Stolen Time... In A Way

Because of my Aunts death, my commander and the Israeli Consulate granted me an extra 2 weeks to be with family.

The Consulate was a story within itself. I had to get into the city and at the Consulate at around 8:40 am. I had to be there on Wednesday the 18th- the DAY of my flight back to Israel. My flight was 2:45 in the afternoon so I needed to finish quickly in case they say that I must go back to Israel. 

I get to the Consulate around 8:40 and the guard tells me I can't enter. I was pissed. I just walked from Penn to 42nd and 2nd street and I cant come in? I had to bring my bags with me from KP to the Consulate. It was hot and with all that walking and all those people, it wasn't what I wanted to hear. They refused to let me in because of my bags. It didn't matter that Im a soldier. Under no circumstance can I enter with anything but a purse. The guard who was dressed in street clothes just hanging next to a wall, told me to go to the hotel across the street. I get to the hotel and they tell me I cant leave my bags there for even an hour. Granted I didn't have a lot, it was just 3 small light weight duffel bags, one with wheels, it was still forbidden. The 3 duffel bags are easier then the giant suit case with wheels- go figure the irony in that. The hotel clerk sends to a luggage place on 36th street. I was soooooo not happy. PLUS I had to pay for the WHOLE day when it was only 3 hours. I had to go there via taxi because I couldn't walk that far and get to the Consulate on time. I get back and it was about 9:20am and after about an hour and a half maximum they tell me I can stay until August 31st. I needed proof, my ID's, and to write a letter explaining the situation. I got my confirmation and left to get my things. I decided to walk. It was so much easier to walk without the baggage. Literally and metaphorically. A weight had been in every way lifted off my shoulders.I got more time at home and possible time to be home for my aunts ceremony. She wanted a party not a funeral.

While walking to the place that held my luggage I called Transaero airlines and Ophir Tours to change my flight. The night before the airline told me to call the travel agency. When walking to get my luggage, I called Ophir tours endlessly. The branch I needed wouldn't answer so I got transfered to another branch who told me they cant help me because the branch I need is closed and my flight was in a few hours. They tell me to call the airline because they CAN help me. They are just too lazy to do so. So I call Transaero Airlines and explain the situation and after 10 minutes of arguing I finally got my flight switched. I had to pay $150 for switching the flight. I also got lost on the way to getting my luggage so that would explain why I had so much time on the phone. I learned that I should pay attention when walking. I finally got to the storage place and the lady working there started talking to me. She was an absolutely amazing woman. I am so thankful and grateful that I met her. I really feel as though I was meant to meet her. I talked with her until 130 when I started getting phone calls from my mom asking me where I was. I believe she was an angel. She gave me so much excellent advice and new insight. I feel truly blessed to have met her. I gave my my facebook link, blog link, and I think email so we could stay in touch. I really hope she writes a blog. She has so many amazing stories and such great advice. I will never ever forget her. Moments such as those could only be cherished and remembered. So if you read this, you know who you are- don't be shy!! 

It's Sunday night as I write this. I just finished playing a game of Apples to Apples with Denise's(Bonnie's Step-Mom) family. We are in a Lake House in Pennsylvania. It is such a gorgeous place in the Pocono Mountains. When I come back, it is back to reality and hopefully finding out more details on my Aunts Ceremony. I wouldn't be here having fun if it weren't for my aunt. But she could have been here. Alive. She's not. In a way it's stolen time because it could have been extra time for her with those she loved most.

My trip upstate(first weekend back home) and in Pennsylvania have been most needed. I have had so much fun. There is still so much that I want to do. So much food I want to eat and places I want to go. Im not going to waste this time. Im also hopefully going to be spending some time with Alina. My aunt loved her so much and it was easy to see. Even a blind person could see such pureness.

