38 years young

I just completed my 38th year around the sun last week. It was awesome.

My husband surprised me with a beautiful breakfast.

(he was trying to make up for leaving that evening to spend Yom Kippur in Pennsylvania ... he made up for it quite well!)

I had some close girlfriends over and had wine and Chinese takeout.

A perfect evening for this introvert. :)

But it got me to thinking what a year it has been.

Let’s see…

A year ago I was engaged and planning a wedding. And all that that entails…

I had my Bachelorette weekend in Vegas.

Bridal Shower.

Make-up trial.

Dress fitting.

The most AMAZING day ever: our wedding. 

An awesome surprise party from my co-workers.

Honeymooned in Portugal.

Changed my name.

We sold our condo in Old Town Alexandria.

Bought a house in the ‘burbs. (but oh so lovely!)

I played a recital with a dear friend. 

Moved into our new home.

Got a Steinway piano (temporarily).

Ended the school year.

Honeymooned again in Australia & New Zealand.

Saw Hamilton.

And getting back into the groove of another school year.

WOW.

It doesn’t seem like it could get much better than that.

So as I enter my 39th year, I am focusing more on choosing things that bring me joy and pleasure.

Like reading more fiction (currently working on Harry Potter…I know I know!).

Teaching fewer private lessons.

Having more time to do “nothing”.

And if I choose to do something, making sure that it makes me happy.

[For example, I recently committed to playing in a high school production of “Mama Mia!”. Will it be a lot of work? Yes. But I love the music and preparing for it will bring me joy.]

Here's to year 39!

So do what you love. Do it with joy.

Do what makes you happy.

The value of routine...

It's been awhile since I've posted. Nearly 3 months. 

That's mainly because we were galavanting all over Australia and New Zealand. Eating all the food. Drinking all the wine. Walking all the miles. LOL.

I tallied that we walked nearly 300 miles over the span of 6 weeks. It was incredible. A trip we both will never forget. And a part of the world we are already itching to get back to.

6 weeks is a long time to vacation, as amazing as it is to escape for that long. We both feel blessed that we have the time to travel for most of the summer. #teacherlifeperks

Australia:

New Zealand:

In all honesty, I was ready to come back. I was ready to get back into my routine. Back to my “real” life.

It was a TON of fun, but it always feels like an alternate reality. A reality that can’t be sustained and that must eventually come to an end.

This trip was one I feel impacted me on a very deep level. More than I know. Being in nature. Walking everywhere. Talking to people from differently countries and cultures. Experiencing some of the most stunning places in the world.

It’s no Northern Virginia. But NOVA is home. And I can bring that feeling of beauty with me. The "feeling" of whatever it is that made me feel the awe and connectedness I felt.

For example, I am really enjoy mowing our 0.5 acre lawn. I’ve never done it before. It was always something my dad did. I’m sure this “enjoyment” won’t last forever, but there is something quite meditative about it for me. And something about taking care of my home and working with the Earth that makes me feel very connected to it.

I enjoy that bi-monthly routine.

I enjoy the routine of working out (anyone who has followed this blog knows that! LOL!). Yes, I walked a gazillion miles, but I miss lifting. My body missed it. But it needed the break. And getting back into that routine is a great practice in ignoring the numbers on the weights and plates. Meeting myself where I am NOW. I’m not lifting as heavy as I was 3 months ago, and that’s OK.

Oh, and the 7 lbs I gained on this trip? I dropped 4 of them just by swapping water for wine. We were literally drinking an equivalent to a bottle of wine, EACH, a day (did I mention we drank ALL the wine? LOL!). 

We still have our Tuesday night date night and drinks on the weekend, but it’s amazing how getting back into a normal eating and hydrating routine can change things. 

Date night:

Water for wine weight change:

(no need to see my un-manicured toes...LOL!)

And then there’s school. Oy. That was tough. Waking up early. Having to function and be professional. (we landed Tuesday night and went to “work” Friday!) 

I love my job. I work with a GREAT community of people. And there are parts of my day that are just silly and fun and quite ridiculous. Being a music teacher rocks. 

But it also has its challenges and headaches. Just like any other job.

