I awoke at 1:30 in the morning and just let the adrenaline surge through my body till 4:00 after which I miraculously fell back to sleep.  It's that awful checklist, plus now that it's down to the wire, things like will I remember everyone's names, let alone their kids who I hardly see; will Ben and Rob's paisley print ties get wrinkled in the Norstrom's bag or should I have hung them; might the leg makeup I bought at Sapphora's to cover those bright red mosquito bites and black and blue bruises from scratching to death, begin running down my leg just as I approach the bima?

But as I'm sitting here typing this morning I know that mostly everything is done, to just to let it roll and go with it.  Still,  just yesterday the president of the temple e-mailed me with a request to write something about Ben for his congratulation speech at the conclusion of the Bar Mitzvah.  Did I overdo it with the bright kid, good in math, stuff.  Did I really need to say he's in honor's math.  Put a muzzle on it Sender.  So today I wrote him asking him to send me back what he might be saying for my review.

If I can count this morning's minyan as 1/3 of the Bar Mitzvah, I'd be content.  It went so well, the congregation were such menches, so sweet.  The rabbi was wonderful, focusing entirely on Ben, guiding him, whispering in his ear the entire service.   There were only around 20 people there, I did an aliya, and mostly without nerves! Ben and the white-haired men, some in suits, some in sneakers, strapping the black leather tefillin around their far heads and wrists.  I was so proud, everyone congratulating me.  And despite Ben's rebelliousness to many things Jewish, his questioning of the process, his digging in his heels, today it can not be denied, he is officially a jew!

I'm just hoping tomorrow night, the Friday night service goes this well, I sort of think it will.  It's like now I'm floating along, I've done all the work, and how I'm on this magic carpet with Ben and Rob with the wind under me.  I can do no wrong, we are blessed.