25 Elul: Family

And the Lord God said, "It is not good that man is alone; I shall make him a helpmate opposite him." - Genesis Chapter 2

Honor your father and your mother, in order that your days be lengthened on the land that the Lord, your God, is giving you. - Exodus Chapter 20

Hearken, my son, to the discipline of your father, and do not forsake the instruction of your mother - Proverbs Chapter 1

Family is important in Jewish life.  Jewish spirituality isn't mean to be done in isolation.  Communal prayer is important as is having many children (I didn't add that quote in for many reasons).  

Over time I have learned a family is what you make family.  Family doesn't have to be one mom, one dad and a few kids.  Families can be one mom or two moms or two dads or no kids or no related DNA.  Family is the group with who you feel connected with, with whom you share values and learn from.  You can argue with family and no matter what they will always love you and accept you.  

From my family to yours, may the New Year be filled with Joy, Good Health, Peace and Prosperity.  

from http://alturl.com/hdgcn

30 for 30 Outfit Challenge - The mostly 30 Pieces

It took a few weeks to decide but I finally picked out my items for the 30 day challenge.  I choose to dress modestly, which means knees are mostly covered (appropriate length skirts are hard to find, I make do with what is available), elbows are covered and most of my collar bone (so shirts are probably not quite that, I am ok with that).  I also cover my hair.

Accessories and shoes are not included on the list.

So my items are:

1. grey dress 
2. grey skirt from Value Village (I love it)
3. black/white diagonal skirt from H&M (You may recall how much I wanted a striped skirt)
4. Brown corduroy skirt from Smart Set
5. beige straight skirt from Reitmans
6. Jean skirt from Value Village
7. Chevron maxi skirt from Old Navy 
8. Black Pencil skirt from Old Navy (they have since shortened the hemline...doh!)
9. Basic black skirt
10. Basic white blouse from Value Village
11. Basic blue blouse from Value Village
12. Chambray blouse from Old Navy
13. Green Blouse I am determined to make work
14. Red long sleeve top
15. Purple/black gasp PATTERN blouse from Sears.
16. Burgundy Corduroy Jacket
17. Grey military jacket from Le Chateau
18. Beige sweater thing - hand me down
19. Yellow v-neck sweater
20. grey button down sweater from The Gap 
21. Blue sweater (Lord and Taylor from The Bay, CRAZY sale price.  As similar as I could find here)
22. Burgundy T-shirt - Walmart
23. Turquoise (what is that colour exactly?) T-shirt - Walmart
24. Grey T-shirt - Suzy Shier
25. Striped long sleeve shirt (which shockingly meets all the requirements and doesn't need a shell!) from Value Village
26. Mustard long sleeve from Joe (Loblaws) (I like this colour and I want to experiment)
27. Brown cross top

...the question is, do I add shells to the 30 (one white, one beige and one black) or pick 3 other things?

Toes!

24 Elul: Infertility

Now Sarai, Abram's wife, had not borne to him, and she had an Egyptian handmaid named Hagar.  

And Sarai said to Abram, "Behold now, the Lord has restrained me from bearing; please come to my handmaid; perhaps I will be built up from her." And Abram hearkened to Sarai's voice.  - Genesis Chapter 16

And Isaac prayed to the Lord opposite his wife because she was barren, and the Lord accepted his prayer, and Rebecca his wife conceived. - Genesis Chapter 25

And Rachel saw that she had not borne [any children] to Jacob, and Rachel envied her sister, and she said to Jacob, "Give me children, and if not, I am dead." - Genesis Chapter 30

And she vowed a vow, and said: to Lord of Hosts, if You will look upon the affliction of Your bondswoman, and You will remember me, and You will not forget Your bondswoman and You will give Your bondswoman a man-child, and I shall give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head. -  (Hannah's Prayer) Shmuel 1 - Chapter 1

He seats the barren woman of the house as a happy mother of children. Hallelujah! - 

Tehillim (Psalms) Chapter 113

The short version of my infertility story is this:  it took two years to get pregnant.   I saw three different doctors, and the third doctor diagnosed my high TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) levels.  

I had one miscarriage.  Following the miscarriage (or chemical pregnancy if you will), I got pregnant again and thank G-d, gave birth to my beautiful son 42.5 weeks later.  

