Celebrations

I would like to take this opportunity to wish a very happy birthday to one of our earliest Loyal Readers who is turning the big Double 5 today. Hailing from Baltimore, MD, she is a sage parent (who we never left alone so she could read the paper), super-grandchild-spoiler ("I think they need some more toys."), patient wife of Dadz "Help! The phone is beeping! What do I do now?" Leibtag, and most importantly, Commenter Extraordinaire, the one and only, you love her, I love her - MOMZ!! So please, leave a comment below to send your birthday wishes to MOMZ. She'll be sure to read them; it's on her to-do list.
(Momz To-Do List
1. Watch videos of Tani on Facebook
2. Repeat
3. Check blog for updates/comments
4. See if Elie uploaded any more videos of Tani
5. He didn't; watch the old ones again
6. Buy presents for grandkids
7. See if El-Al will believe that Dadz has an invisible friend, Steve, who MUST travel to Israel with him, and who NEEDS to bring 2 heavy suitcases with him because there is NO WAY us two old rickety folk can bring all this stuff in May.
8. Ask Steve is he's up for the trip.
9. More videos? Yes!!!
10. Check blog again.
11. Work.....? Hmmm....what is that again?)

So you see, your comments will definitely be read and appreciated by MOMZ.

In other celebratory news, Donny has returned to the homestead! Ariella and I picked him up from the train station Monday afternoon, and then we all went to get Yaakov. Poor Yaakov was very confused. He always runs to me for our Afternoon Hug of Reunited Bliss. He started running towards Donny, made an abrupt right hand turn, and flung himself into my arms. From this safe perch he eyed Donny warily for a few seconds, then convinced that this was indeed his missing father, lunged out of my arms and into his father's, and lay there for a few minutes, soaking it all in. Then we returned home, presents were distributed ("I'm practicing," Ariella told Lisa on Shabbos, "saying to Daddy, 'How was your trip?' first."), and we all ate dinner together.

Today is Yom HaZikaron, and I refer you to a superb essay written by my mentor and sister-in-law-in-law (what do you call the sister of your brother-in-law?) Sara Eisen, written on her blog http://www.the-word-well.com/.

Tomorrow, Wednesday, is of course Yom Ha'atzmaut and we will be sending dispatches from the homeland as the celebrations continue.