Monday, December 2, 2013

Alive!

Yes, I am alive! yes, I'm in America!
(and for would-be thieves- there are people staying in my house.)

Everything went as planned, thank Gd. Since we've been here, each day I hope to find a niche of time I can update here, and it just ain't happening. Or, if the niche is there, I can't successfully get on line. We aren't in a home with wi-fi (we are renting a house), so each time one of us wants to get on line, we have to do it through our cell phones, but not everyone's, just Robert's phone. Annoying! So, I am incredibly tired at the moment, but I am stealing some time to update a little.

First, I'll pick up where we left off with the CT thing. It was so interesting-- that post that I wrote about who will make this decision- the doctors or me? Well, since Hashem decided that the answer from the CT would come late, by default I had to make my own independent decision. It is so interesting to know that you really don't have to agonize about anything. The path will come when it will come, and your answer will come, not before, or after, the right time. Since the results were so late, I had to decide if I am going on this trip or not. I decided yes, I'd go on the trip, almost regardless of what the results were. It was only *after* I made that decision that the CT results came in. "Inconclusive" is what was reported. More tests were suggested. That's it. By that time, though, I was already packing and knowing I was coming.

Things have started off with a quite difficult start, I gotta say. Only now, the night after our first Shabbat here, do I feel settled in a bit. There was a lot of tension within the family for these first few days, for many reasons, and it created such a negative atmosphere.

I have a feeling, though- a strong feeling- that we have turned a corner over Shabbat, and things are only going to get better from now on, Please Gd.

We went to the Thanksgiving day parade! I grew up in NY, yet never went in to Manhattan for the parade. So, with everyone bundled up to the nose (it was 3 degrees Celsius!!!), and went plodding out to mid-town Manhattan. We got rewarded with seeing lots of it! Here are a few floats:

After we returned from the freezing parade, we returned to Penn Station to catch a train home, and who do I run into in one of the largest train stations in the world? My dear, close childhood friend Claudia!!! Right there! We recognized each other simultaneously, and were in sort of a screaming kinda shock. You know that one? When it is so unbelievable that you gotta scream? We threw our hands around each other's necks, kisses, wow's, "look at your kids!!!", awesome. This is the friend who I grew up every day with. Since we were three. We walked to school together every day, we were inseparable. They put us in different classes in school, partly, I think, because we were so close that we'd gab all the time.
And there we were, larger than life, and twice as.... happy!! :) It was such an awesome happening. We'd have gone to sit together somewhere, but both of us were running to catch trains. We'll make time to meet with each other, of course.

There are lots of people I have to make time for. And we gotta shop. I usually don't do much shopping when I am here because there are so many people to meet up with, that is much more important than shopping. And, these days, there is hardly anything here that Israel doesn't have. It's a matter of where is it cheaper (here). Anyway, the kids *really* want to shop, so we'll shop!

Tomorrow Shifra and I go into the city (AKA Manhattan) to see Nutcracker with the New York City Ballet!! I've never seen it, and with Shifra into ballet these past few years, this will be a treat for both of us. I am so excited! It's cold, but I'm gonna dress up anyway. We both are. it's our fancy night out. :)

My health is improving actually. Interesting, right? The first few days I was here (and on the plane) the stomach issues still plagued me. But after a few days, the diarrhea stopped! At the moment, my whole system seems to be taking a break, but now I am newvous it's going to revert back to it's previous ways of stoppage. Crazy, right? The abdominal pain seems to have disappeared, too. It's so interesting! What **was* that? Inconclusive. OK, well, I'll just take this all one-day-at-a-time.

I've been able to have real quality time with each child. It's been so fulfilling that way. It's one of the reasons I haven't had time to write; I spend a lot of evening time (if we aren't out) with them. Well, it's been with one child at a time. It's just worked out that way, and there has been some "tikun" happening with my mommy/child relationships. I am starting to understand the complex humans these older children are becoming. What's more important, through our talks, they are understanding what they are starting to become, too. I am so grateful for un-pressured, alone time with them. It may be that I'll come to understand this vacation as the stepping stone to more closer connections with my children, which I didn't expect. It is a gift of a very high order! I can reattach myself to them, and give of myself to them more, when I am not in the craziness of the day-to-day, back home.

