Yes, we have arrived! Our flight to Jerusalem left Salt Lake at 11:00 am on Wednesday, December 28th. However, by noon on Tuesday, our bags were packed and we were MORE than ready to be gone! [The little sticky-notes on top show how much the bags weigh]

 

The only thing left in the closet - my shirt for the flight.

 

Here we are at the airport  

 

Apparently, checking in was too much for Kent  

 

He poses really well, doesn't he??

 
We arrived at the Center around 4:30 or so. Since it was vacation time - there were just a few people around. But, our apartment was ready and waiting.

food enough to get us started 



Treats from the Ohmans - with a cute little note attached:

We spent the evening visiting with the Ohmans and unpacking -- trying to stay awake until bedtime. We also had a surprise visit from our friends, Kirk and Lyn Belnap. They've been touring around Israel during the Christmas break and staying in the Center! It was so fun to see them - and so unexpected.

The next morning we went for a walk around the block. When you come out of the front gate of the Center, there is a small road off to the right that goes to a Yeshiva [a Jewish rabbinical school]. This stairway comes off of that street. The home on my right is Palestinian [Arab].

We live in a Palestinian [Arab] neighborhood, but there are several Israeli settlements that have gone up in the middle of it. This is another one going up just down below the steps in the former picture.

We got to see a few more people that day. Some of the security, office staff, and maintenance people. Everyone seems genuinely glad to have us back! The welcome has been very sweet.
Saturday was the Sabbath - we worried about staying awake! More happy reunions and a lovely day. It feels almost as though we never left -- except for the jet lag, AND the sleeping pills and Coke ingested to get over the jet lag! Poor Kent is especially suffering - he hardly ever uses stuff like this. Me - if I can sleep with a pill and stay awake with a diet Coke - bring it on! :)

Monday we both had work to do - the students arrive in a few days. We did, however, take a trip to change money and actually found a place to park so we walked on into the Old City. :)

 This bread is the best! Especially if you dip it in the Zatar - a really good spice mix.

 

 

Hah - just so you know how sweet and syrupy these pastries are - I dropped my glasses as I was getting out my camera. Kent picked them up for me and he and they were both a sticky mess. We had to buy some baby wipes at a shop down the street to clean them both up! :)

 

It is both hard to believe we are back, and totally normal to be here. We miss all of you at home, though!

The Week of Christmas

This past week has been such a swirl of emotions! One minute I'm smiling and thinking excitedly about being in Jerusalem and the next I'm already homesick and missing people here. Especially my grand kids! I went to the Robins & Tuomisto school Christmas program. The pictures aren't great because I was sitting back aways from the stage but:

This is Aspen - she was Cindy Lou Who. I loved her little Cindy Lou Who voice!

These are the "best friend" cousins, Lexi and Haley. Singing Feliz Navidad.

This is Lexi's twin brother, Crash doing the actions

This is Ethan [Haley's and Aspen's brother] singing his heart out

This week was also my birthday, and I got phone calls and texts from siblings and kids all day long! It was SO fun! Then, even though we had already celebrated together, my girls took me to dinner. Being with them was the best gift they could give me but then they also gave me a Kindle - I can't tell you how excited I am about that!! :)

Kent and I had Thai food and saw the new Mission Impossible movie! Great birthday - thanks everyone!!!

[I just realized what I wrote - these 2 celebrations took place over 2 different days. No, I did NOT eat 2 dinners in one evening!]

Then came Christmas Eve. We were missing a few family members - but got to talk to most of them on the phone, at least. What a wonderful family we've been blessed with! It was bitter sweet for me, knowing we'll be gone in a few days yet loving being with them all so much! We've even got the family pets in the picture. ;)

Grandpa usually hands out the presents:

Today, Christmas day, was also wonderful. Being able to go to church, made Christmas even better - and Kent was one of the speakers for the program we had. :) My favorite gifts?

A Jackson family picture calendar, made by Kent

and these sweet angels [also from Kent] - look how beautiful their faces are!

The word "Angels" has a whole new meaning to me now and I fell in love with these the minute I saw them. They represent ALL of the angels in my life! I feel very blessed, lucky, and in my Heavenly Father's debt! I hope all of you had as wonderful a Christmas as I did! :)

Jackson Danger with Bailee Blue " Cry of a Tiny Babe " by Bruce Cockburn

Not to be an adoring grandma or anything [ ;) ] but this is my 12-year old grandson, Jackson, singing with another voice student, Bailee. They sang this in Sacrament meeting yesterday! I hope you enjoy it.

Parties, Parties, Parties

This week has been a fun one.

Monday night [12th] I got to have dinner with some of my favorite girls' camp people - and did I take a picture??!!!! I am so dead. ;) Nevertheless we all had a great visit and ate delicious food at Milagros. I love you Glenna Padfield, Val Close, Cheryl Johnson, and Marilyn Barlow.

