Lasts and Goodbyes

This is it. The moment that I never thought would ever come and didn't want it to. We had a perfect end to a perfect day in the city. I seriously was smiling ear to ear all day. (More info to come on the happenings) Now for packing and goodbyes to our amazing teachers and their darling families. I won't write my final post, because i'm not gone yet! Goodbyes last night were so hard. I broke down. Crying is so necessary and healing.

 Jacqueline and I playing for the last time with the Judd kids. =D

 We may, or may not have buried our shoes outside our room. Shhhh...

 Cute J enjoying her last ponder over the city

 My last sunset in the holy land

 Achmed the Chef we've grown to love so so much!

The day got even more perfect when we went to the Muhlesteins to make and eat cookies. I love them so so SO much. Their house just has such a peaceful, comfortable feeling. I was trying to get rid of my last things that I didn't have room/didn't want anymore and ran a few things to Sister M. I went through all the things in my arms and got to a cheap alarm clock I'd used all semester, and I was so happy to get rid of. She got really excited and said, "Yes! Caleb has been wanting one! Do you want to go give it to him?"

I walk down the hall to his room and saw cute 10 year old caleb buried behind his pillows because he was upset about something. Side note: I ADORE Caleb. He's always had a special place in my heart, and I wish we had more time/i would have taken more time to get to know this amazing kid. BJ, his older brother, said that he was upset about something and I couldn't get Caleb to move the pillows until I said I had a surprise for him. I handed it to him as he wiped his tears with a curious look on his face to what it could be. BJ said, "Its a compass!" He got excited then realized it wasn't and yelled out "IT'S AN ALARM CLOCK!" He leaped off his bed and wrapped his arms so tightly around my waist saying thank you over and over again. It was a simple alarm clock, who knew he would want one so badly? I taught him how to change the time, and to set the alarm then left the room hearing more thank you's. I walked to the family room to meet Bro. M's high school friend visiting for business. As I was shaking his hand Caleb came running to me again and gave me a big bear hug and said, "Maybe I got this alarm clock because I fasted about it." 

My world stopped.

What pure faith, and what a wonderful boy to ask such a simple request from the Lord. That moment I will always treasure. We heard a couple more stories, and i headed back down to my room to say my goodbyes to the city and our room. I stood overlooking this gorgeous place and burst into tears. I am so blessed. Heavenly Father is too good. I grabbed my last belongings, and said my goodbyes to the bare room. I walked up one flight of stairs and saw cute Caleb slumped over with a very sad face. I knelt down next to him looking him in the eye and asked "Whats wrong?" With tears welling, and then spilling out of his eyes he said, "I'm going to miss you guys soooo much." More hugs and tears. I love that boy so much. We said our final goodbyes and I was the last student to leave the center. I took in my last walk up the stairs slowly and taking in everything around me-- the murals, the limestone walls, the smooth floors i've wanted so bad to run around bare footed on, the carpet, the view, the orange trees, the arches, the Christmas trees lining the halls, the wood doors, and one last goodbye to security. I walked out the door and I said out loud, "oh no..." with tears spilling from my eyes. If i cried it'd be waaay to hard. Gained composure and walked to the gate to see BJ ready to say his goodbye. I lost it. I love that kid so much, I can't wait to see him next September. He laughed at my blubbering then told me he'd miss when I beat him up. Ah that was SO sad. All the other kids were waiting and I was a blubbery mess. Each teacher I hugged I cried harder, and hugged them longer. I got on the bus and felt tortured, but loved SO much by these people that changed my life.

 While on the bus we sang "Because I Have Been Given Much" GAH! It was so hard. I'm so so grateful that my best friends were on my plane ride, it'd be waaay to hard if they weren't. We finally stopped crying and got to the airport standing in line for 3 hours through security.

 Cute Church (Cherysh) sleeping very uncomfortably... wow

 In 31 short hours I will be home to my mommy's arms, daddys bear hugs, learning with/from Rob, the tears and loves from Lacey, boys story swap with Sara, laughing and crying with Janelle, loves from Grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles, bird, cat, snow, temple trips that i've waited so long for, a cell phone, my moms home cooking, spinach, grandma Jones blanket, soon off to Mexico with Melis Reed and Brooklyn, and just to be home.

