The bris was Tuesday morning (March 7) and Seth said it was my turn to blog but I was beyond tired. Sitting at my computer AND thinking comprehensively was absolutely out of the question. But realizing the blog was 6 days old, I am now motivated.
We named our son Gedaliah Zahariah after Seth’s grandfathers. Grandpa Herman, Seth’s paternal grandfather, was named Chanan Gedaliah in Hebrew. (I think Seth looks like him, tall, broad and handsome.) He grew up as an orphan but family was very important to him. After meeting his wife Sarah, for whom Seth is named, he worked two jobs to keep his family well cared for and loved nothing more than rolling around on the floor playing with his kids and eventually his grandchildren.
The name Zachariah comes from Seth’s maternal grandfather. I was fortunate enough to have known Grandpa Sig for almost 6 years. He was an amazing gentleman who lived for his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He went to every simcha he was available for whether it was a bris, graduation, college production, or just a family dinner. He was a great story teller and we loved to hear his stories, even asking him to retell a particular one over and over again.
Seth gave his d’var torah connecting what I mentioned above to the last lines of Megillat Esther where Mordechai is given accolades and each one is considered more important then the last. The last being “he was on good terms with his children.” As we all know, good relationships are hard to maintain even between a parent and child. For the megillah to acknowledge that this feat was the most important accomplishment Mordechai achieved, proves to us just how important that accomplishment is. Both of Gedaliah’s great-grandfathers achieved that goal. They both put family and loved ones first and it was reciprocated. We can only hope our Gedaliah Zahariah will grow up to do the same.
As you can see in the pictures, we had a whole bunch of family come in. We were so happy that those who were able to join us did. Seth’s brothers, David and Jon, came in from Chicago. Jon even drove down with his wife, Sue, and their four kids even knowing that it would result (because of previously planned business obligations) in the kids missing an entire week of school. Seth’s Uncle Michael and Aunt Norma came in from Dix HIlls, NY for a 24 hour whirlwind visit and we couldn’t have done the bris without them. Uncle Michael and his GPS became our airport shuttle service. I think he was at the airport 4 times within his 24 hours in KC. Meanwhile, Aunt Norma was with my mom-in-law setting up and buying for the bris and she even took my kids miniature golfing. My sister, Ramona, came in on Sunday and was nice enough to be wiling to stay until Wednesday morning even though she had to leave my house at 4:30 am so that she could still make it back to NY in time for a half day at work. And as every new mom with older kids knows, every morning that you have help getting the older kids dressed and out to school and/or putting them in showers and into bed, is the biggest help a new mom can have. My brother, Ben, was also able to come in. He and Ramona picked my kids up from school and played with them all Monday afternoon. I now have great memories of my kids playing basketball with my brother in my driveway. Plus, he brought me a new pump pot hot water urn as a baby present.
Gedaliah’s brother and sisters are taking his presence pretty well. We named him “Pickle” until his bris so that we were able to call him something besides “Baby”. (When he is all swaddled up, he looks like a pickle.) Shifra asked me this morning if it was OK if she still called him Pickle. I said yes. I figure it will be a good on-line name for him when he’s older. Shifra loves to help me with him any way she can- giving him his pacifier or handing me a diaper. Shoshana and Hillel haven’t had as much time with him but holding the baby was a new game in the early days, Now, as day 9 ends, it’s no big deal.
Unfortunately, life goes on and bills aren’t going to pay themselves. Let’s see if I’m still awake tomorrow to blog any more or if I have to rely on Seth again.