Our minds have stretched themselves to the point of hurting over the past 48 hours since the boys were cleared to eat foods that might be cross-contaminated, as realizations of things that are now possible come into focus, one at a time. It’s been interesting to hear from friends and family these past few days regarding what their first “Now you can…!” is, giving us a window into the parts of our lives that they believe was most oppressive or the things that most impacted their lives. For us, we didn’t even think about what we were missing most of the time because we were so used to it, so this has been eye opening. My mom was excited that she can now serve chocolate after meals at her home, and that she can use her favorite Trader Joe’s items when she has us for dinner. (Many of Trader Joe’s items are made in facilities that also process nuts, so were off limits. No more.) Orr was excited that he can finally buy fresh breads for the house, so he went and bought two different, interesting loaves today. We’ve been making our way through them quickly! (For those of you who are thinking, wait, isn’t it still Passover? Yes, it is, but we decided to bring our observance of it to a close early. Not to be over dramatic, but we feel that we are experiencing a “coming out” to freedom of sorts, so this is our Passover observance this year. Next year we will go back to matzah.)
One friend, after hearing our news, pointed out that we can now leave our house on the weekend, for a day of doing whatever one does on the weekend, without having to pack a huge cooler bag full of food. This was one of those things that we never even though about, but – I’ve heard – other people just leave their home when they want to go out, and get food wherever they are. Intriguing. As tempting as it sounds, I’m actually getting a little anxious just writing about the idea of leaving the house so naked, and might have to ease into that one slowly. Other friends invited us over for lunches or dinners, feeling comfortable now to do so. We are acutely aware of the stress that can come with thinking one wrongly placed spatula could send our kids into anaphylaxis, and we’re just grateful now that the fear is lifting for all of us, and that doors are (literally and figuratively) opening.
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Today the kids were off from school, and Orr decided to take them to a bakery for the first time to let them choose whatever they wanted. (Wishing wall item #2: check!). Sticking close to their food-based personalities, Aviv chose an old, recognizable favorite - blueberry muffin - and Ari chose a chocolate croissant because it sounded interesting. Ari is one of those rare kids that really, really likes foods, and has always been adventurous in that area, eager to try new foods and sample new tastes. (Lucky for him, he has a dad who likes to cook delicious foods…) So for Ari, discovering a new texture, flavor, and food experience is exciting. As Ari savored his croissant, Orr asked him if it was good. Ari replied, “it’s not just good, it’s amazing! I have never had anything like it.” It then occurred to Orr that Ari was right – he never has had anything like it. Of the many delicious treats that Orr bakes, croissants are not one of them, and since the kids have primarily only had baked goods that Orr makes, Ari has never experienced one. Ari sat and ate his croissant quietly, just enjoying the moment and those first bites of flakey, buttery goodness. It’s not often that you get to watch someone truly savor a new experience so completely, and certainly not one that you tend to take for granted, like the existence of a fresh pastry. These are the small things that seem so simple, but run deep. When they were done, Orr bought fresh bread to take home, which Aviv wanted to try. (New forms of carbs available to them? He’s in.) After eating a slice of fresh sourdough polenta bread, spread thick with butter, Aviv commented on how good the bread tasted. (“D-lacious!” is the word he has coined, which is a step up from 'delicious'.) They discussed how bread tastes best in the first few hours after baking, and that all the breads Aviv has eaten previously (with the exception of the weekly chocolate chip Challah that Orr makes) were large-factory breads and not fresh out-of-the-oven breads, because those were the breads that we could be sure were safe. Hopefully those factory days are over and we are off to a fresh (bread) start.
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