YP Life

With a bag of chia seeds in my left hand, my keys and cream colored gloves in the other, I pushed open our front door.

“Robert!” I called out. Letting him know I was home. No answer. “Robert!” I screamed again. That’s when I saw it. Our small wooden table placed strategically in the doorway. It had a single card standing up on it. My heart fluttered. The beautiful orange, Autumn sunset was peaking through the windows behind the table making it glow in the most romantic way. I dropped everything I was holding, walked over to the table and picked up the card. My hands were shaking, my heart was beating fast and my mind was just in heaven.

The first thing I noticed was Robert’s handwriting all over it. He covered every inch of the card. It felt so genuine, so personal that even before I actually began to read what he wrote, big, fat happy tears fell down my face. I took a deep breath in and started to read. As I soaked up each and every one of his words, I couldn’t help but fall completely in love with him all over again. His kindness, his thoughtfulness, his honesty just swept me off my feet. I literally was weak in the knees.

At the bottom of the card Robert wrote,”Meet me on the dam, you’ll never guess what’s going to happen!” I was laughing, I was crying, I had mascara running down my face, but I didn’t care. I didn’t even try to pull myself together, all I wanted to do was see Robert.

I placed the card back down on the table and opened the door to our backyard. There he was, the man I loved with every fiber of my being, sitting on the far side of the dam, looking at our house waiting for me. When I saw him, I just started to run full force. It wasn’t pretty and it definitely wasn’t cute. I ran across the deck and through the trees, I hopped over the creek and jumped onto the dam. I couldn’t get to him fast enough. As I was running my heart out, Robert was smiling and casually walking across the dam (very telling of who we both are). The second I was within a foot of Robert, I leaped into his arms. I never wanted to let go. He spun me around, put me down and then got down on one knee.

It was everything I could have wanted and nothing I expected. Nothing could make me happier than spending my life with you Robert Goldberg.

“I can’t wait to have more than one closet! We need to move!” I pronounced for the dozenth time that week as I handed Robert his coffee.

“Why haven’t you found us a lake house yet?” he said, half joking, half seriously, as he walked out the front door of our one bedroom row-home in Philadelphia.

“Fine, I will look today!” I said, with a twinge of guilt. I mean let’s be real, I clearly haven’t looked at all.

“Sure you will” he said with zero confidence in my words. He clicked his car key to unlock the door, looked at me with a smile and headed towards his car.

I was determined. I know he was joking. I know he really didn’t expect me to find anything, but I was determined to actually help Rob look for a house… or, at least try!

I opened my laptop, clicked on Google and sat there.

What do I even search? Hmmm… let’s try “lake houses near me.”

A Zillow link popped up. This looks pretty cool I thought as I watched the real-estate video. And it seems to be in our budget… I think. Within seconds I sent the link to Robert and texted him “Look at this!” I closed Zillow and began to work.

Two hours later Rob called.

“So, we are going to see the house on Friday!” he said even before uttering any kind of hello. I just kinda stared at my phone.

“Wait. What? What house?!”

“The house you sent me!”

“You aren’t serious!?!”

“YES! It looks great! Let’s just go check it out.”

“What? You have to be joking!” He didn’t say anything. “Ok Robert! I mean if you really want to we can go check it out!”

As we drove the 35 minutes from Philadelphia to Medford Lakes that Friday I truly was in awe of what was going on. I mean this just isn’t happening. I couldn’t believe that we were actually looking at this house that I found within the first minute of searching. I couldn’t believe that we were really thinking about moving out of Philadelphia. And I really couldn’t believe we were actually considering becoming “lakers.” It just didn’t make sense.

But then I saw it. I saw the house that just felt so right. As we made our way up the drive way my smile grew wider and wider. It just felt so right. I looked over at Robert’s expression and I could see it in his eyes; this was our new home. Now we just needed to buy it…

I never thought I would appreciate kickboxing this much…

I never thought I would be able to tell the difference between a push kick and a snap kick or how to execute the perfect elbow. Honestly, I never really thought I would care.