I also got back into my private piano lesson routine. I’m downsizing a bit and that feels AMAZING. Still keeping my puppy lovin’...

And then there’s the quiet time. My daily meditation routine. MUCH needed. I don’t think I could survive without it. Being an introvert leading an extroverted life is tough. I was very happy to get back into my quiet, early mornings. Sitting, reading, journaling, breathing.

So, here’s to routine. Any elementary school teacher knows how incredibly important they are for students. 

No just students. Adults, too. What routines help you thrive? Revisit them if you’ve lost touch.

Do what makes you happy. 

TBT: Wedding Ceremony

Our rabbi recently reached out to us asking for a copy of our wedding program since she was working with an interfaith couple and wanted to share it with them. I dug it up and read over it again, reminded of the beautiful and very special ceremony we created.

I'll be honest. I was nervous. I wasn't sure what it would look like. Being more connected to my Ukrainian heritage than my Catholic roots, I had a fear that it would be a mainly Jewish wedding since Michael was more strongly connected to his Jewish roots. I wanted to find a healthy balance between the two and feel comfortable that my faith was represented in the ceremony.

And I believe we did just that. I/We LOVED our ceremony in the end. With the help of this awesome book and other online resources and insights from spiritual mentors, it all magically came together.

We had a rabbi AND a priest which was just incredible. We actually never met with them together. As in, at the same time. Always separately. We met with our priest on Saturdays and our rabbi on Sundays (for obvious reasons! LOL). But they had done interfaith ceremonies together in the past, so we trusted they would be able to pull it off. Our rabbi assured us that this priest was a perfect fit for what we were looking for -- and indeed he was!

So I am just going to directly copy and paste (it will appear in a different font) our program to share what we came up with. 

All photo credits go to the amazing Stephanie Rita. 

First, our program...

And our venue: The Josephine Butler Parks Center in Washington, DC.

Our wedding day is a collection of Jewish and Ukrainian customs and traditions. The wedding ceremony is broken down into different parts and this program was created to help enhance your understanding of each. Please enjoy!

Before the Ceremony 

Blahoslovennia -- The Parents Bestow their Blessing

This is a Ukrainian tradition which takes place before the ceremony and is limited to the families and close friends of the bride and groom. The bride’s parents present the icons to the couple and provide their blessings and best wishes for the marriage before they head to the ceremony. The blessed icons will be on display at the reception.

Ketubah

The Ketubah is a marriage contract, required by Jewish law, attesting to the commitments and obligations Larissa and Michael make to each other as a married couple. It is one of the oldest elements of Jewish weddings, dating back over two thousand years. Prior to the ceremony, the Ketubah was signed by Larissa and Michael, witnessed by close friends and family.

  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

We had an amazing artist do our ketubah and changed the text so it would fit us. 

Our witnesses signed it (who both happened to be lawyers), then Michael, then me, then the rabbi...

Whoops!!!

I accidentally signed in the rabbi spot rather than the bride spot. The photographer caught the whole thing...it was awesome.

And we remedied it pretty quickly. Our witness lawyers said it was legal. :) 

 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

One of my favorite parts was picking out the music. We hired an awesome band and the same group had a pianist for our ceremony, jazz trio for our cocktail hour and 7-piece band for our reception. It was perfect. This is the music that was playing as guests were being seated. 

(Click on the purple links to hear the music.)

Prelude music

The bride carefully selected music she felt would best represent herself and Michael. It includes their love for movies as well as classical composers representing the countries where Larissa has lived.

“Once Upon a December” from Anastasia

18th Variation from Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini by Sergei Rachmaninov

“Han Solo and the Princess” from The Empire Strikes Back

“Ländler” from The Sound of Music

Nocturne No. 2 in E-flat major by Frederic Chopin

The Ceremony

Processional

“Pathétique” Sonata                                            Ludwig van Beethoven

 Adagio cantabile

(Michael and his aunt and uncle)

(My mom and brother)

(Michael's dear friends)

(Michael's college friend and my cousin)

(My brother and childhood friend)

(Best Man & Matron of Honor)

Bridal Processional

Please stand.