Tuesday [13th] Kent and I, Sarah, Becky, Dwight, and 4 of the grandchildren went to see A Christmas Carol at the Hale Center Theater. So glad to have the "old" Scrooge back - he is amazing!!! Great time was had by most. Especially when the Spirit of Christmas Present spoke right to Crash on the front row!! :)

Thursday [15th] was our son Alex's birthday! Can't believe he is 29 - aaagh - I'm old! We love you, Alex!!
The evening was spent with some of our dearest friends. We've known each other for 30+ years and have shared many, many happy times. Thank you for the delicious dinner, the laughter, and the love! Penny we really missed you!

Left to right: Celeste & Gordon Galbraith, Us, Charly & Yvonne Harrell, Pam Hassinger [Floyd is taking the picture. Look how beautiful the whole setting is - and the backyard looked like some magical Christmas village - thanks Pam and Floyd!

They are singing Happy Birthday to me. Look at the beautiful torte!!

You can probably guess what I wished for. :)

Friday [16th] I had my last follow-up visit with my oncologist, here in the States. He gave me 2 copies of his notes on me to pass onto the oncologist in Jerusalem and wished me well.
[I wonder how many years it will be before I'm not scared of it coming back anymore?]

Saturday [17th] My friend Jo Ann Clifton hosted a luncheon for a few of us. It was so lovely. The table looked amazing, the food was scrumptious [who knew waffles with peanut butter and syrup could be SO good!!], and the company was wonderful. Thank you to Judy and Brian Clifton for doing all the work, and waiting tables so we ladies could visit!

Left to right - Jo Ann Clifton, Janice Green, JoLynn Miner, Me, Barbara Colter, Karen Strange

All such good, good women - thanks for sharing part of your Saturday!

It has been an awesome week - and now we only have 11 days? until we fly out!

Moving on

As you've noticed - I've changed the name on the blog. We are going back and not looking back. I've donated wigs to the cancer center, returned scarves and hats to wonderful friends, and buried deep all the booklets, papers etc. that I've collected over the past 9 months. Whenever I see something that needs to go with us - I drop it in one of five suitcases. Are we completely ready to fly out? No - there are things we need to use/wear between now and then. Are we close? Yes. This is what our bedroom looks like:

And this is what my stomach feels like:


These are all of the over-the-counter pills we need to take with us. I'm still waiting for the prescriptions to be delivered - YIKES!!

Sleeve

Since I've talked about wearing a sleeve when I fly, I've decided to show you how I put it on:

Step one - take the white, slippery sleeve and put it on my arm

Step 2 - Pull the sleeve on over the slippery one

Step 3 - Use the pink glove to help slide the sleeve all the way up and get all of the wrinkles out

Step 4 - Attach the green loop on the end of the slippery sleeve, over a door knob
and pull it off

Step 5 - Put on the compression glove

Ta da!!

Aloha 7

Sunday was our last day in Kona. We had breakfast at the hotel, as usual.


We had packed the night before, so we wandered around the hotel grounds. The eating area is a deck that overlooks the bay. During the day the tide fills up this area and it is full of beautiful fish and turtles - so we watched those for awhile.

This was some kind of floating platform with chairs and shade & water toys

Then we walked through the gardens. We saw some beautiful flowers and cool birds! I realize that I am wearing a different top than in the breakfast picture. The bird walk was a different day from the flower walk. :)


That is how we spent the morning. Then we changed for Sacrament meeting and checked out of our room.
The church is right by the temple - so we had no problem finding it. It was a nice meeting. We changed our clothes and stuffed things in the trunk so we could go wander the down-town area until our flight left.

One Sunday a month, the town closes off the street and they have a street fair. We happened to be there on the right Sunday. It was really fun. We found a perfect parking place that was right off of the walking street.

There were booths of jewelry, clothes, lots of food, art etc.

Right behind Kent's head is a dunking booth.

There were some entertainers

We bought some delicious shaved ice - which was great because it was pretty hot and humid walking around.

This guy was making hats!

Kent's favorite part was this old church

It took about 15 minutes to drive to the airport and drop off the car. Then we just hung out at the airport. The nice thing about airports in Hawaii - they are open-air! :) There was a gymnastic group going to a competition and they were practicing while we all waited - kind of fun entertainment.

This airport didn't have one of those "x-ray" machines so, of course, I got pulled aside for a pat-down. :(
Our first flight was about 40 minutes long - just back to Honolulu. Shortly after we were in the air, I realized I hadn't put my sleeve on - so I did it right then on the plane. I don't seem to have suffered any ill affects from forgetting!

Since we had more time to wait once we landed in Honolulu - we had dinner there. The flight didn't leave until 10:00 pm. The second I got on the plane I took an Ambien and slept for most of the trip - it was great!!
Boy it was cold getting to our car, but we arrived home safe, sound, and warm! :)

Aloha!