Do you remember the feeling when you were a kid right before your birthday party? Maybe it was at your house. The table was set, the food was cooking, the games were laid out, the party favors were neatly wrapped in their bags. And you would be going stir crazy because your party started at 2 p.m. and it was 1:30 p.m. Too early for the first guest to arrive, but too close to the start time to go start a new project or play a new game.
That's exactly how we feel!
For the most part, we're set. A few details to polish but otherwise my face, metaphorically speaking, is pressed up against the window watching every car drive up waiting and wondering if it contains one of our guests arriving for the event. Thank goodness the cleaning ladies are coming today!
Grandma and Bumpa (Esther and Mike) are the first to arrive and they come in this evening. Cousin Jessica (that sounds so regal) flies in on Wednesday --we're still deciding whether we'll give her the master suite downstairs or set her up in Jordan's room. News at 11. My parents come in Wednesday night, the Denver Aunts come in on Thursday and most arrive on Friday. But, in the words of Verruca Salt in the movie Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, "I want it nowwww!"
But, please don't forget to kiss the mezuzah before you leave.
Every trip my family would take, whether it was going to Denver, Minneapolis, Brandon, or Winnipeg, my mom would have us go to our front and back door and kiss the mezuzah. A mezuzah is a piece of parchment contained in a decorative case inscribed with the Hebrew verse from the Torah, "Shema Yisrael", which essentially is a prayer praising Henry. A mezuzah is placed on the right side of a door frame at an angle. I once heard a teacher say that you don't place the mezuzah parallel or horizontal but rather at an angle because it promotes Shalom Bayit (Peace in the Home). Apparently the Torah anticipated that those living in the house may tangle about what direction to hang the parchment, so by putting it at an angle you can't go wrong. Who knows if that's true, but I like that idea, so let's go with it. What we do know is that there are a few words in the Shema that stress the importance of putting the mezuzah "on the doorposts of your house."
The best was when I was at college and my mom said not to forget to kiss the mezuzah before coming home. I told her that I didn't have a mezuzah, so she said the sweetest thing. She said, well then make sure to kiss Danny.
Safe travels everyone, we are so excited for you to get here!
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