The emotional story is much longer.  For two years I felt lonely and heartbroken.  For two years, I took on Mitzvot, dropped Mitzvot, prayed and cried to the point I didn't know where I was spiritually.  The Rosh Hashanah before we conceived, I cried and prayed my shortest prayer ever.

I am grateful for my son.  We would like a second child, but after one year of trying, it is clear that infertility is still part of my life and body.   

I am not alone.  There are so many people who have and continue to struggle with infertility.  Please G-d remember them this Rosh Hashanah.  

Building my Wardrobe - skirts

I ordered this skirt from Sears.  I think it is such a nice looking skirt.  It even comes with a red belt!  I have seen so many outfits with striped skirts.  I have a diagonally striped flare-y skirt I bought from H&M a few years ago.  I love it!  I figured it's time to update the stripy-ness.

My order came much quicker than I expected.  Yay!  I slipped into the skirt and...womp womp.  Stripes are NOT forgiving.  In a tight fitting skirt even less so.

I admit, I have a bit of a mommy tummy, and with the c-section, ehm, flab?  My tummy will not be so flat for a while.  I can wear some shaper device under the skirt, but still...there will be. Stripes.  Elongated.  Across my lower body.

It wasn't pretty.  I am disappointed.  I have many MANY black skirts.  I have tight fitting ones, and loose fitting ones, cotton ones and polyester ones (I guess it's polyester).  I would like a skirt that isn't all black.  I have a couple of brown skirts, and one with a pattern.  The pattern one is a fancier skirt for Shul (synagogue).

I would really like something I can wear with casual outfits.  I am short though, and as I have discovered with some prints, they make me look sooooo short.  I don't know if it is the shape of the skirt (flare versus tighter fitting) or the print itself (big print versus small).  Any ideas on what I should look for?

I'm 5'2"-ish.  My legs are short.  My torso is short.  I am just short.  But not in a petite way.

Let me know what you think or link up some options in your comments...thanks!

Bye Bye stripey skirt.  You won't be part of my closet.  :(  

23 Elul: King

For the kingship is the Lord's, and He rules over the nations. - Tehillim (Psalms) Chapter 22

On Rosh Hashanah, we reaffirm that G-d is our King.  I think I have always thought as G-d as the King of All Kings.  Since I was a child, I imagined Him high on His Throne keeping track of all our actions.  

It was only more recently that I realized despite G-d being a King, He is also accessible.  We can talk to Him all the time, and pray for what we need (or think we need).  

I think we have remind ourselves about that fact, He is King, but he is also available 24/7.  

22 Elul: Torah

Behold, I have set before you today life and good, and death and evil, inasmuch as I command you this day to love the Lord, your God, to walk in His ways, and to observe His commandments, His statutes, and His ordinances, so that you will live and increase, and the Lord, your God, will bless you in the land to which you are coming to take possession of it. - Deuteronomy Chapter 30.  

I am so glad to be learning Torah as an adult.  I went to Jewish day school from kindergarten until grade 11 (high school in Quebec goes to grade 11) and Torah classes were painful and boring.  

In high school, Torah learning meant reading the text, then reading Rashi.  We'd never get any deeper into the text or pull out some valuable lessons.  

Since 2008, I've taken classes and listened to lectures on line.  The Torah has so many amazing lessons. We learn about kindness from Avraham, and humility and leadership from Moshe (Moses).  

I am looking forward to more Torah learning and more life lessons.  

30 for 30 Outfit Challenge: Statement Necklaces

I think most of the necklaces I own are really more "comment" and much less "statement".

I really like the bubble necklaces.  

from http://lauraunrefined.blogspot.ca/2012/11/bubble-necklaces-yes-please.html

I also ike the idea of making my own, and I found two relatively easy ones on Pinterest.  The upcycled tie and the washer/ribbon necklace.  The Pin also suggested using nail polish to jazz up the washers.  I'm not sure if either would qualify as statement, but I think they will make a nice addition to my very limited collection.  I just haven't found any I like in the stores here (yet).  

There is also organizing right now they are all jumbled in a box, and they obviously get tangled.  I really like this idea (also found on Pinterest).  

Do you have any statement jewelry?