DIary: 3/3/2002

Dear friends and family:

The outpouring of support, warmth and friendship from last week's note was truly overwhelming. We feel blessed to have people in our lives that care so much. Thank you.

At this point our countdown clock is set and we are watching the days, hours, and minutes tick away. There is a lot to do, but still a lot of waiting also, which is the hardest part.

I want to take a second and mention that Paulette Powell is a really nice person.

This week the kids went back to school. This was both good and bad for Debbie, who didn't have to worry about entertaining them, but also had a very lonely week without them. However, she kept busy scanning the web for houses, and of course, Joram made sure she wasn't too bored. Toddlers are good at that.

Speaking of Joram, here's the latest on his personal adventures (no, he hasn't leapt from any tall places, spiked fevers that threatened to boil his brain inside his skull, or attempted to rewire the house with his bare hands. That was last week, remember?). As I think we mentioned earlier, he is cutting about 4 teeth at once. It would be so... what's the word we need here?.... "Normal" to do just one at a time. He also has had time to watch his sisters and their bathroom habits. While he has always been fascinated by the toilette (his attitude seems to be "why keep a perfectly good bucket of water around if you can't stick your hands in it?"), he is beginning to understand the function. So during each diaper change, he insists on having a sit. He looks extremely proud of himself (well, as long as his hands don't slip and he's not folded into the fetal position with his toes jammed into his ears and 3 inches of butt floating in the water). And on Sunday, he even peed. This a
ctually took everyone by surprise (including Joram) and the cheering actually startled him a bit. But overall it was a dramatic and life-affirming event.

Yes, we all need to find a hobby, or read a good book. We're working on it. Honest.

The word went out this week that we are on our way back to the US. People have been stopping by regularly to offer their hopes for the future, to express their friendship, and to scope out the stuff we might sell. Not that we are going to make any money from this trip. It's more of an extended garage sale, where you just try to find a price that someone will accept, but one that will also leave you feeling like you aren't the biggest heel in the world for either fleecing a friend or throwing good money out the window.

Along with the sale of goods, one family came in looking for stuff and left with a rental contract. It seems that they have been cooped up in a little apartment, but hoping for someplace better, and our place just happens to fit the bill. It's a huge relief to know that we won't be leaving the landlord high and dry, and that someone can benefit from this whole event.

The end of the week saw a bunch of visits from various friends - some from the US and some local. It was great to spend time with everyone, and it kept our minds busy so we didn't just sit and watch the clock tick down.

This week should be another quiet one. Just work, some pre-packing, and getting all our ducks in a row.

To answer a question that several people have asked, we intend to keep this letter going on a weekly basis at least until we are all in the US for good. After that, we desperately hope that life will become so boring that any email we could send would be useful only as a cure for insomnia.

As always, we hope you are all in good health and better spirits.
Love,
Debbie, Leon, Heather, Isabelle, and Joram