Within this first weekend of extra time I have met the nicest bunch of people ever. They were constantly asking about the Israeli Army and thanking me for my service. I didn't know what to say because I don't feel like I am doing anything. I can only hope that I can have a family like this one day. It was so heart warming to see a father play with his son and hear their laughs. Im not used to seeing things like that so I enjoyed it. It was so fun to watch the little boys play with each other using just their imaginations. As we get older, we forget that we have an imagination. We feel too silly using them. I think we should. This has been a vacation that I have needed so much. Something that I have needed for years. This is a weekend I will not forget and I hope that I never do. Every meal was home cooked. It was how a family should be. It was also really nice to not have to cook and clean for myself or order out food. Now Im not saying I just became a lazy bean and just let them do everything. No. They had to tell me not to clean or not to pay. But don't worry. I helped clean tonight's dinner.

This weekend, I got to watch the guys fish while watching the sun set on the lake. I got to speak with the women while cleaning and preparing dinner. Stereotypical I know, but so much fun. We all went to the pool which was just a blast. Bonnie and I laid out and tanned for a little bit. I only managed to get a shade maybe two darker. Maybe shade and a half. If I'm not wearing a bikini you cant tell. I still look so pale. I am very lucky though. I haven't burnt yet. Im grateful for that because I always always always burn. We have had two very entertaining thunderstorms and I saw a chipmunk on the front deck. It was cute. :P Unfortunately tomorrow morning/afternoon I leave. I am really going to miss everyone. Im gonna miss you guys! Thank you for being so welcoming!!! :) 

I will then have a little less then a week and a half for more adventures. I have a lot of book editing to do and lots and lots of thinking. Ill try and update soon once things get more settled. Its 11:15pm. It's time for bed I believe. I am the only one in the house not in my room or in bed. I wanted to update.

Aunt Marylou Blog Post

New York!!!

Sooo as you know, as a Lone Soldier, I am entitled to one month out of the year to fly back home and be with my family and friends back home. This time I have chosen to go back end of July to mid-August. I didn't really want to come back this time, I was having such a great fun time on base that I just didn't want to leave. As much as I miss Israel and my friends who in such a short time have become my family, Im glad I came home.

This time around the army paid for my flight. The Israel Defense Force pays for one round trip ticket to the city of your choice after a Lone Soldier finishes one full year of service. I had to go to the main Soldier Hostel in Tel Aviv where I found out that everyone knew my commander. Everyone loves Yosi. He is probably one of the best, most caring people I have ever met. The girl at the Soldier Hostel chose my flight for me. I had a layover in Moscow. I didn't really like that. It costed more money then doing a one way trip but Im not allowed to argue. Literally. I argued it. I didnt want to fly to Russia. If it was Germany or another country then okay but Im not a super dooper fan of Russia. No offense Russia, its cold and I wanted home fast. Germany is where my family is from so they get a free card. My flight was for 1250am and you have to get to the airport 3 hours early. Transaero airlines, the Russian airline, failed to notify all passengers that the flight had been delayed over 3 hours. I was pissed. I didnt get into the air until a little after 430 am. Not fun. I fell asleep on the floor for like an hour. It wasn't very comfortable. We get in the very small plane for 5 hours with the screaming baby for all 5 hours and then get to Russia. Dont like the people that much. They were very serious and not happy. The pilot was also kind of creepy when he was talking to me. They delayed the flight an hour when already on the plane. I slept for most of that flight.

I finally landed in NEW YORK!!!! in the afternoon and saw my sister waiting for me. It felt so great to finally see her. We got outside of JFK to her step mom's car and a Brooklyn Slice[of pizza] waiting for me. The pizza was great and so was the ride home. I finally got home to see my mom and dogs waiting for me. I missed them so much. About 2 days later my brother came home from his base. He is in the Marines Reserve so every few months he goes for some training. I spent the month with Bonnie(sis) and my brother Robert. We went to the movies and Splish Splash and to the mall. The mall was a few times and so was the movies. I got to see some other friends as well. I spent a night in Hotel Pennsylvania in the city with my friend Shiran when she came to New York. On August 8, I had the pleasure and honor of attending a cousin's(actually a family friend but shes like family) wedding. Karla finally married her husband Timmy after 8 years. I was so happy to be there. It was so much fun and just full of happiness.

