There are days when I am exhausted and feel like I am being pulled in SO many directions at once.
Last weekend, I had the opportunity to get away to Door County with my dad, my kids, my sister and her family, and it was very much needed. I really hadn’t been away for an actual vacation since my mom passed away. I had just been in Minneapolis, so part of me actually questioned whether I should go away again so soon — but Minneapolis was definitely not a vacation.
I am so glad I went.
It is hard for me to shut things off, so to speak. There is always something happening with Mosaic, something to answer, something to plan, someone who needs something, or something I’m thinking about for the next day. But this weekend I actually got to just be for a little while.
I did a puzzle with a bunch of my family. We walked into town. We hung out. I relaxed. I let go a little.
Of course, it was bittersweet being there without my mom. Those moments are still hard. But I am so grateful we had the time together.
Then I drove home, and I was just tired.
I did a little work, because apparently I’m not capable of completely stopping, but mostly I wanted to crawl into bed. And even today, I’m still dragging a little and definitely missing the luxury of sleeping ten hours a night and relaxing!
Then I opened my email.
And there was this note from Leah:
“I desperately was trying to engage my toddler in an activity while he was sick last weekend and wouldn’t sit still, so on a whim I ended up trying to make cinnamon rolls with your challah dough and they turned out PERFECTLY.
So delicious and really quite easy since you guys did the dough already. It was a big hit with our little Ian and he enjoyed rolling the dough, helping spread the filling, helping mom cut, and checking in on the dough in the oven.”
And suddenly, it brought me right back to why I do all of this.
It isn’t really just about catering food.
It is about being part of people’s family time.
Sometimes it’s a wedding, a Bat Mitzvah, a bris or another huge celebration. Sometimes it’s a holiday dinner surrounded by family. And sometimes it’s a mom trying to entertain her sick toddler on a weekend and discovering that a bag of Mosaic challah dough can turn into cinnamon rolls and a really sweet memory together.
I love that.
And then, in very typical Mosaic fashion, the rest of my day continued in about twelve different directions.
I worked the café register. We helped with Men’s Club lunch orders and several other lunch orders. I took a couple of Rosh Hashanah challah orders. I talked to people on the phone about their holiday orders. There were catering questions, café questions, planning questions and everything else that seems to happen at once this time of year.
Rosh Hashanah is coming FAST.
We are doing everything we can to be ready, while also knowing that — as usual — the last-minute orders are going to start rolling in. My biggest goal is making sure my team is prepared and that we can continue saying yes to as many people as reasonably possible.
As we prepare to close out 5786, I’ve also been thinking about what this year has meant.
This Jewish year closes out Mosaic’s first full year in business.
It has been a year of tremendous growth and tremendous change — professionally and personally. There have been exciting moments, really hard moments, new relationships, new challenges, lots of learning and, most importantly, so many connections within our community.
As we head into 5787, my hope is for more growth, but also more balance.
I hope we continue to build Mosaic in a healthy and sustainable way. I hope we continue filling needs within our community. I hope we keep getting invited into your simchas, your holidays and your everyday family moments.
And I hope there are a whole lot more little Ians making cinnamon rolls with challah dough.
Because sometimes an email like Leah’s arrives on exactly the day you need it and reminds you that even in the middle of all the craziness, this is why we do what we do.
Here’s to a sweet, healthy and meaningful 5787 — and to many more memories around the table together.
