Shannon's 40th Birthday Celebration

Not only was this a BIG birthday to celebrate for my bestie, Shannon, but it was also a SURPRISE party put together by her dear (and occasionally crazy :: said in fun & with love) sister-in-law, Josephine.

Having put together many surprise parties myself, I'm well aware of the stress and planning (yes, in that order) that goes into this. In the end, though, it almost always works out & this was one of those times! Hats off to Josephine! The party & surprise were a success. Shannon had no idea & she was shocked to come home to see her family, friends and loved ones waiting to celebrate her special day.

Everything about the night was perfect :: from the food to the company, we couldn't have asked for a better time. Smiles and laughs could be found in every corner of the house. You could see how much Shannon is loved by the people who came to celebrate her. Some friends were not able to make it due to different circumstances, but they would have been there if they had been able to.

Shannon is a very dear friend to me. She is like a sister in many ways, and has proven to be more than just a 'good friend'. She's included me in her family's life and celebrations, we've attended weddings together, and laughed, cried, listened, talked, laughed, you name it, we've probably (probably) done it. Haha.

She is a woman / person I admire. She shows strength where many would be weak, is ready to start the party, or the grill, at the drop of a hat, and has no problem being honest, yet kind. I love her with all my heart and proudly call her friend.

Photos ::
Work friends, Shan's family, and dance friends.

Brooklyn Half 2012

I couldn't have asked for a better race day yesterday. I'm not exactly sure how I was able to run as well as I did (meaning my pace per mile) as I didn't sleep well / enough the days leading up to the race. Still, God, Leon and our cheerer helped get us through it.

True to Jess form, I left the apartment late, had no gas, and no idea how to get to my destination. Moving forward, I will change those things prior to heading anywhere. The stress isn't worth it, although we worked it all out well & got to Coney Island without a problem. Once there, I met up with Kristi and Leon and together took the train to Prospect Park.

Being that we ALL ran a little behind schedule, we started late :: 22 minutes after the race actually began. Leon and I exerted more energy than we should have just getting to the start. But, we jumped in and got moving right away. The first half of the race was the most exhausting, I'd say. Maybe it was the stress of being late or the bobbing and weaving in and out of the other runners. When we met up with Kristi at mile 6, I was definitely out of it. I think Leon was, as well. Yet, something about knowing we were half way to the end jump started a second wind and off we went with a high five.

Miles 7-13.1 were the best, I'd say. Leon and I moved along at a nice pace, although a few times we slowed down, and maybe that was best. We met up with our friend, Angela, twice along the course, and she was doing well, too! We had a good flow of speed and relaxed running. We made smart choices regarding water breaks and such. By the end, I had some energy left to pick my pace up for the last mile. I decided to give what I had left and go for it. I felt badly leaving Leon behind, but he was going strong at his pace, as well. I was able to finish at a respectable time of 1:55, which is a personal best for me, and I'm very pleased. I wonder if I could have done better, but it really doesn't matter. That's the overachiever in me. Haha. I enjoyed running with Leon. I think we paced each other well, and got each other through some rough spots. I'm also thankful that Kristi was there to cheer us on. There's something about seeing people you know at a race that motivates you to keep going. It definitely helped.

Next up is the Fairfield Half! I've never run that race, and it is in 5 short training weeks. However, I'm not going to think about that till Tuesday morning. :)

Last Training Day for NYC Brooklyn Half

Goodness, it's been a long training season! Ever since 2012 began, I've been training. I've spent the last 7 weeks preparing for the NYC Brooklyn Half Marathon, which is FINALLY this Saturday, May 19th.

Training in 'warmer' weather has definitely been easier on the lungs and limbs, although we had such a mild winter that I didn't mind the January - March training for the first half I ran.

I completed all of my long training runs except the 12 miler. I'm feeling a little anxious because of that, but I'm certain having done 11 was just fine.

The weather for this weekend is supposed to be AWESOME, which means perfect running weather. It may be a little too warm, now that i think of it, but thankfully we are starting at 7 a.m. I'm VERY excited for this race. (Did I write that already?!?) Last year I got closed out of it because it's so popular. The year before, I sort of raced another runner along the last 4 miles of the race. This year's course is slightly different than before. I think we are spending less time in Prospect Park, will continue on through a section of Brooklyn and end at Coney Island. It's going to be a challenge and I'm definitely up for it! Some friends will be there cheering me, Leon, our other friend, Angela, and my friend, Lyda, on along the way. I hope we all do as well as we would like to. Let's see what I have to say about it after all is said and done!

Below are some pics of ::
Me ready for my last two mile training run, the race course and my race number. Good luck to all the runners, and especially to my friends. :)

Life

And, as with everything, all good things must come to an end ... The laughs, the calmness of vacation, the feeling of being free and carefree.

Life will certainly try to bring me down any chance it gets, but I guess I have to be stronger than it. Sometimes, writing cryptically isn't easy. However, everyone doesn't need to know exactly what's going on in my life. Perhaps I don't even need to think about it too much. It's like I told a friend, we can plan everything to the letter; doesn't mean it will turn out that way. So, roll with the punches and keep on moving is the motto of the moment.

