Last Night

Tonight I was very blessed to have 27 loving and amazing family and friends at my house for a "Goodbye" BBQ hosted by my mother (whom I must add prepared the entire thing by herself after an out of town dinner on Friday and my sister's wedding on Sunday) - LOVE YOU!! After having worked at camp all summer, preparing for the wedding and running around doing errands for my departure, I hadn't really had the time to properly prepare for the reality of leaving Montreal. Tonight was definitely a reality check after receiving letters from my spectacularly adorable cousins (that I haven't opened for fear of outright sobbing), saying goodbye to some of my closest friends and watching my Bubbie cry :(

To those of you in NYC and Indiana who couldn't be here tonight please know how much I will miss you and am hugging you with all my might!
Words could not describe how lucky I am to have you all in my life (you know who you are) and how hard it will be not to have you guys close. But you have all given me such wonderful advice, well wishes and promises to keep in touch that I feel a teensy but better about being away. Don't get me wrong, I am definitely excited to start a new chapter in Israel, studying at seminary, going on adventures and meeting new people (and of course spending time with some of my favourite people already there). After having gone through a religious journey that started last summer and continues at this moment - the main reason for my choice to study at Neve (Girl's seminary in Jerusalem) - I know that so many of you think this is a one way trip. At the moment the plan is to return on June 4 (B"H) but I am open to whatever comes my way :p

That having been said, I think I should take this moment to address an issue that I don have the stomach to do in person. Some (but definitely not all) family and friends joke about me being religious which apparently equals a life of slavery to children and husband or comment on my various observances and fact that I am not in university. What I have to say is that this is not a phase, as so many of you have perhaps hoped and more likely assumed. This journey has been long and hard in coming as future posts will hopefully show. I hope that you all realize I am and will always be Dana only maybe with a few more refinements. To most of you who know me though, what I have to say is thank you for the acceptance that you have shown me thus far. I hope that this blog gives all those that I love, like, and barely know an opportunity to keep up with my various escapades around Israel. Please be in touch and share your comments bellow!
Last but certainly not least, to my parents who despite everything and perhaps sometimes with some difficulty, are supporting my choice to go to Neve. I love you both and will be stalking you all the time (mom - my complaints about everything, excitement over Joelle and cries; Dad - my cell phone, internet, logistics and updates in quick note form presentation).

Layla Tov (slash boker tov since its 2:22 AM).
xoxo
Dana
ps For those of you who were there for my fashion show and those who missed it....yes I have purchased a swim dress! (Dramatic pause for familial giant jaw drop and/or laugh) Dress being the key word as Heidi and Steeven thought it was a regular outfit lol