July 4th Weekend

(This is Yoni typing now, by the way.) I need to give Michelle a huge thank you for the amazing birthday gift that she got for me this year. It's a custom guitar strap with my name on it and it has the Stars n' Stripes along with Stars of David along the tooled leather:












Yoni's parents came to visit us for the July 4th weekend, and we discovered that his parents had never spent Shabbat at our home before, though we have been married for over a year. Needless to say, it was a very special and joyous occasion. They rolled in at about 3:30 on Friday afternoon, so they had plenty of time to get ready before Shabbat, and they even tasted a few of the last-minute items we cooked, like fresh egg rolls and schnitzel fingers! Yoni bought a new grill in time for the 4th, a Mesquite grill/smoker combination that he says, "Grills meat with robust flavor to perfection!" Tasty, eh?

In preparation for a super-patriotic 4th weekend, Michelle and Yoni came up with a menu to delight the American taste-bud. Barbeque chicken (as pictured below) with homemade BBQ sauce (mmmmm molasses...), meatloaf, chicken pot pie, "American pie", pumpkin pie, etc... Michelle also made AMAZING pull-apart Challot for Shabbat:











We had a nice relaxing Shabbat followed by another special treat of a barbeque on Sunday!! Also, the weekend provided an interesting and amazing discovery. Michelle, Yoni, and Yoni's Pappy played catch in the backyard, while the grill warmed up, and we let Libby out to play with us. It's a great way to tire her out! She'd follow the ball and sometimes we'd let it go (by accident) so she could run after it, fetch, and drop it at our feet. She also looked adorable in her patriotic bandana Michelle made:










The barbeque included special Yoni-enhanced burgers (read: he marinates them in "Bone Suckin' Sauce") and hotdogs on the grill ... and what's a barbeque without pickles! (not on the grill...) We had a great time, especially because the weather cooperated. It didn't get above 85 that afternoon, so we ate outside and hung out there for a while until the flies invited their friends and the fly horde descended upon our happy little gathering and tried to claim our dinner for themselves. We summarily snubbed them by wolfing down the rest of the meat, potatoes, salad, and cantaloupe before those derned ol' flies could even get their mandibles on a burger bun!

Anyway, after our fun outdoor supper, Yoni's parents went back to the big city and we spent the afternoon lazily cleaning the house and napping. By napping, we really mean taking a two minute break from cleaning by sitting on the couch ... and waking up three hours later... All in all a great weekend!

The bugle call and the birdie

A little glance at our life on base:

THE BUGLE CALL:
Every weekday morning at 0700 we are greeted to the day by the bugle over loudspeaker playing Reveille. 1700 (5:00 PM) in the evening, Retreat and the Star-Spangled banner tell us the work day has come to an end and at 2100 (9:00 PM), Taps reminds us that it's time to be going to sleep.
At first, for a few months, I thought this was just a really nice way to give the day some rhythm. We would never sleep in too late, the Retreat in the evening reminded Yoni to daven Minchah, and I used Taps as an excuse to Yoni that we should get to bed ASAP (he likes staying up a bit later than me).
This past week, these daily occurences took on a new meaning for me.
Over Shabbat last week in Dallas, Pappy shared a very interesting D'var Torah. In the parashah, two consecutive pasukim discuss a bugle/trumpet call. One instance is when the Jewish people are at war. The other is at a joyful ocassion. How interesting to use the same means of communication and expression at such seemingly opposite events. What's the connection? What does the bugle call represent?
Well, commentary explains that the bugle serves as a reminder that it all comes from G-d. During war, it reminds us, "This too was sent by G-d for some reason." During a happy ocassion, when it's easy to get caught up in everything and be overcome with surface level joy, it reminds us, "Remember that G-d is to thank for all of these wonderful things."
So after hearing that D'var Torah over the weekend, I woke up to Reveille on Monday morning and at once my mind jumped to the meaning of the bugle in the parashah - a reminder that the good and the bad all come from G-d. How cool that three times every day we get our own personal bugle call - kind of convenient that the times coincide almost perfectly with Shacharit, Minchah, and Maariv...


