There and Back Again

The world turned upside down.

I was planning to go home for a week to see my kids and deal with a host of tiny little things that had to be done in person.  I had originally planned to take a week in April to do this, but that break is actually a tiny bit shorter than the break I saw for myself after Greece.  So feeling like this was the time to go, I bought a ticket and left on a Wednesday, with Frank's full support for all the things and connections I hoped to accomplish during this break.

The Sunday after I arrived, we learned during church that Israel and the U.S. attacked Iran, who responded by sending missiles into Israel and other countries.  So my return was delayed for who knows how long.  At first I pushed my flight back a week, then I had to just cancel the return and hope to rebook because no flights were offered.

Here are some photos of the trip and my exploits while in the U.S.  My one-week stay ended up lasting 3 weeks before I was miraculously able to return to Israel and join Frank for what I thought was either waiting it out in wartime conditions, or helping him pack to come home.  Or a little of both.

Enjoy the pics.  I hope to add more details soon.

Heading to Tel Aviv airport by train late February.

Arrived in Salt Lake City around 12:30.

Late night pickup- thanks, Megan!

Nyx was happy to have some extra attention.

She resumed her duty of lap warmer.

And spell-checker.  She makes sure I slow down as I work.

The winter lawn looks pretty sad, except for around the edges where I reseeded.  

The new solar panels seem to be producing okay.  

I went to the dermatologist to get some questionable bumps frozen off my face.  

I enjoyed a book group with some dear friends.  

I love this gal!  Found her vacuuming on campus.  Such a hard worker!

Love this gal, too!  

We tried out Pure Religion, a pancake shop in Midtown 360.

Carrie came for a day and we celebrated Lisa’s birthday.

More people I love!!!!

Meanwhile, Frank and the BYU students were spending a lot of time in the bomb shelter.  Even though there is a fussball table in this one, he wasn’t having a lot of fun.  

I spent a lot of time in Deseret Book stores looking for the new super fabrics that are supposed to be cooler.  I was hoping to bring some back to people in Jerusalem, but the most common sizes were consistently sold out.  

Happy birthday to this gal!

We had some sweet evenings with grandparents!

Meanwhile the news from the Middle East continued to get worse.

So I was feeling connected and safe while Frank’s as isolated and stressed.  Not a great situation.  

When my fist return flight was cancelled, my mom asked if there were any house projects we could work on.  So we scraped off the wall paper border in my laundry room. 

Bye, bye, birdies!

Then we repainted the hallway and laundry room.  

I started a gym routine with my friend Michelle.  We when several times in the three weeks I was home.  

My sister Katie and her kids got into bluegrass music and have been playing at Cubby’s in Pleasant Grove on the first Wednesday of each month.  

New paint means updating outlets.  Goodbye tan, hello white outlets!  

This photo represents the vet visit - Nyx was a trooper but probably still hasn’t forgotten how I stuffed her into her carrier.  Hopefully I don’t need to do that again any time soon!  

Updated and upgraded:  two coats of white on the ceiling, new led light fixture (bye bye fluorescent tubes!), fresh wall paint and touch ups where the blue masking tape leaked, dryer vent all cleaned out, and dryer reattached.  I wish there was time to fix flooring, but that’s too much for a one week window. 

I went with Michelle to Lamb of God .  It was outstanding!  I went two nights in a row and felt so fed.  

Aaand then I backed into my own garage door.  Not my best moment.  It wouldn’t lift up, so I did a sixty-point turn to get my car out of the other garage door.  

The times when I could talk with this guy kept me going.  

Temple with Megan!

Our church building was damaged by an intruder wielding a fire extinguisher.  So our ward met with a different ward.  As a result, I saw McKay who had been in Jerusalem for the previous semester.  

And it was nice also to see my friend Mindy who I usually see at the gym or at the temple.  

I have the best nieces!

Addy and Emily were celebrating the farewell of our friend Nellie.

Cute clean up crew after family dinner.

Love these kids and my in-laws!

I have been blessed by goodly parents.

I bought several of these cute Easter decorations-they fold flat for storage. 

Speaking of storage, the next project was the storage room.  Here is the before picture

And here is after one day, about 3 hours, just to clear the counter.  

I started making these bakeable clay pendants while in Jerusalem, and when they were trying to set up activities to keep the students in Jerusalem occupied while they were on lockdown, I volunteered to teach a craft class.  So by zoom, hung out with students while they used the clay I had left in Jerusalem.  Then Larissa baked the finished projects.  

Storage room project: sort and purge old files!

This was a treasure from the past, definitely in the keep pile!

Here is a new treasure: during Frank’s last class period before his final, all the students drew a picture of him.  He could tell they were distracted but didn’t know what was going on until they all brought up their drawings at the end of class 

I visited the school where I had student taught and ate with the first grade team.  

I ran into ward friends at the temple.

And also former students!  Jayden, from fall semester.  

The temple session I attended was an ASL session.  It was very sweet and engaging to still see and hear English, but with the additional interpretation of ASL actors on the screen.  So touching to see how different needs can be accommodated.  

At Costco, I saw a woman who had visited Dr. Strathearn at Christmas time.  We had been to Bethlehem together,. 

The Lindon Temple Open house was a great opportunity to tour a new temple before it was dedicated.  This temple has 2 baptismal fonts for the vicarious baptism on behalf of deceased ancestors.  I saw a dear friend from the past , Pat Vassilaros, who was a mentor to me when I was a young woman, and it was a treat to hug her and introduce her to my beautiful Megan.

Sorting files led me to some picture of Frank at the Suez Canal back in 1992.  

Ministering interviews via What’s App

Such lovely sunsets!  

By this Sunday, I had already found a return ticket and was preparing to head back the coming Tuesday.  So this was a see ya later picture.  

One last visit with grandparents before I would hop a plane and try to rejoin Frank in Jerusalem. 

One last visit to Springside, where I helped with literacy centers, this time as a volunteer instead of student teacher.  

Last visit with kids before the big trip- they helped me pack and clean up.  

Cousins happened to be in town, and they helped with some yard work and tidying touch ups.

I travelled light, just one carry-on size suitcase and a backpack.  

Mr. Lego at JFK is flashing a confident smile. 

And successful touchdown in Tel Aviv three weeks after I left it!  It’s a tradition to clap when the plane lands in Tel Aviv, and this time was no exception.  The day after I arrived it was announced that non-citizens would not be allowed to enter through the airport.  So it was a miracle that I came when I did.  

I only had one siren during my first few days in Jerusalem.  I hoped this would mean things might calm down.  

But then the sirens kept going.  I was in the shelter only 4 times, to Frank’s 50 times.  

Such a beautiful, complicated place!