From the first moment I met Robert, I knew that martial arts was now going to be a part of my life. I knew I would spend hours and hours watching MMA fights or going on romantic nights out to Jiujitsu matches at the South Philly, 2400 Arena. I knew that I would find myself staying up to 1 am whenever there was a pay-per-view on in a different country. I knew I had to learn to appreciate it, but I never thought I would actually enjoy practicing Martial Arts myself.

Yet, here I am, quarantined, like the rest of the world, turning to Google instead of the gym to keep my body moving. And I am shocked, to find myself obsessing over the amazing kickboxing workouts I discovered on Youtube. Not just because of the amazing cardio, but because of the technique, the beauty and the precision that goes into each punch and every kick. The mindfulness you need in every movement that makes a 45 minute work out feel like 5 minutes. And the power that you use in every combo that makes you feel like you are stronger than ever.

I know that these kickboxing workouts are just a fun way to get an insane amount of cardio in, and I know that what I am doing in my bedroom is nothing like actual Martial Arts, but now, every time Robert turns on a match, I will be able to tell the difference between a push kick and a snap kick. I will be able to admire the perfect precision of an elbow and I will be able to truly appreciate the beauty and art in every move.

I don’t think Robert has ever been this happy : )

I forgot. I am embarrassed to admit it, but I forgot. I forgot what it feels like to have my sisters there with me every single day. I forgot what it sounds like to live my life along side them and share anything and everything that comes to mind. I forgot how much I counted on them. How much I need them. How much I look up to them. I may have taken a different path in life. I may not be exactly like them. But I admire their hearts, their minds and their kindness and they have never once made me feel like I didn’t belong.

My sisters. My two beautiful sisters. They are the best people I will ever know. From the way they love their children, to the way they communicate with their husbands and all the way to their thirst for knowledge and learning. My sisters are my moral compass and I don’t think they even realize how their goodness and strength influences me every day.

Over the last two weeks, I basically lived at their houses. I was in Israel, alone, but I was never really alone and in the first time in my adult life, it felt like I had family right where I was. I didn’t have to get into a car and drive two hours, I didn’t have to run off to work or stay in a different apartment. They took me in for two weeks and I got to be a part of it all. I saw the chaos in the morning of getting five kids off to school, the calmness of the afternoon when they quickly got things done and right back to the craziness of homework, dinner and dance parties. In other words, my sisters are both an awesome combination of the energizer bunny and real life super-heroes. Somehow they do it all and still had time to check in with their baby sister.

It brought me back to a time where we all lived under the same roof. Where we would come up with Ritz commercial ads and try to sell it, slide down the stairs and call in Mattress Mountain and even bake brownies and cookies every Friday for Shabbat (Sabbath) dinner. It is easy with them to just be myself. They accept me and love me unconditionally. They support me and I try with all my heart to do the same for them.

As I waved goodbye to them on Saturday night with a backpack on each shoulder and my huge pink, rolling luggage trailing behind me, I couldn’t believe how quickly this visit came and went. I was struck with the overwhelming understanding of how lucky I am to have the best sisters a girl could ask for. No matter what happens in my life, I know I have them and that’s something I will always be thankful for.

“I am going to be a food photographer” I assured myself as I sat on i95 on the way back to Western Mass. “That’s what I want… Right?” I sighed. I couldn’t help it. I’ve spent the last 10 months putting all of my time, energy and heart into becoming the best food photographer possible. My entire student portfolio, business plan and marketing strategy were based solely on food photography and I just couldn’t change the plan now. I just couldn’t.

As the New Jersey Turnpike traffic came to a halt, my mind went back to that afternoon. There I was, mopping the kitchen of the Philadelphia Food Photography Studio I was interning at four times a week, minding my own business when all of a sudden I hear, “Yael!” The head of the studio screamed” As he approached the kitchen, he held out his hand “Clean this spoon! We need it on set in 30 seconds! Hurry!”

As I rushed to the sink to clean the spoon as quickly and as well as possible, my phone vibrated in my back pocket. “Where is that spoon!” I turned off the faucet and grabbed a clean towel so I could dry and walk towards the set. “YAEL!”

“Here it is!”

