Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Zoe - Tuesday star


I've always liked Zoe Saldana, I don't know why. She always dresses nicely. Never puts too much make up or accessories.

My Tuesday Star.

Sunday, February 24, 2013

Purim then and now, and always


Old Midrasha Purim 2011 - my friend and then room-mate Liora "Pippy Long stockings" and me "self made pirate or Clint Eastwood vs Moshe Dayan", scary!

It's been snowing like mad for two whole days or even more. So I very much doubt we're taking Ezra to the Purim dinner at the community centre. We can't definitely move the stroller in this snow, our car is also covered with beautiful fluffy whiteness, plus the baby car seat got really small and uncomfortable for Ezra. Usually we don't get to ride in car with our dad that often, we mostly use public transport which is a blessing in Germany. Always on time, clean and clear.

As for Purim itself. It's magical. If you remember, the story takes place in Shushan, place in Persia, where it must have been very hot and nothing like Germany. Anyway, thousands of years later we're still in exile, thousands of miles away from Persia as well, and still, all the Jews celebrate Purim the same: reading megillat Esther, singing, children making lots of noise with groggers, everyone dressing up like queen Esther or Mordechai, King Achashverosh or evil Haman, and so on.

As it most of the time happens to me, I packed up the mishloach manot and then remember I had to take photos. Well, missed it.

All right, and what did I make?
1) Lemon cupcakes (although my husband is not fond of it, he liked it this time)
2) MUST have Hamantaschen
3) Gozinaki - traditional Georgian sweet made of honey and various nuts and seeds.

What else did I put in Mishloach Manot?
4) Fruits
5) Teabags
6) Fruit juice (you're supposed to give drinks)

Someone told me the other day that Purim is the day when one has to pray a lot because it's time when your prayers are heard. Then she added, don't waste your Sunday on wrapping up the presents, but pray.
That's when I realised me and that person would never get along. Not that I am very bad at praying, actually I am, no, that person just ignored the idea behind mishloach manot. Hey, it's not just wrapping up presents and getting rid of them, but putting all you heart and soul to make people happy. That is definitely my idea of it. So I skip praying part and go directly to wrapping up which I've already done.

You know what? There are no special times for praying. G-d hears us ANYTIME we're ready to talk. He's not an Oberburgermeister (kind of mayor for German cities) who has specific times to receive audiences and listen to them. He's not HUMAN, people, He just was, is and will be, remember? Purim is absolutely about coming together, having good time, sing, dance, laugh and give each other presents, not only material, but just a hug, or smile, or say a funny joke and make somebody's moody day.

Happy Purim!!!

P.S. I guess I am dressing up as a Persian lady today, have no other choice anyway, my mother couldn't come this time and we're left without our Purim clothes - Georgian national costumes, that was. Hopefully next time.

Friday, February 22, 2013

PrePurim Preps

Purim is my favourite festival. It has so many symbols and hidden miracles that I can't help but fall in love with megillah, Purim spiel and of course, mishloach manot every year all over again.

Last year I was very pregnant at Purim time and couldn't really manage to make loads of things. I made only gozinaki and Hamantaschen for our community friends.
This year Ezra's 10 months old for Purim, he's big and well behaved (sometimes) boy, so I have more energy and motivation to make nice things for us and friends as well.

Here are some pictures of my work in progress. Preparing for Shabbat and Purim at the same time, not easy, but definitely fun and lovely.
The final results (and recipes too) will be posted later when it's all ready and packed :)

Gut Shabbes and Purim Sameach!!!








Sunday, February 17, 2013

Panoramic dream

Do you know where we went today? To the Panoramic museum of Yadegar Asisi in Leipzig. And do you know why is it so important?
All right, I am about to tell you.

Back in 2010 when I visited Leipzig for second time with the group of friends from the midrasha, we went to that very museum to see Amazonia. Beautiful and outstanding project by famous architect and artist Yadegar Asisi (of Persian origin, born in Austria).
I was so bewitched by it, that when my future husband and I started dating, it was one of the places we went on our dates.

I mean, we weren't engaged yet, it was early March (but sunny), after visiting this museum, we decided to chill outside on the bench, eating pistachios and letting the early Spring sun to warm our faces. I'll never forget that day. It was much more than any romantic date could have been. It was all we needed then: peace, culture and pistachios :)

And now, after two years, we still went there.
So changed though. Never mind my extra kilos, or late Winter rain.
We went there with Ezra, our 10 months old baby.

Isn't life great after all?
There might be hard times and difficulties that make you forget those old tender moments, when you were just yourselves, full of dreams and passion of unknown, because we didn't know each other for long time, but the moments like it was this morning when we strolled down to the Panoramic with Ezra and saw the bench where we sat couple of years ago, it made both of us smile.

 Yeh, those old buildings are so moody European

I used to insist that it's not about places, but faces. I think I might change my mind now. It is about places too, because they sort of make you appreciate and remember precious faces and times. At least that's what happened to me/us today.
And Ezra loved the Panoramic too. At first we hesitated because of the loud sounds, but Ezra looked so happy and joyful, we just moved on and enjoyed new and also overwhelming project of Asisi about mount Everest this time.

This photo is brought from the website of Asisi - so no rule was transgressed since I am very against taking pictures at museums (unlike so many people)

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Decisions, negotiations and other "lifely" things

At this point of my life I am happy, but pretty concerned about my professional future. What do I want to do next? Have another baby or finish my German course to approve my bachelor's diploma and get the master's degree? Having another baby and being pregnant is actually not an obstacle at all, while I have done all my courses when I was pregnant with Ezra, thing is, after I had a baby I couldn't study any more. I was too overwhelmed and tired. Plus, I wanted to bond with my baby and get used to my new role.
BUT mostly I care about my health - would it be ok to give another go and let hormones lead me so soon? Thing is I am 28 and I really want to have many children, at least 4, and I wouldn't like to have them after 35, so who knows, perhaps this is perfect age.
(Honestly, one more thing that puts me off is wanting to pee all the time when you're pregnant. I still have to get up several times at night to give Ezra pacifier or nurse him, and now to have this need of going to toilet every two hours, doesn't attract me at all.)

Now Ezra's 10 months old, quite a character and as my friend described, perfect first child - refusing to be put down or left alone to play by himself, cuddling and climbing on mum all the time.
As soon as he's able to walk and be more independent, I want him to go to the kindergarten. There is tiny little kindergarten run by the Leipzig community where all our friends' children go and have good time, I believe. Since I've never gone to kindergarten myself, I really would like Ezra to go, make friends and be social. He is very social indeed, loves people, watching them and "singing" to them, but being in kindergarten must be harder - it's first school for the child where he has to win his place and develop friendship with other kids, or fight and scare them off just like I used to do and my mum had to leave that idea of me and kindergarten and found a nanny for me.
I hope it'll be different with Ezra and he will love it.

Yes, life is all about decisions and negotiations which distract me sometimes. There are times when I just want to relax and think about nothing, then I realise once more I am grown up and I can't just relax that easily. Those old times are gone for good (and I regret not) and I am adjusted as much as possible of being a good wife and mother.
All right, I get frustrated too every now and then. But then I remember what my favourite teacher's wife has once told me: "judge people favourably and be sure that husband, or children never want to hurt you purposely, they love you dearly and if something unpleasant ever happens, it's not because they are mean, but because you need to talk more and give more to each other." -- this is something I often remind myself and always works.

Have a nice week!!!