Jerusalem Judds: Arrival

Thinking of loved ones back home and our fun and busy summer!

Thursday 8/15/19 We left for Jerusalem in the afternoon and arrived Friday around dinner time. Our flight were fine; I didn't sleep much, but that's to be expected. The tradition is that when the plane touches down in Tel Aviv, everyone applauds, but just then I felt a wave of homesickness for my three sweet daughters in Utah, so I was clapping and crying at the same time!

The director of the Jerusalem Center, Eran Hayet met us at the airport with his daugher Hadas, who is Lisa's age. This was a very kind gesture that made us feel very special. (Especially later on when we were the welcoming committee for others and realized how tiring it can be to wait in the airport for up to an hour on your feet!) We and all our luggage made it back to the Jerusalem Center, which instantly felt like we never left! I keep feeling like I am in a dream here, and then the next instant it feels like the intervening 2 years in Utah were just a dream.

We spoke for about 15 minutes with the Skinners, whom we are replacing. Then we stayed in a different apartment for a few days while our real apartment was being prepared. The temporary apartment was very nice and updated. It had a mini-fridge and microwave, so we ate pita and veggies and yogurt for a few days. We arrived in plum season, yay!

The next day was Saturday, Sabbath. It was amazing as always. Taking the sacrament and singing hymns about Jesus Christ really make the Holy Land feel holy to me. Our friends John and Heather Howell are here with 4 of their 5 sons, and they all bike to church every week as well as lead and teach in the branch. We were delighted to see Sahar Qumsiyeh visiting our branch from Idaho. She was the Relief Society president when we first came to Jerusalem 9 years ago and a dear friend and now author.

I ate lunch with Sahar and our friend Raghad, then enjoyed a nice potluck hosted by the four service couples from the center: the Lifferths, Hiltons, Earnshaws, and Morrisons. These couples do so much to make us and the students feel comfortable here as well as coordinate outreach and tours of the building.

8/20/19 We settled in to our real apartment on Monday night, and we welcomed the rest of the team on Tuesday. The Belnaps, Pierces, and Properzis arrived from Utah, Ashkelon, and Italy, and we are all sorting out apartments and measuring cups and new phones this week.

Amanda got to practice on the amazing organ today. She is very motivated to play the beautiful organ here, and maybe she will have the chance to play in church in a few months. We had a google hangout with the kids back home on the weekend, and that helped a lot to see that they are doing okay.

8/23/19 We went to Palmahim beach for the afternoon with the Belnaps, and we enjoyed bobbing with the warm waves. We stopped at McDonalds on the way back, where the choices were mini-burgers or huge burgers. And you could choose either chicken nuggets or corn schnitzel, with traditional chopped cucumber salad on the side.

Thursday we had a new student Orientation at the Anglican School, then we went to the Mehane Yehuda Shuk, a busy, covered street market. Sunday, which is like a Saturday, we visited the Citadel of David for some amazing views and an overview of thousands of years of history.
It must be more humid here because we are all looking a little extra glamorous!

Emily's teacher from three years ago just happened to spot us as we were walking by and ran over to say hello! What are the chances?

8/28/19 Everything is fine here, the girls started school 2 days ago, and they each have a few classmates they knew from before. They ride a shuttle to school with the other 9 students from the center, for a total of 11! Amanda has been helpful in monitoring behavior on the bus and keeping track of booster seats for little ones. Both Amanda and Emily have been zooming through the books in the kids library here. They are waiting anxiously for the school library to open, but that may not happen for weeks.