“Try to be faster next time, we can’t be waiting all day for things as silly as spoons”

As I went back to the kitchen, I felt my shoulders drop, I was only four weeks into my internship and I already felt defeated. Is this really what I wanted to do with my life? Did I really go back to school to end up here? I felt my phone vibrate again. Maybe it’s Robert! It wasn’t, but it was a text message that changed my life forever.

“Yael, No words can describe how incredible these photos are. I cry every time I look at them! We haven’t had family photos done in over 10 years and I just can’t believe how beautiful we all look. I am speechless! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!”

My heart was singing. I couldn’t believe it. I couldn’t believe how much my work impacted this woman and her family. I couldn’t believe that I could make someone that happy through my photography! My passion! I felt a rush of happiness, pride and excitement! I was smiling uncontrollably and almost forgot where I was.

“Yael! We need bread!!” reality came crashing back. I put my phone back in my pocket and grabbed the loaf of bread.

HONK HONK! Traffic started moving again. The closer I got to Western Mass, the more it became so incredibly clear… I wanted to be a portrait and wedding photographer. I wanted to impact families. I wanted to capture love. I wanted to make a difference. By the time I reached my driveway in Greenfield Massachusetts, I knew exactly what I had to do. First thing tomorrow, I need to talk to Richard Barns.

Missed Part I – IV?? Check it out below!

How it All Began Part I

How it All Began Part II

How it All Began Part III

How it All Began Part IV

“Let’s get a dog”

“We don’t have dog time or dog money.”

“I know but I still want a dog”

This is a conversation Robert and I have on a daily bases, and no I am not exaggerating, literally every day.

It’s funny, growing up I never wanted a dog. I had no interest. My parents really don’t like animals and the largest pet we ever had was a hamster. It bit me and my mom gave it to my second grade class. That’s it. That’s all I got.

But then came Ziggy Goldberg. Robert’s family Shitzu and everything changed. Now, I find myself looking up “Philly Puppy Adoptions” for hours on end, I search “Why entrepreneurs should have dogs” and send the articles to Robert as much as possible. Most importantly I find myself madly in love with an 8 week old Bulldog named Wilbur.

“Robert, I found our dog!” I said as soon as he picked up the phone “He’s only three hours away!” Robert laughed. “$3,000 isn’t too much right?” He laughed again. I sighed, maybe Wilbur isn’t meant to be, but one day, Robert and I will have a dog and I sincerely cannot wait!

I am officially a dog person to the Nth degree and truthfully, I wouldn’t have it any other way. Now that I think of it, when I was younger I always wanted to be a dog person and now, I really am.

The only thing left to do is convince Robert it’s time…. Who can help?!

I’m not the yoga type. I’m really not. I’ve always been the High Intensity Cardio kind of gal. The idea of breathing deeply in a warrior pose with my eyes closed really didn’t interest me. I like when my heart rate sky rockets and my feet are going nearly as fast as my mind. I love the feeling of pushing through the work out no matter what. And I love how accomplished I feel at the end of a really good HIIT routine.

Yet, here I am, committing to myself (and all of you), to do a Thirty Day Yoga Challenge! Don’t get me wrong, I’ll be doing my normal HIIT or weightlifting routine each and every day, but this month, I want to start my morning with a yoga routine.

September and October are going to be the busiest months yet and I want to make sure I enjoy every second of it! I want to start the day relaxed, refreshed and ready to go. I want my mind to be clear and my heart to be open and I think, if I give yoga a real chance, I might be able to do just that.

So, starting tomorrow, Robert and I will be doing thirty straight days of yoga no matter what! We will be Triangle Posing and Warrior Posing like the best of them. We will be stretching and strengthening our cores, we will be meditating and resting our minds. We will be trying to do everything we can to start each day off on the right foot!

Who wants to join us??!

“Do you want to know where we are going?” I asked as Robert as I looked over at him. He was all dressed up in his gray suite and blue tie looking as sharp as ever. He hopped into the passenger side of my KIA SOUL.

“Nope, just drive and I’ll find out once we get closer.” His boyish grin and smiling eyes made me want to do a little dance. Seeing Robert happy is the best thing in the world and going on vacation with him has flourished into my favorite past time. As we pulled away from the courthouse, I could see the stress of work wash away and the excitement of our road trip settle in.

