We're not dead....yet

Thought I'd give an update in case there was anyone wondering where the heck we've been. My sister's baby will be 3 weeks old tomorrow and she is absolutely delicious. With all that black hair, I almost want to steal her for my very own (please note the "almost" in that sentence).

We celebrated PHD's Mom's 93rd Birthday yesterday. After the heart attack she seemed ready to throw in the towel but...we moved her to an independent living facility which we think is so nice we wish we could live there. The move seems to have given her a new zest for life and seeing her so happy fills my heart with joy.

PHD went to Honduras and made it home safely. I am still planning to use that trip as a bartering tool to take a trip to Hebron next month.

This week LO and I will celebrate "LO Day" - it's the 8 year anniversary of the day we officially became a family. (It's also the anniversary of our conversion so the date is always a double blessing for us.) I can't believe that it's been 8 years since the day that I first met her - thinking back to that sad tiny little girl they handed me, I would never have been able to imagine how much love could change a child's life.

As for me, I had to have a biopsy last week for a suspicious mass the doctor found. They botched the biopsy and it really was traumatic for me. The doctor called me yesterday and said she had good news and bad news. The good news is that what they did biopsy had no cancer it in. The bad news is that they biopsied the wrong place. I have to have another biopsy. I wanted to tell her that I would rather have undetected cancer than to let her touch me again. But I restrained myself and explained that there was no way I would do it before going to Israel. So the second biopsy will be in July. Please keep me in your prayers.

And finally - our trip to Israel is just around the corner. We are starting to really think of an agenda and are hoping to at least see Treppenwitz, Gila, and Jameel. My offer is still open if anyone needs us to schlep anything there or back for them, just let me know!

I hate field trips

(Bus rides make us meshugge!)

We just recently got back from a 3 day field trip to St. Augustine with LO's class. I usually avoid all the field trips since I just don't love the noise level. However, this one was over several nights, so there was no way getting out of it.

We obviously survived the trip but here is a little overview of what I will always remember as the "Punishment for Being Jewish" field trip...

Day 1
We got up at 4:30 am to be on the bus by 5:30 am. The bus drives to a rest stop on the turnpike for breakfast. Breakfast was anything you wanted at Burger King. (Thankfully, I had brought some fruit in my backpack.) Back on the bus for several hours we head to Ocala to Silver Springs. Lunch was a hamburger and chips. (Guess what we ate?) Back on the bus again for several hours we head to St. Augustine where we stop for dinner at Applebee's. (Guess what we ate? Or should I say guess what we didn't eat? Do you see a theme here?) Then back on the bus to go to the Old Florida Museum. Eventually we get to the hotel. It was just shy of 10:00 pm. Exhaustion doesn't begin to describe it.

Day 2
On the bus at 8:30 am. Off and running the whole day - you name it, we saw it. The St. Augustine lighthouse, the Lightner Museum, Ximenez Fatio, a tram tour, Ripley's Believe it Or Not Museum, the Oldest Jail, the Heritage Museum, ended the day with a walking Ghost story tour. We got back to the hotel after 10:00 pm. The highlights of the day: (1) Making an unplanned stop at a church on the tram tour. While the whole group went inside for a tour of the church, LO and I were left to stand outside in the blazing heat. (2) Dinner - spaghetti and meatballs with cheese baked on top. We were told to just take the meatballs and cheese out and then LO could eat the spaghetti. Yeah right. UGH!

Day 3
On the bus at 8:15 am. One parent and child are still not on the bus by 8:45 am. Turns out they were still asleep. Behind schedule we headed to the Oldest Fort, the Fountain of Youth, the Oldest House, and the St. Augustine Village. At the Fountain of Youth, we had altacocker guide who really didn't like children. One of the parents was making fun of him and said to me, "He sounds like all the other Jews." You should have seen the look on his face when I told him that we are Jewish. (Heh heh.) Lunch was provided but when I saw the Honeybaked Ham bags we didn't even bother. On the way home, the bus stopped in Melbourne for dinner. It was a buffet and I kid you not EVERY ITEM had some kind of pork or bacon in it. We got home at 11:35 pm - hungry after 3 days of eating nothing but fruit, chips, and ice cream. Days later I am still trying to recuperate.

Lessons learned?
(1) Never trust that a tour operator will make concessions for kosher food when requested
(2) After eating the same thing for three days at every meal, even ice cream gets old
(3) Adults kvetch WAY MORE than children do about being hot, having to walk places, and being hungry
(4) I still hate field trips

(Sorry for the boring post...but Jack insisted! And afterall, we're all here to please Jack aren't we? LOL)