a lot of rain. It made me very nervous. Maybe it was because Lyla was with us? I also realized the rain was bringing in cooler weather and I had not packed appropriately! We made it on time for the service at Temple Ohabai Sholom. Lyla was so sweet and very excited. After the service the family ate together at the Temple and celebrated Eli’s 7th birthday. It was fun to see the cousins play together. Jacob and Abigail are always especially sweet to Lyla when they’re together. Angela, Brock and Willow joined us at the hotel. The Bat Mitzvah on Saturday was long but meaningful and Abigail did an amazing job! Brock with Willow and Strud with his son (Willow’s age!) entertained the little ones outside during the service. The weather was beautiful and the little couple started a relationship which continued at the lunch at the temple and party in the evening on the 23rd floor of the Sheraton Hotel. There was a moment when I was dancing with a delighted and happy Willow on some steps in the hotel lobby that I was overwhelmed with joy of the gift of being with Willow at a time she seemed to also be bubbling with joy. It is also a gift to have the extended Stuedeman family of Kristina’s Mother Mary Rae as a part of our family. There are times the reality of what Mary Rae has missed sobers me and makes me grateful for what this group of people has added to my life. The Saturday night party was another place I got to dance with Willow…and watch her and Lyla have a fun time. I left the party early to watch Willow’s monitor while she slept in her family’s hotel room. In three to four more years when Jackson is 13 (he is a “September Baby” so his Bar Mitzvah made be more than 3 years away?) we will have another reason to celebrate in Nashville! I’m at a time in my life I’m not anxious to have time pass quickly. I try to slow down and enjoy every day. September included my first trip to Mobile since March. It was wonderful to see my mother after 6 months. She had moved to a new room due to mold “overtaking” her previous room. Although it was quite an ordeal for my sister Linda to do so much work to get Mother set up in a new room, it was really a pretty and comfortable room. While I was in Mobile hurricane Irma hit Florida. Nitza and Koplan were not affected but many people were. Schools in Birmingham closed but there were no significant storm-effects in Birmingham. And of course, September was Lyla’s 6th birthday. Her parents hosted the family party with some friends at their house. We had a good time with extended family and close friends of Angela  and Brock on the Saturday the 16th before Lyla’s Sunday birthday. Lyla spent the night with me after John Mitchell’s birthday party Friday the 22nd and the Friday before Nathan’s party on September 30. Both Friday nights we stayed at the Mt. Laurel Park until dark and Lyla seemed to have an awesome time playing with old friends as well as new kids she met at the park. Lyla is not shy about meeting playing with kids at the park. Friday the 29th we went to Sweet Frogs for yogurt before going home. There was a large group of kids there including a HMS friend and Lyla had a wonderful time. We were after 9 pm getting to my house! The last day of September I took Lyla to birthday party for a classmate, Nathan, at the new “Pump it Up”. As usual Lyla seemed to have a great time playing with all of the kids. And I enjoyed visiting with Nathan’s grandmother, a comrade in the delightful time of life which includes time with precious grandchildren. The month included several days each week of waking up Willow and taking her and Lyla to school. It is such a good feeling to watch Willow walk into her classroom holding her water bottle and lunch box. She never looks back. Children hold our hands for a short time, but we hold them in our hearts forever.