“Are you sure you want to wait to find out!” I asked Robert impatiently as we hit the Turnpike.

Roberts sense of adventure and calmness is something I deeply admire. Don’t get me wrong, I am always up for an adventure, but Robert has such an incredibly fun, ease about him every time we travel. He enjoys every moment, every view and every activity to the fullest. He loves to see the world, experience other cultures, learn knew things. Going away with him, even for a quick weekend getaway, is pure bliss.

I looked over at Robert, waiting for his response. He shook his head, gave me a sassy look and turned on some music. Five hours later, Robert and I were still jamming and he still had no idea where we were going. I was in shock, I’ve never been very good at keeping secrets from Robert, let alone surprising him! As we drove through the thick New England Fog, I mentally patted myself on the back. I was beyond proud!

“Are we going to Newport, Rhode Island?” He asked as he read the large, green sign on the side of the road. I just grinned like a school girl. “I’ve never even heard of this place!” Robert proclaimed. And with that, all I could do was laugh.

 “Tail!”  Robert yelled as he started running through the tall, unkept grass. 

“What?” I said as I followed.

“TAIL! I saw something with a tail”

OH NO! Robert zipped by me making a path for me to follow, my adrenaline kicked in and I was on the move. As we rushed through the trees and snake holes, I couldn’t help but smile. There is no one else in the world I would rather run through a forest away from danger than with Robert Goldberg. There is no one else I feel safer with. Granted, maybe I should have been a little bit more terrified of the Bobcat, Mountain Lion or whatever other terrifying animal that roams the forests of New Jersey, but I couldn’t help myself, I knew I was with the one person who I could count on. I was with my person.

“So, what would you have done if the Mountain Lion saw us and went after us” I asked as my heart beat slowed down and we stepped onto the clear marked trail. 

“I would have beat him up” I shook my head and laughed. Ladies and gentleman that is Robert for you. Of course he had a plan. Of course he would know what to do in a crisis.

This man continues to amaze me. Robert’s love for adventure and thirst of knowledge is truly inspirational. I am lucky to have someone who gets me up and out from behind the camera and hiking on a Sunday morning. I am lucky to have someone who appreciates the view of the journey instead of only focusing on the destination. I am lucky to have someone who tries to live life to the fullest. I am lucky to have my Robert. 

“Aunt Yael. Do you want to go to the Five Dollar Store with us?!” My six year old niece, Ayelet asked as soon as Rob and I walked in the door. 

“We would love that” I responded. Her face lit up. “Can I get a hug now?!” I asked. She giggled and hopped into my arms. I was in my happy place.

The local Five Below is only a five minute drive from my parents house, but as we got closer and closer, Ayelet’s smile grew bigger and bigger. She tugged me out of the backseat of my sisters minivan and pulled me into the store. All nine of us paused for a second, reveled at what was before us. “Can you believe everything is only five dollars!” Shira, the oldest of the three girls said. They exchanged looks, and then went in. Aisle to aisle, toy to toy. They picked things up. Put them down. They asked questions. Consulted each other. And continued searching though all the treasure. In other words, they were in heaven.

I forgot what it was like to be six years old and have five dollars to spend. Five dollars could buy you everything you ever want. It could buy you a slinky, green slime and even a journal. It could buy you the chalk you love to draw with on a hot summer day, candy that would last you a month and a safe box that could keep all of your favorite possessions secure. Watching my nieces running around Five Below amazed and excited about everything they saw and all that they touched was so sweet and good to the cure. It was a beautiful reminder to be happy with the simple things in life.

As an adult, your five dollars can barely cover your favorite latte or toll across the Benjamin Franklin Bridge. Five dollars can’t even pay for your Netflix subscription or an audiobook but for a six year old, having five dollars is more than enough. Having five dollars is like having a key to everything you could ever ask for.

It’s funny how things go from so simple to so complicated. Granted, I know we all need to pay our rent. Our car insurance doesn’t pay for itself and our student loans will always be on the back of our mind, but every now and then, put that all aside. Take time to look at a five dollar bill from the perspective of a six year old. Take a minute to enjoy the small things in life. Take a second to remember that the simple things are sometimes the best of things.