Happy New Year From Saratoga Springs, NY !
Trip Start
Dec 15, 2008
1
11
Trip End
Jan 18, 2009
Where I stayed
226 MIddle Grove Road
Saratoga Springs, New York
Friday, January 2, 2009
Well, we are safe and sound and warm and cozy back at home, which is wonderful news that we are VERY grateful to be able to report. We have even BETTER news, too, which is that our beautiful new nephew, Fredrick Michael Graney-Detweiler was born at 4:26 AM on New Year's Day, which is the exact time, to the minute, that we touched down in Newark. Very cosmic and wonderful ! Aunt Clare did a wonderful job and he is very perfect in every way !
After leaving BeerSheva at noon on Dec. 31, we made it to the Tel Aviv airport, encountering lots of army vehicles and war planes and attack helicopters flying overhead. Again, a bit too much adventure ! But the airport was a very quiet and safe place to spend the day, and then we got into the air right after celebrating the New Year on the plane on the runway ! During the course of the 12 hour flight I guess we technically rang in the New Year seven times ! Ronan and Mimi were so good during the flight -- they each slept for a good chunk of it. When we got into Newark, we were lucky enough to be able to go back to Sean's brother Pat's house, in nearby Pearl River, NY, where the Loftuses welcomed us with warm cozy beds and breakfast ! We all napped at their house (Kate and Mimi for most of the day !) and then headed back here to Saratoga and all the snow around dinner time.
The kids are so happy to be in their own space again, and Sean and I are profoundly relieved ! We are so aware of how lucky we are to be back and safe here as we continue to read about the rockets falling in BeerSheva and across Israel (and in Gaza, of course). Ben Gurion University has actually suspended classes indefinitely in light of the violence, and so we are more sure than ever that we made the right decision to come home. We hope all the new friends we made there will continue to be safe -- it is good to be able to keep in touch with them via email and Skype.
We have so enjoyed hearing from you all and thank you for tuning in to our (shortened) adventures ! We wish everyone a 2009 filled with happiness, learning, peace, and joy--wherever you are and wherever you may go this year ! With lots of love from Saratoga --- Kate, Sean, Ronan and Mimi
PS: Yes, we are up at 4:30 AM -- I guess for the kids it is 11:30 AM so can't blame them !