THE BIRDIE:
The other day, on the way out the door to go to work, I saw a little creature struggling on the driveway. At first glance, I thought it was a bird that had gotten cut in half. I got a little grossed out and got in the car.
Yoni took me to work (he does that usually so he can use the car around Enid for a few hours). When he came to pick me up, he said that he went back home to check on the thing in the driveway and it turns out it was a baby bird who fell out of its nest and looked like it broke its wing. He called the housing office, who gave him the number for the Enid Wildlife Rescue. They told him to contact this older woman who lives downtown and nurses birds back to health.
He had to come get me before he could get the bird all boxed up in the car, so when I came home I helped him put it in a box and he took it to the "rehabilitation center." It turns out it was a little Starling, less than two weeks old. The lady said it will most probably live and be perfectly fine, but if Yoni hadn't called, it would have been dead by morning. Wow, what a mitzvah - I was proud!

Evidence that we're ready for a relaxing, quiet Shabbat at home...

For the first weekend in a month, we woke up on Friday morning with nowhere to go. We're staying home and having quiet, small meals. Yay! Now I know we've been getting pretty worn out and tired, but we always had a day here or there to recover a bit. Just now, as we were working together in the kitchen getting food prepared, I had a moment of, "Wow. This is why we need Shabbat."
All day I've been going back and forth from the computer room working on homework to the kitchen to check on food to the bedroom to change the sheets, etc. So anyone who knows me knows that my phone has already been misplaced a few times throughout the day. I wanted to make a call, so I asked Yoni if he has seen my phone. Of course he says, "I've seen it many times, but you've probably moved it a few times since then." So I proceeded to pick up the house phone and dial my number. After first dialing my old cell phone which has been out of service for six months, I dial the correct number, hear the ring, and start around the house in search of its location. Well, when I walked into the computer room it sounded like it was coming from the bedroom ... so then I walked into the bedroom and now it sounded like it was coming from the computer room. After walk and back half a dozen times, I fell on the floor cracking up. Yoni came to see what was so funny .... Well, lo and behold the phone was in the waist of my skirt the whole time...

That being said, we are quite excited for relaxing meals just the two of us, and a good calm day tomorrow of learning and rest.

Now an update on this last month that's kept us so busy...
(in a nutshell)
A wonderful Shavuot in Dallas, where Sandy and Libby are becoming fast friends:









Home for two days, then off to Baltimore/Columbia/DC/New York. We spent two days down in DC. I spent time with all of my friends from college. Yoni came for some of those dates, and spent some of the other DC time visiting the AFROTC detachment at University of Maryland and checking in with a lot of the music stores in the area which he used to frequent. We spent some good family time in Columbia, had a wonderful Shabbat in Pikesville, then drove up to NYC Sunday morning to get all settled into our Brooklyn hotel and go to AJ and Zoe's wedding. The wedding was beautiful. The venue, an old opera house, is exquisite!
Besides the wedding itself, I also had a good time staying in Boro Park. It's been a while since we ventured out there. It's quite the experience with lots of thought-provoking observations. Anyone who's never been to Boro Park, it is reminiscent of Meah Shearim in an American setting. Anyone who's never been to Meah Shearim ... picture New York streets packed wall to wall with lots of chareidi families. Even more than that, every single storefront is a Kosher restaurant or something having to do with Jewish life. Quite a contrast to Enid, Oklahoma.

We came home after a week, the following Wednesday. We had Thursday to reunite with Libby (who was being watched at home by the Wing Commander's high school-age children), unpack, repack, and then head off Friday morning down to Dallas. We spent a nice quiet Shabbat there, and then Sunday afternoon went to Shimon and Karen's wedding. Yoni's family has known Karen's family for a while in Dallas, and we also knew Shimon from Hopkins/Pickwick in Baltimore. Their wedding was the first that we've attended at Ohr Hatorah (the congregation in Dallas with a near brand-new building). Everything was gorgeous, and more importantly, they are a very cute couple and it was fun to watch the whole ocassion. On Friday, Yoni got recruited to accompany Chaim Lazarus in the singing under the chupah. They did a wonderful job:

Back together again :)

Mazel tov Yoni! He passed his check ride in Colorado, so after we spent a wonderful Shabbat together in Colorado Springs last week we drove home together on Sunday. Last week was very busy. We spent a day and a half unpacking all of his stuff and getting the house in order, then Tuesday afternoon Aunt Gwennie and Aunt Neda came to visit from Kansas City. It was wonderful spending some time with them. We walked all around base (with Libby, of course), and had some good meals and card games at home.

Friday we bothed worked hard to make a nice Shabbat meal for our first week back together in our home. This week also had added significance because Friday was Yom Yerushalayim, our anniversary in the Hebrew calendar. So our Shabbat table was adorned with a dozen gorgeous roses, and a really pretty sparkly, shiny flower arrangement (Yoni said the roses were a backup in case I thought the other ones were tacky -- but they were very fun!)

