My work on Earth is now complete

This morning I came back from running an errand to find....Rachel playing with the Jewish girl doll that Tia Daniella, Valerie and Jojo gave her for her birthday (Rachel has named her "Sophie Jewish."). Rachel was on the living room carpet taking Sophie through the Sabbat service. They were, according to Rachel, playing "Shabbat on the Plaza in Africa." (Not sure where the Africa reference comes from).

Anyway...Rachel cut up the pretend challah, poured the pretend wine, and aid a near-perfect Shabbat blessing. I was so proud of her, I had tears in my eyes. She was simultaneously playing with Sophie AND explaining to her the order of the service. Like I said above, my work on Earth is now complete!

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We had a lovely time at a party tonight for a friend of mine from chorus, Von, who turned 65 last month but only this month had time for a party. I love it that Rachel is growing up thinking it's completely normal for a quartet of women at a party to suddenly gather together and break out into song. Rachel spent most of the time running "races" back and forth across Von's large garden, and snuggling up to Deni whom she has decided she loves very much. I could tell Deni was very touched to have an adorable little girl tell her how much she loves her, and Deni's husband Coop good-naturedly ran a couple of races against Rachel. Deni and Coop have grandkids, but they're boys and heading into adolescence. I like to think that Rachel is the granddaughter they'll never have.