Yes, Yes, We are Alive!

Oh dear.....once again, it's been over a week since my last post.  I must say, being back at home is busy, busy busy...but oh so blessed.

In the time since we returned, just a few of the things I/we have done:

~~(Pretty much) unpacked 14 pieces of luggage.  Now, when I say unpacked, I may mean piled atop any open space, be it desk or dresser, waiting to be sorted and placed in a new and perfect home.   That's purely theoretical, of course.

~~Re-activated our Netflix account, drooling over the new additions, adding dozens to the queue.  Honestly, if you ever need a movie suggestion, we're the people to ask!


~~DRIVEN a car, a car that even belonged to us, on streets where people kindofsortof follow traffic rules and don't have a personal desire to push the limits of lane-wandering to death-defying.

~~Thrown a shower for our lovely Sarah.  

She is one gorgeous nature and whimsy lovin' mama, so we went with a woodland theme, complete with decor comprised of cuttings from around the Village land.  It was oh so sweet, with delicious food, delightful company and a whole lotta estrogen.

Little Rocky was the lone extra-utero male, and he was loved on for sure...

 

 

 

Simone's lovely work of art! ;)

~~Attended a themed gathering at the Sehorns', this one being a '90s bingo party.  Yes, you read it right.  Flannel and overalls, band tees and backward hats were ubiquitous as we awaited the sweet numbers of victory and a prize of Chuck E. Cheese tokens or oversized shades.

Jacob LOVES to help me edit photos, and he is obsessed with changing the tinting....

so this is courtesy of my progeny.

~~Joined the Village bonfire which was (happily for us) previously postponed and rescheduled for this weekend.  

Fire+chocolate+marshmallowy graham goodness +hyperkids+blanketsandbeerandfriendsandlongdays+Nana and Papa arriving= one awesome kick-start to the weekend!


~~Had a wonderful visit with Kev's parents.  Mama Beth and my Mom are so very similar in their servant heartedness, and they jumped right into my ambitious plans to re-organize, re-arrange, purge and generally spruce things up.  What a delight it was for the three of us to take a short trip across the state lines to my new favorite store: Picker's Paradise, an antique mall.

Seriously, it's like going to a museum where you can buy the exhibit pieces.  I did restrain myself and kept my purchases to a sturdy and much-needed dresser, new kitchen chairs, 2 books for Jacob and stainless steel kid cups.

~~Survived the rapture.

~~Watched a documentary on the best worst movie, the freaktastic Troll 2, which holds in its spastic depths neither trolls nor anything to do with Troll 1.

http://www.filmjunk.com/images/weblog/2010/10/troll2_1.jpg

~~Spent over 40 hours playing on the playground, in the pool/sprinkler and all around the Village
 
~~Jumped right into our clan, having lingering picnic dinners, drinking brewksys while our dear littles of dirt-caked limbs flash in and out of the shadowy lawn, climbing trees and bickering like the mass of non-sibling siblings they are.


Although we've hit some rough bumps---a UTI and rash for Ceci, spats and bickers for Kev and me, Jacob re-learning how to play with kids his own age, I am feeling pretty high on this thing called life.


This evening was a perfect glimpse of summer joy.  

We decided to share three garden plots between 4 families (Hamricks, Benvenutis, Elliots and us) this year, and today was tilling/digging/planting day.  


By serendipity and spontanaety, what was originally going to be 2 different events of man digging and woman planting turned into one big garden fest.  

Picture this:  

Jeremy in his army boots and captain hat tilling the plot, Sarah with her lovely drum-tight belly barefoot in squishy mud marking mounds, Kevin in Aaron's hideous patriotic no-sleeved shirt with Ceci in her fuzzi bunz strapped into the carrier, Donna with her athletic gear and Wes in his birks wrangling and directing kiddos, Simone and the twinnies offering childcare and moral support, Dave and his contraband beer in a water bottle, the two oldest boys shoveling mulch, the kiddos running amuck and then helping to plant, and sweet red head M. reveling and working.  It was a veritable postcard for a commune, but a happy and non-freaky one, with 4 babies in utero baking and prepping to join the love.


We capped off the night on the front lawn, joining the Campbells for a picnic of Little Caesars and a feeling that, yes, we are home.

Home, Home, Home

Well, it's been 11 days since my last post, and between then and now, we packed up our apartment at Tantur, traveled to Tel Aviv via sherut, got cursed out by the sherut driver for having too much luggage, went through the insane security of Ben Gurion airport,  had an 11 hour plane ride (the kids were ROCKSTARS), layover, plane ride (more ROCKSTAR magic), ecstatic reunion with Grandpa/Grandma/Cousin Elise, car ride from Chicago and into the arms of our Village family and the lovely signs/flowers/goodies to welcome us home.  

And that was just 2 days' worth of adventures.


Upon arriving home, we jumped right back into the visiting and teatimes, water play and lingering lawn conversations, playground climbing, cooking, birthday and theme parties.


Almost a week after our departure date, I'm just now starting to realize that we are gone, that we just spent 4 life-changing months in the Holy Land.

I have some reflecting to do, some memories to capture and some deliberate changes to make so that the personal and familial growth that took place there can help form our new normal.


Grateful is the word that works it's way to the front of my descriptive little verbal party, swimming and dancing its way to paint my mind with gratitude.


As a dear friend used to say, it was just pure gift.....and one I'll open and re-open for the rest of my life.


**And yes, this is the first of many post-trip thoughts, so bear with me!  :)