Wedding Weekend Recap

With all the festivities of the weekend :: the actual wedding day, the flight home & it being Mother's Day the next, I wasn't able to write about 'Day 2' on that day. Yesterday I was still unpacking and cleaning up here, so again, writing just wasn't an option. However, now that I'm relaxed and don't have as much to tend to (at the moment) I can finish capturing the memories of the weekend.

The Romulos and I spent Saturday ... Well, kind of all over the place. We started with a great morning run to the beach, on the beach & back, followed it up with an awesome breakfast & some laughs, back to the beach for some strong Florida rays, and then we went to do some shopping. Note to self for the future:: do not go shopping the day you have to attend a wedding. Especially at the outlets! ;) With 45 minutes to get ready, I got it done! The only thing that went 'wrong' was having left the wedding card in the hotel room. Besides that, I did all I needed to in the shortened allotted time & got to the wedding with time to spare. We were all smiles and in wonderful spirits!

This was the second beach wedding I attended, but my first traditional Jewish wedding. Both Gideon and Shaari looked amazing, and the ceremony was perfect. I could see their happiness & love in the expressions worn on their faces. We were given flip flops to wear in the sand and I must say, I loved that idea!! I kept mine, and then some!

On to the reception::
Cocktail hour was filled with DELISH foods that we indulged in, along with a few drinks, and many laughs. Move on to the actual reception and there was the rest of the magic. Everything was absolutely beautiful. The band was great, and we danced as much as we could until we got tired. I loved the food (I truly love to eat!!) and was THRILLED to see a dessert bar with ICE CREAM.

Really, the weekend was about Gideon and Shaari. I witnessed their happiness from start to finish, and really I couldn't want anything more for my friend. Watching them smile at each other during the ceremony, have their first dance, walk around separately and together with the same love filled expressions -- that's all I needed to see to know how happy they are. I hope that joy lasts a lifetime. I'm very thankful to have been at their special day.

Of course all good things must come to an end. Saying bye to the Romulos was sad, as it always is. But, the memories we made will definitely help with till we see each other again in a few short months.

And, true to Jess form, I nearly missed my flight because I didn't hear the alarm. What a CRAZED, yet calm, drive I had back to the airport. Thank God I DID make it JUST IN TIME, and was able to spend Mother's Day with my family.

The weekend away was very much needed in a lot of ways. Sometimes 'life' just gets ya down. However, vacations aren't always readily available. I am gonna have to find ways to manage 'life' a little better.
Still, I will live in the memories of this weekend for a long time to come.

Cohen - Gross Wedding Weekend :: Day 1

Today was the first of my 3 day weekend in Florida to celebrate Gideon and Shaari's wedding.

After a long day of traveling, beach going, enjoying the welcome dinner and playing cards with the Romulos, I have to admit that I am beat!!

The weather is beautiful, as one would expect for Florida in May. Sunny, warm, breezy. Complete beach & relaxation weather.

The hotel I am staying at, The Pelican Inn, is in the middle of all the shopping one could need; from food, to pharmacy, eateries, and outlets, we are definitely in a great spot!

This evening, Gideon and Shaari hosted a Welcome Dinner for all of the guests. The dinner and dessert were simple and excellent. The night turned out to be a time for Gid & Shaari's closest friends and loved ones to share some life long memories, offer some marriage advice, and even bring up some things one would have hoped was forgotten by now.

The night ended in my room learning to play Crazy 8s. Hanging w Sue and Gar is always a blast. Laughs & loudness can always be counted on with those two. I am so glad to have another day with them tomorrow. The people I love are coming together, even if only for a few days. I am certain tomorrow will be a different kind of fun. It will be special day for my dear friend. I look forward to what the day holds.

Realization...

For as many times as I try to be positive in life, there are just as many times that I'm discouraged, insecure and unsure of things.

I try to be prayerful and encourage others, but sometimes I find that I sell the product, I just don't always believe in it.

Insecurity really has no place in my life. That's not my thought, really. It's what I gather from what people who know me have said. Living with insecurities is a very difficult thing to a.) admit and b.) do. But, God is so good & faithful. When I pray he answers. Always.

These negative thoughts and feelings are not what should consume me at all, ever. Life happens, but it should never break me. I don't think I'm wonderful, but I am confident in who I am as a person. There are certain triggers, yes, that bring out my insecurities, but I'm going to work on them. I'm going to stop comparing myself to others and realize that God doesn't make mistakes. But, He does help us to be our best selves. So, I'm going to start believing in the products I sell, and ultimately put my faith & my life in God's hands.

My dear friend, Michelle, passed along the inspirational picture on this post that she said made her think of me. Interestingly enough, it came right after I had prayed. There are no coincidences, there is only God.

Thinking Out Loud

In every day life, we deal with other individuals. It's what goes on if you venture outside of your home, or even right inside, should you have a roommate or family. How we deal with others is really what's important.