Bacarolle                                                                   Frederic Chopin

(So my jokester musician side actually had the pianist play the opening bars of "Gonna Fly Now" from Rocky and then switch to the Chopin for my grand bridal entrance. It was LEGEND-ARY.)

The Chuppah

Larissa and Michael will be married under a wedding canopy known as a chuppah, which symbolizes the home that they will build together. The chuppahrests on four poles, yet has no walls, reflecting the idea that family and friends will always be welcome in their home.

The canopy of the chuppah includes the prayer shawls (tallit) of both Michael’s parents and a Ukrainian rushnyk from Larissa’s parents.

The rushnyk

A Ukrainian embroidered towel (rushnyk) is spread underneath the Chuppah on which the couple will stand. The use of the rushnyk symbolized the hope that the newlyweds will never face poverty or "stand on a bare earthen floor".

Tradition dictates that whomever steps on the towel first will be the head of the family. Of course, Ukrainian folk wisdom declares that the man is always the head of the family - but it is the woman that is the neck that turns the head!

Hakafat – Circling

Seven Circles - There are several interpretations of the significance of this number: seven is the number of days of creation, and the wedding ceremony is the creation of a new household; seven is the number of times the phrase “when a man takes a wife” occurs in the Bible.

Blessing of Betrothal – Kiddushin

The Kiddushin begins with the recitation of opening blessings. The first is the blessing over wine. Larissa and Michael will share a cup of wine, a Jewish symbol of joy and the sanctification of a celebratory time. The second blessing expresses the sacredness of the marital bond.

Ring Exchange

Following these blessings, Larissa and Michael will exchange rings. Michael’s ring was made by his father; it coordinate with another ring he made that Michael's granny wore and which Lariss will wear on her right hand. The exchange of rings gives expression to the fact that the spouses in marriage will constantly complement each other and work together handily to achieve oneness and togetherness. As the rings are circles with no beginning and no end, they symbolize that Larissa and Michael’s love is never ending. 

(a closer look of the rings ... on top of our wedding favors)

Wedding Vows 

(we both wrote our own ... it was beautiful!)

Crowning

A beautiful and sacred segment of a Ukrainian wedding ceremony is the Crowning. The crowns symbolize that they will the king and queen of their own family kingdom – ruling side by side.

Hand Fasting                       

During the ceremony, the hands of the bride and groom are joined together with an embroidered cloth to signify their union. This ribbon was made by bridesmaid, Anna Coon, integrating both Ukrainian and Jewish embroidery.

Ketubah Reading

A portion of Michael and Larissa’s Ketubah will be read.

Seven Blessings

The sheva brachot (seven blessings) symbolize the seven days of creation. The blessings represent the joy of creation both in the ancient times and the newest creation, which occurs under the chuppah. The wedding party will be reading seven readings representing these blessings.

Priestly Blessing

The kohanim can trace their patriarchal lineage back to Moses' brother Aaron. They were the high priests of the Temple in Jerusalem. It is traditional for the kohanim to recite this blessing on certain holidays; it is alos often recited at celebrations by a rabbi. Michael is a kohen, and will recite the blessing in Hebrew. Father Mudd will recite the English. 

Breaking of the Glass

The ceremony concludes with Michael stepping on a glass and breaking it. Traditionally this custom is a reminder of the destruction of the first temple and the many losses that have been suffered by the Jewish people. It is also a reminder that relationships are as fragile as glass, and must always be treated with care and love. A more contemporary interpretation is that the sound of the breaking glass travels through time and space to share the couples’ joy with all who have loved them, including those separated by time and distance. The sound signals all assembled to join together and joyously wish the new couple “mazel tov!” 

Mazel Tov

Mnohaya Lita

From there, all the guests will join in song to wish the couple “many happy years.” There are only two words, which are repeated several times, mnohaya lita (mno-high-uh lee-tah), so this is a great opportunity to learn a little Ukrainian.    

Recessional

“Married Life” from Up

And that's a wrap! Our wedding ceremony in a nutshell. I promise to get to the reception and post-party shenanigans another time. Thanks for reading and allowing me to share with you our version of a Jewish/Ukrainian wedding!

Do what makes you happy.