I'm grateful for: warm, sunny dry days; packing getting done; visits from friends

Hi again. I'm not here to write an entry as much as trying to read a bit and catch up a bit (hopefully) on where everyone else is at today. A quiet day, shabbos, packing is continuing (not today of course) and we're all largely taking it easy as much as we can. We are all looking forward to tomorrow, when the last week here starts, and we will in theory find out when we can actually have access to our new home. Pray for that, this last minute stuff is very hard on me.

I talked to my sister briefly, and told her I'd sent her some money, and asked for the phone number of a friend who used to teach at IIT. He attended IIT and received a graduate degree from the school without a high school diploma or undergraduate degree, but I want to know a bit more if possible. Havva got an invitation to apply there and she wants to know what I think. What I think? I want her to go to school in Be'er Sheva so she can commute from home, that's what I think. ;-) But I think I'd like to see her go where she is meant to go and do the things Hashem has for her even more. I still want to consult with that friend, though.

Thursday the house was full of people, and it was really quite wonderful. Alina came by and I took photos of her kids. That part was wonderful. And we visited for a little while, but the babies were really overtired and she had to go home, sadly, before Malkie and her family came over (I really want them to meet). Not long after Alina had left, Malkie, Shlomo, Nadiv, Ra'aya and Hadar arrived. We had a wonderful, wonderful visit and the sweetest thing was that as they were leaving, Malkie gave me a hug and said "Your the best." I don't know what prompted that, but oh, it warms my heart to hear it. Not the sort of thing I've been used to hearing for most of my life.

Malkie & family stayed for supper, and we talked fiber and parenting - she's an administrator on a Jewish Attachment Prenting site - sort of my accident. My kids asked me what 'attachment parenting' is. I said, the way I reared you? That's what they now call attachment parenting. Mostly true, too, although it seems to be more about earthy/crunchies than about AP for many (most?) these days. Not my problem. I can't remember it all, but it was so wonderful, I only wish we could do it more often...

After they left that wasn't the end of it, though. John and I and Hans drove to Alina's home, where we picked up Aline and David (her husband), and the 6mo old twins and Hans was dropped off to babysit Shmuli. We drove them to visit some people we know in Ra'anana, but we didn't stay. John and I did our shopping, then picked them all up and drove them home again, having a really nice visit in the car. The people Alina and David visited are not friends of ours, or people we really care for, but hey, you can't like everyone. Okay, at least I can't. But they seem to have had a wonderful time, and a great day was had by all.

Yesterday, Friday, John and I and Eliyahu and Simcha got up very early to go to the shuk, and then to pick up Havva from the train station. She ended up having guard duty, for the second time in a week, Thursday night. Other than the fact that I was dragging and a vegetable for the rest of the day, it was a wonderful day. Much packing was accomplished, I almost finished Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban from the tapes, and got a bit of knitting done. And some money stuff.

We watched what was supposed to be a slapstick comedy, Made In Israel. It wasn't exactly slapstick, but there were certainly laughing-out-loud moments and it was a lot of fun. It also had some serious and touching moments, and was quite confusing. We all agreed that strange and confusing Israeli movies are more fun (for us) than strange and confusing English language movies. The Squid and the Whale comes to mind, which was the most recent strange and confusing movie we've seen.

And John read aloud to us all. The Fabulous Earthworm Deal (does anyone other than me know that book?) for Eliyahu, Eight Cousins for Simcha and The H.M.S. Electra for me. He actually read to me while I was lying in bed before falling asleep. It may well have been the nicest and most loving thing John has ever done for me. I wonder if I should tell him that? Past history has been that if I did tell him something like that he would never do it again. But, perhaps things have changed enough now? I'm willing to keep an open mind.

Anyway, I had meant not to write but to read, and instead my need to communicate has taken over my fingers and my mind. I may come back and write more, but I am off to see what's been happening with all of you. I hope it's been wonderful.

I'm listening to the children shouting and laughing and calling and giggling downstairs, I think playing with the dogs.

:: Yesterdays : Tomorrows ::

~~~Last Five Entries~~~
Hi and goodbye - 2010-10-15
I'll be moving on - 2010-10-10
Gold membership and stuff - 2010-10-10
Decisions, decisions - 2010-10-07
Days to go - 2010-10-06