We have different relationships with different people. Often, different personalities are put together, and in some cases we deal with individuals with multiple personalities. That might be the hardest to interact with on a regular basis. I don't mean a medical condition. I mean mood swings, never being sure which way to approach them, or how they will react / respond to something.

Regardless, our dealings with other people play a big role in our daily lives.
Many times things flow so nicely. Everyone gets along, communication is excellent, or close to it, and the days come and go without a bump.
The times that don't flow so well are the ones that make me stop and ask myself why?

Why is it that sometimes a person is amazing & wonderful, yet at another time or in a different conversation, that same individual comes across as someone you don't know? I suppose life happens and sometimes we're a little off. Understandable, yes. But, when you feel like someone is changing before your eyes & that person isn't quite who you thought, it becomes an internal struggle & possibly heartbreaking.

My question, to myself I suppose, is what is to be done about it?

I am a big believer in following your instinct. It never steers us wrong. The question is do we listen to it? Do we trust ourselves as we should?
I feel, when dealing with others we should, indeed, be our best selves. Be examples of true kindness and love. When it comes to matters of the heart, of course, be kind & loving. Perhaps, though you should use your head. Emotions can be blinding, but our head is usually clearer. Disappointments happen, so do pleasant surprises. But, only we can control our reactions and responses to others.

Happy Birthday, Michelle!!

I should have celebrated Michelle's birthday yesterday, on the actual day, but it slipped my mind, sad to say.

Who says birthdays can't be celebrate all week long? Not I! Today was the perfect day to sing Happy Birthday to my sweet friend. We all gathered at lunch & enjoyed cake with Michelle. I hope she enjoyed the small, impromptu partaee as much as we enjoyed celebrating her.

Here's to another great year of life for you, Michelle. Be blessed today & always.

For My Loves ...

Over the past 10+ years I have had the pleasure, the honor and the joy of being part of, or simply invited to, a great number of weddings. Due to the dear love and friendship that I have with these couples who invited / included me to these precious ceremonies, as well as my love for the sacred blessing of marriage, and my sincere adoration of the idea of romance, I have proudly attended many.

This upcoming weekend I will travel for yet another dear friend's wedding. My friend, Gideon, will marry his fiancé, Shaari. I could not be happier for him. I've known him forever, and we've seen each other through a lot.

My friendship with Gid goes back to the summer of 1996 where we met at Scarsdale Rec Camp. Gosh that seems like forever ago. That same summer, I met Sue at camp, as well, and the three of us became and remained friends all these years through wherever life has taken us ... studies abroad, being busy with life, and even the occasional, but very rare argument.

Last summer was Sue's wedding, and I was given the honor of being in her bridal party. Her wedding took place in Canada where she moved to, as her sweet hubby, Gary, is from there. I actually had the pleasure of having brunch with them back in December, but we haven't been together with Gid since their wedding back in July.

Gid, Sue and I have enjoyed many dinners, laughs, calls, birthdays, and even tears over the years. My memories with these two bring a smile to my face and a tug at my heart. These are memories that can never be erased, and will forever be special.

As my long time friend is about to be married this weekend, I reflect on how our lives have changed, been blessed, and how we've grown -- together and as individuals. I wish he and Shaari the same love, blessings and happiness that I wished for Sue and Gary in July. They all deserve nothing but the best that God has for them.

Although I'm not married, I still have advice to offer ...
Love each other.
Be open and honest.
Listen to each other.
Communicate.
Remember, you were friends first; Never lose that.
Pray together. Laugh together. Cry together. Enjoy each other.

I love you guys always.

Inspirational Words

Every now and then I like to post quotes that I come across on my Facebook page. Sometimes they speak to me and I hope they will have an effect on someone else, other times I just want to encourage someone. Yesterday, my sweet friend, Michelle sent me two 'inspirational' messages. Her timing couldn't have been better.
We all go through things, and I guess sometimes the ones who give the most encouragement & inspiration might be those same ones who need some of it as well. I'm so thankful for my friends. I'm truly blessed.

Class Trip

This past Wednesday, my class & I took a trip to the Fire Zone in New York City. We ventured on the subway and then down 5th Ave to 51st Street. Our excitement was slightly dampened by the rain & crowded city streets. But, the kids were troopers, and I was glad. We went with another class, and thankfully they had many parents helping out, so together we had adequate supervision in the city's madness.

Due to the weather, the long walk from the train to the venue, and the pace that the children walk, we got there late. I worried about missing the presentation, but the firemen were so accommodating, welcoming and understanding they decided to work with both classes at the same time.

We sat in a room that was filled with furniture and other articles that had been burned in real fires. We watched a great presentation of different reasons those fires had started, followed up with conversation with our presenter, who can be seen below, Firefighter Ryan. The kids were a little nervous at times, but they learned many lessons that would keep them safe should they ever be subjected to a fire. I pray they never will.

Our time at the Fire Zone ended with the kids being allowed to touch and look at a real fire truck, sit in the seats, and wear the heavy jackets. Everyone had a ball!