On August 9th, after almost a decade of constant battles with Ovarian Cancer, my Aunt Marylou finally succumbed to horrible disease. I wrote about her in one of my first entries. I miss her terribly. She is usually who I go to for all photography questions and for random things of talking when I dont want advice or opinions. Just someone who listens and is understanding. I am definitely going to miss her. I visited her wife for the first time since I never met her before. It was weird, surreal even, to be in her house with her not there. Sometimes I would think she would walk in any second. I know she wont though. In a way Im glad. I know she is no longer in pain. She is no longer sick. She is in peace and happy. I know she is up there in Heaven. I feel better that she is no longer in pain.

I have been receiving a steady flow of messages and emails giving condolences and I would like to thank everyone for them. I am not the only one who lost an amazing person. Marylou was a strong vivacious woman who was always happy and laughing. She was very understanding and loving. The perfect friend for any situation. I am lucky to have her as an aunt and know that she was an angel to so many people. Aunt Marylou didnt like when people were uspet or down. She always wanted people happy and laughing. I know that she would want that more now then ever. So everyone smile at the thought of her. Dont be sad. Celebrate her life. It's what she would want.

Thank you :)

Aunt Marylou

My Aunt Marylou is obviously my aunt. :P

She is such a strong wonderful person. I am so happy for her. She has beaten cancer. She has just told me that she underwent surgery and it was successful!(you can read about it in her blog ;) Here is the link. http://web.me.com/marylou.stewart/Wellness/Blog/Blog.html read it you will definitely enjoy. There is a picture in almost every post.) During the surgery they said there was no tumor there even though in the scans there was a slow growing tumor!

I am so happy that she has beaten this.

Aunt Marylou is a professional photographer. I like to think I follow in her steps. I hope I can be as good as her one day. As long as I can remember she has always been photographing everything. Everytime I saw her there has always been a camera in her hand. She has a picture for every occasion, every day, and every year. She has more then just one picture, she has tons.

Her pictures helped me when I was down. After coming to Israel I felt very alone and isolated. I felt like I had no one. None of my family was here. Of course I had my boyfriend, his friends and family, and some people I met in the program but I didn't have my friends and family. I didn't have the people who have known me since diapers and dare I say knew about me before I even knew what I was.

I asked her for just a few pictures of her and my cousins, instead I got so much more. They made me so happy. I got so many pictures. Pictures of my family I have never seen before. Of my Grandpa and his Dad! That was a wow moment. I never knew what he looked like. I had pictures of my father and uncle, both of my grandmothers, all of my aunts and cousins. I also got birthday pictures from when I was young.

I still have all of these pictures.

I showed my boyfriend a photo of my uncle in his army uniform and his reaction was priceless. I think that was the best reaction I've ever seen to someone in my family. His jaw dropped and said "Woah so hes like a major major general. I dont want to mess with him. Hes an army god." To me hes my Uncle Tom an extraordinary man who has done alot. Him and my Aunt Marylou are a huge inspiration to me. They are both my heros and people I look up too. Im very proud to be in their family.

Im thrilled that my Aunt has beaten cancer. I hope I can see her soon.

Hopefully this time I will have some photos for her.

Here are some photos of my family that she sent me.

This is my uncle and my grandfather. They were both in the army. This was during the Kings Park Memorial Day Parade.



This is my brother and I at the Memorial Day parade when we were really young.



This is my dad, great grandmother Omi and I.



This is my Grandma and my Omi. They both came over from Germany because of the holocaust. Grandma I think was only 12. They are mother daughter so this is of me with my Grandma and Great Grandma. They are from my moms side. I never got to meet Aunt Marylou's mom.



This is my father and Aunt Marylou. Aunt Marylou is holding me.



I have more photos so I think I will do another post about my family. :)

You know I must say Im rather glad I started this blog now I have something to do. My Passover Break or back in America SPRING BREAK! has just started!
NOTE! if you click on the title of this post it will take you to my aunts blog.
Its all about her life and her struggle with cancer. This blog was created a few years ago. It is an excellent blog. You can really see how strong of woman she is and how great she is.