We had a few guests over yesterday for lunch, then spent some good time in the afternoon talking and reading good books.

Today and tomorrow should be a nice break. We have a few things to get done throughout the day (laundry, gardening, etc.), but we're also going to make time for fun things, like doing the ten-mile bikeride around the perimeter of the flight line and taking Libby for a good long walk.

Yoni's also planning a jam session for tomorrow at our house for some of the guys in his pilot training class who also play guitar.

This Thursday, G-d willing, we plan to head to Dallas for Shavuot and stay there through Sunday, then the following Wednesday we're off to Baltimore!!

We're trying to get all the visiting and travelling done before Yoni's official pilot training begins (in mid-July) and he's stuck in Oklahoma for a year straight.

We wish everyone a chag sameach, and please be in touch :)

"Distance makes the heart grow fonder"

Yoni has now been at IFS ("Initial Flight Screening"), in Pueblo, CO, for over two weeks. He left right after Pesach, and will return, with G-d's help, within the next two weeks.
He has been working very hard!! For the first week there he spent 12 hours in classes all day learning as much as he possibly could about the aircraft they fly there (DA-20 katana)










Yoni said he felt like those classes were almost a throwback to high school Biology. As much as he had learned about all the different systems at work inside the human being (endocrine system, nervous system, etc.), he felt like he learned just as many intricacies of the aircraft. I guess that's a good thing if he's responsible for keeping the plane and himself safe while it's in the air!

To start off the second week (last Monday), he had his "dollar ride." It's basically just an experience to get up in the plane and get acclimated before too much is expected of you. He lost a little bit of his lunch that day, chalked it up to experience and continued studying for his next flight.

Throughout the week, he flew two more times. Thankfully, he did not get sick again and he enjoyed the experience.

This week he's working through the flights quickly. He flew the last 200-level flight yesterday and was scheduled to fly 301 and 302 today. Doubleturn days are hard, but I can't wait to hear about it!

Once he finishes the 6 rides at the 300-level, he will get to solo, then fly a pre-check and check ride and come home! We're hoping this could occur before his scheduled return date of May 22. That would be really nice - not only because it's difficult being apart for so long, but also because May 22 is our one year anniversary (on the Hebrew calendar - Yom Yerushalayim).

Thank G-d, Libby and I have been doing alright here in Enid. During the week I'm still working two days a week and studying. I took my Number Theory Final last week and have Geometry at the end of this week. I've also been trying to get some good scrapbooking done. That's kind of difficult with Libby in the picture, as she's discovered paper recently and loves tearing it to shreds, but I've been managing.

The first weekend he was gone, we went down to Dallas. That was very nice to spend some time with his parents and see the community. The drive was a little tough by myself, but we (me and Libby) managed. This past weekend I wanted relaxation and quiet, so I stayed here in Enid for Shabbat and our friend Victoria, who we often stay with in Oklahoma City, came to stay with me. It was very nice - we had good conversation and singing at the meals, then good reading and nap time!!

G-d willing, my Mom comes this Friday and is staying for the long weekend through Monday. That'll be really nice. Weather permitting, we're hoping to start our garden, finally, on Sunday!!

Off to study for the exam!

Some Pesach Inspiration

The question many ask around this time, as we scour our entire house for the last traces of chametz, trying to rid our lives and our souls of the "inflated," risen flour, is "If chametz is so bad for our souls, why can we eat it the other three hundred fifty-some days of the year (exact number depends on the year and your location for the holiday)." If we work so hard to get rid of all of it, why is it ok 7 or 8 days later to go to the store and buy bread?

A parable from the ben Ish Chai:
In an old-timey town, the sheriff's out patroling one night and catches a thief red-handed. He puts the thief in handcuffs and begins walking him across town to the jailhouse. The thief is humiliated. Not only was he caught, but now the entire town sees him in cuffs, being led by the sheriff. This man senses a trace of empathy in the sherif's demeanor, and decides to capitolize on the moment. The thief pleas, "Sir, you have no idea how embarassed I feel. Not only did I commit this horrible crime and get caught, but now I am on display as a convict. Please, spare me some embarassment. For the rest of the walk to the jailhouse, could we switch places? I'll be the sherif and you will be the thief?"
The sherif agrees, takes the handcuff off of the thief, puts it around his own wrist, and hands the other end of the chain to the thief. They continue the walk in this manner, until they arrive at the back entrance to the jailhouse. The guard opens the door and the sherif makes a move to switch roles once again. The thief, however, stops the sherif and tries to act as though the sherif really is the thief and should be locked up. The guard seems quite perplexed and does not know what to do or who to believe. Finally, he realizes how to determine the true identities. The actual sherif will have something which the thief will not.
What is this that the sherif will have?