I am so exhausted, and have so much more to write about.
It's going to have to wait... the awesome Thanksgiving dinner with my WHOLE family (both brothers, my SIL, my niece and nephew, all in one space in my parent's house!). That is a feat unmatched since I-don't-know-when. Usually one or two people can't make it. So this was so nice. The huge amounts of food were pre-ordered and taken out from a kosher restaurant nearby. Ample amounts of food, thank Gd. I actually decided to eat meat for the first time in many many months. It smelled ^divine^, cooked to perfection, and I just had to taste it. It *was* divine as it promised to be. *but*, I was unwell the next day. I took pepto bismol and Tums all day because that meat just wasn't settling with me. So, this vegan is going back to being a vegan. Let's keep things simple for my body. It just does not want meat.

I really have to sleep now. Big day tomorrow with Shifra and the ballet. Actually, tonight she is sleeping over at her American friend's house about 20 mins away! Isn't that the best? Friends all around the world!

Good night from This huge house in Greatneck, Long Island. it is about 20 or 25 minutes also to my parent's house (we rented a car), so it works out well. There is a HUGE Jewish community here- tond of Kosher food of all sorts, and the synagogue we went to today (Shabbat) was HHHHUUUUGGGGGEEEE!!! It is the "Greatneck Synagogue", and it is outrageously big and popular. Ostentatious? Perhaps that, too. Compared to the Israeli synagogues, anyway. I prefer the Israeli ones... at least the one we go to. It's like that show "Cheers"... "where everybody knows your name", and we always reach out to newcomers as soon as they show their faces at our shul. Today at the Greatneck shul, nobody came up to us out-of-the-blue to introduce themselves and welcome us. I could go on-and-on about how I feel about the differences of being orthodox Jewish here and in Israel, but I won't. Not necessary.

Going to sleep.
I will write at the next time that I can! The only way we can get on line is to have it tethered from Robert's cell phone. It's not always convenient to do that. Anyway, I'm here, we're OK, and life is interesting. I hope we got all the arguing and negativity out of our systems now, after a lovely Shabbat with two or Robert's brothers joining us. Tomorrow is a new day, and a new week. Baruch Hashem. :)

December 1st: I forgot to actually post that.
Back from a busy, but great day in Manhattan. The Nutcracker ballet, which we saw today, was enchanting. We loved it! It was just so beautiful. Then out to dinner with my brother in NY.

 *have* to go to sleep!
btw- did I tell you that I am feeling strangely better over here? My pain has been pretty much under total control. It's awesome! I am stronger, Maybe NY water is better?

OK, keep falling asleep! But, in short, I'm doing fine, thank Gd!

8 comments :

  1. Yay! Great to hear! I was waiting for an update. Keep enjoying all those moments.
    Love, Miriam

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  2. hodu la-hashem that you feel good and are having an amazing time! enjoy and continue on this way! chanukah samaech, rochel.

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  3. hodu la-hashem that you feel good and are having an amazing time! enjoy and continue on this way! chanukah samaech, rochel.

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  4. what a whirlwind! Hope to catch up with you soon. I've got a lot of work-related pressures right now, but the air will clear soon and I can think about other priorities! Like talking with my friend Sarah!

    luv, dev

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  5. Was awesome seeing you (but was too short)!! :D

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  6. Was SO thinking about you all.
    So glad to hear that things are sounding really positive. Thank Gd.

    Love to all. May it only continue this well and better - and then come home and MORE of the better and better. :-) !!!

    Malka

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  7. Thanks so much for the update. I’m so glad the trip is going well. I look forward to talking when you return.

    Xoxo,

    Miriam

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  8. I hope you continue to have a fantastic trip and good health. It's hard to believe we're only about 2-1/2 hours apart right now, and I know I won't see you. But it's nice to feel close to you. :-)
    Jackie

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