Shana Tova

Shana Tova to everyone! We're sorry we didn't have a chance wish everyone a "Happy New Year" before the chag, but things became pretty busy toward the beginning of the three day Yom Tov. We accepted invitations out for the first two days and the first night. We thought it would be too much for the kids to be out late the other nights, so we declined a few invites for those meals. That meant we had to cater 3 meals on our own- a little bit daunting, considering most meals we've made so far consisted of either pasta, eggs, tuna, hummus and pita, rice, or tivol. Well, let me tell you...the meals we made ended up being not much different! Thank goodness for the meals we had out which more than made up for our pathetic ones at home! We had great times at all the meals and learned something important too: We'd better be prepared with all the "simanim" for next year's Rosh Hashana...people here take it seriously!

Rich bought a seat at the Carlebach Shul (in the kids' gan) and really liked the davening. I ended up showing up for shofar and then standing around outside in the playground with the kids. It got to be a little much after a while-- I'm looking forward to the day I can actually go inside and daven. Gali and Ami would have been fine playing with the other kids outside, but Hila's still a bit young...and she very much enjoys eating rocks when no one is looking.

Another discovery resulted during the chag:
Sand flies find new residents very tasty.
Apparently, the first year you live here is pretty bad, but after that, some kind of immunity is built up and it gets better. A year is looking pretty long right now...at last count, I have over 40 bites. Rich is also pretty bad and Gali just got a whole bunch yesterday. The other 2 kids don't have a single bite (bli eyin hara!). They're kind of like mosquito bites, but they're bigger and itchier. Poor Gali was up itching with me throughout the night last night. I have yet to see the culprits, but they say they're so tiny they fit through the screens to get you at night.
If anyone out there has any prevention or treatment tips, we're all ears!

Now for the biggest news:
Our lift is scheduled to come tomorrow!
Piece of advice for people planning aliyah: Hire a company that ships directly to Israel. Ours stopped a few times on its way over to pick up more cargo and is arriving weeks after our friends' lift which left only 3 days before ours! But we're (EXTREMELY!) lucky enough to be renting a fully furnished apt (belonging to the Adlers) until our lift arrives and we move into our longer term rental. To tell you the truth, I keep thinking "What could possibly be on that lift besides the Barbies Gali always talks about?" We've managed pretty well so far without all that stuff!

Tomorrow Nefesh B'Nefesh has people come in to their offices to give Medical Licences, so Rich will be gone for the morning. The movers have 2 flights to climb from the street and then 3 more flights in the building to our apt, so I'm hoping he'll be back before any negotiating/arguing takes place which seems to be inevitable with movers.
We'll let you know how it goes!

Funny kids tidbit:
The 2nd day of Rosh Hashana, we were eating at neighbors who have older children. Some of them told their parents that they were going to the park across the street to play soccer. We continued eating and talking until I realized Ami (remember-- he just turned 3 this summer) was no longer at the table. We were shocked to find out that he had tagged along with the rest of the boys and slipped right out of the house without a backward glance! He came back sweaty and dirty and smiling from ear to ear! We couldn't believe how nonchalant he was about it- like he had done it a dozen times before! Apparently he's over the clingy stage and ready to roll.