Bachelorette Party

Last night I celebrated my last night as a non-Jew with breakfast-for-dinner at our friend C's house. It wasn't planned around me or necessarily supposed to be about me in any way. We had just had dinner plans and then actually planned to study more of our Talmud handout while we were all together. But of course it did end up being the night before my conversion, and being both a very sentimental and a very joyful person, it quickly became my own secret celebration. I was very aware of my last sunset as a non-Jew, my last supper, etc. (This also enlightened me to the fact that I will probably be overjoyed at many "firsts" in this next year or so!)

What a perfect way to unofficially celebrate. We have connected so solidly to C, from the first time we actually had a conversation with her a couple months ago (we had seen her around temple for over a year but had never spoken), and she is just an amazing person. And she only lives six minutes from us!!! I can't overstate my happiness with that since I feel like I have no one in Long Island and have to struggle to maintain my old friendships.

She had a very sweet setup when we got there, with a sliced strawberry garnish on each plate and Syrian grilled cheese with small pita triangles on the table as an appetizer while she finished the French toast and the veggie-egg dish. The grilled cheese was Muenster cheese baked in a round glass dish, so that it was flat and melty with browned edges, and you scoop some into the pitas. AMAZING. She said the first time she had American grilled cheese, she was so confused, because even though she was living here, she'd always had it the way her dad made it.

We always end up having a good mix of fun and intellectual conversation with C. We had a total blast talking about all kinds of random stuff, then also talked about my conversion, her sentiments around it, and the discrimination she has experienced within sectors of the Jewish community for being a Jew of Arab descent.

We stayed way too late, and I got up way too early this morning with a bit of a nervous-sick stomach (wedding day flashback). I'm relaxing now and doing something familiar and soothing - writing! - before I start my mikvah preparations. It isn't helping, but it is what it is. Even my body feels the significance of this day!