 Coming to visit!

USA, it's been so long. I've fallen in love with another country, and you'll just have to deal with it, but you'll always be my home. How blessed we are to be born there. You really have no idea what kind of things I see, that I can't believe people can live the way they do and are perfectly happy. Until my last post, I love you family and friends. Thank you so so much for reading about my life, I feel so loved and I can't wait to keep caught up on all of your lives! I love you all so much!

Later that day... or the next day

I'm baffled that i'm using the internet a thousand miles in the air, on an air plane, at lightning speed. I'm sure by the time my kids are my age this won't be a big deal, but this is amazing to me! Just had to touch base. We've traveled a total from start to finish 25 hours and 7,000 miles across the world. I sat by the cutest 2 year old Jewish girl on the flight over. She didn't speak a lick of english, and I definitely didn't know Hebrew but we became the best of friends. Isn't she THE CUTEST?!

Atlanta was a little bit of a culture shock for me. Heres why:
1. There was Christmas music playing throughout the airport, and coming from a country that doesn't celebrate it, got me overly giddy.
2. There were soldiers EVERYWHERE that are leaving home for the holidays. Guess what??? NONE of them have machine guns strapped to their backs and all of them speak english! Israeli's have more guns that you can shake a stick at. I felt left out I didn't have one.
3. Everyone speaks English! What is this? Everyone can understand me!
4. women don't cover their heads, there is immodesty everywhere, men don't wear kippas, no one is visibly Jewish or Muslim. It is honestly weird for me.
5. American boys are so cute. I forgot. Especially the boy in the military 2 seats away from me (he's a farm boy, and has an amazing accent and manners. I'm not smitten. Don't worry....)
6. It's COLD.
7. I can talk to people about the Church! I've had so many opportunities since we've gotten to Atlanta, and I love not worrying about what I can and can't say.
8. I get to see my mom in 1 & 1/2 hours and can't think of anything else!

I love America. I feel so safe. More to come when I get settled.

Loads of Love and Goodbyes

Boo... I hate them.

It's been hard.

Most everyone is leaving tomorrow morning (tonight) at 3:00 am. That's when it'll be hard. I was doing so so good and not shedding one tear even through our last breakfast and last dinner, not even through our slide show....It hit me when I gave Tessa a hug. We backed up from our hug and looked each other in the eye for a long while, when  thoughts of my dearest Tessa that i've lived with for the past 3 1/2 months, and knew far before then, she will be leaving me and we'll probably never live together again. I know we say we'll stay in touch, but it's so hard to keep in contact with so so many people we love. When I realized we wouldn't be holding hands for family prayer, or hearing her sleepy good mornings, or funny stories, or made up poems and songs played on the guitar, the tears started coming.

 I hope i got everyone in here!

 Our ISRAEL: "IS this RAEl Life" shirts!

Matt and I. This boy has changed my life.

The beginning of a lot. I leave tomorrow at 7:00 from the center and leave my heart in this country departing at 11:50. I don't want to. I've never experienced anything like my life here, and never will again. One more gorgeous day in the city tomorrow, our final "lasts" and we're off!

Last meals in the Oasis! Cute Kristi!

 Our wonderful chefs!

 Our last Hava and Nutella & Pita station!

 Last amazing hot chocolate!

 Last dinner!

 We love this bus! So many fun field trips and memories!!!

 Sister Muhlestein was nice enough to take us to a pita making factory! That was amazing!

 That is a LOT of dough. 

Last gummies!

 Amazing spices that make the whole city smell wonderful!

 Bar-mitzvah!

 We visited a BEAUTIFUL church and we're so glad we did. We made great friends with this man and sung a few beautiful hymns!

 East Jerusalem!

 Last picture with the city walls!

I love the JC!

 This sweet girl was darling! I am not quite sure what happened, but she was SO excited to see Jacqueline! It was as if she had known her before and Jacqueline didn't quite know why. This sweet girl hardly knew any English, but both of them shared so much love and appreciation for each other it was incredible. 

A bit of everything fun!

 Creepin into a scary bathroom in the city!