The sherif has the key.

So how does this relate to matzah on Pesach? All year long we can temporarily enslave ourselves to inflated ego and embellished perspective. But once a year, we abstain completely, to show that we still have control. We have the key and we are in control of our ego, our ego is not in control of us. If society is trying to lead our souls toward materialism and falsehoods, then matzah is the fence, once a year, keeping us within the boundaries of where we are supposed to be.

Chag kasher v'sameach!

Back in Oklahoma with our pup!!

I apologize to anybody who has been checking for updates... it has been quite a long time!
While I don't usually like making excuses, this past month we have had good reason. Thank G-d, our lives have been filled with lots of exciting, happy occasions!

Let's start back at our return from Alabama...
We picked up our puppy on the way home!
Liberty Belle Goldstein ("Libby") has now been part of our family for just about a month and she is adjusting wonderfully. She's a labradoodle just over four months old. She looks mostly like a lab right now, but we're told by six months her hair will start getting longer and wavy. We've already noticed growth since we got her.
She spends most of the day sleeping (in very attractive positions, might I add), with short bursts of puppy energy! We have 2-3 training sessions a day, and she's already mastered sit, down, and stay. We're making major progress with crate... she definitely knows what we want, it's just sometimes she wants to listen and other times she doesn't. Although I do have to hand it to her that since the very first night home she has been an angel at night. Whether or not she voluntarily enters her crate, once she's in there we don't hear a peep until morning.

Yoni playing with her in the yard on her first day home:









Sleeping all cute and curled up in her favorite spot:










Sleeping on her panda (gift from Loryn) - her favorite toy!









Libby after her first bath! (I know...it looks pitiful). Unfortunately she's not a big fan of the tub yet...









Yoni serenading Libby out in the yard:










Adorable.









So getting a new puppy alone would make a first week back quite eventful. Well, we decided that it wasn't quite enough excitement for us. Sooooo... we threw a Purim party the second night back (with the greatly appreciated help of the Goldsteins and Deganis) on the Air Force Base. We had about 20 people come out to the party - we read the megillah, ate a lot of food, and did trivia/costume contest. It was quite fun. Yoni's costume was awesome. Here's a backshot (during the megillah reading)... If you can't tell, he's Leonardo the Ninja Turtle.









During the day of Purim, we had the seudah at our house, and different people stopped by throughout the day.

So if my memory's correct, Purim ended on Tuesday night... then that Friday our friend Michael Lebovitz graduated from Pilot Training (Yay, congratulations Mike!). His whole family came in town to celebrate. We went to the ceremony in the morning, then spent the whole weekend with his family. Mike's twin sister observes Shabbat, so she stayed with us and we got to enjoy the company of his whole family for the meal on Saturday and a lovely afternoon of games and walking.

Now a week after we got back, we had a few days to unpack, get our dog comfy, and regroup. It's a good thing we've gotten fairly quick at unpacking and getting settled, because exactly one week later, we were off again!

This time to Baltimore for Frumie and Noach's wedding! We got into Baltimore on Sunday at noon, the wedding started at 2:00 PM, and we left the next morning at 8:00AM. Yet somehow in that time, we had a great time at the wedding, spent a few hours at the jam session in town, visited Mom Mom and Poppy, and gave Shadow hugs. We're so glad we went though, because it was great to see all the family at the wedding and celebrate with the lovely couple. :)

They had a gorgeous chuppah in the sanctuary of Beth Tefiloh:









Daniel and Nili were precious walking down the aisle hand in hand:










I got a few moments with Frumie before the badekkin. I have to say one thing that REALLY impressed me, and will probably always stick out in my mind when I think of this wedding. During the time before the badekkin, guests always go up to the kallah (bride) to get blessings. Well Frumie is the only kallah I know who spent hours before the day writing an index card for each and every guest with a personal bracha. Peshie sat at her side with the alphabetized cards and handed the right one over as each guest approached. Beautiful.












So we came back from Baltimore on Monday, I went straight to work, then got caught up on things a bit before the next big adventure... come Friday we went down to Oklahoma City for Shabbat. Now this trip is kind of old hat for us by now.... however, this excursion was a little different than the norm, because we traveled with puppy in tow. I do have to say, she was a trooper! The nice thing about traveling is the appreciation she gets for the familiarity of her crate. When she's in a brand new house, her crate has a feeling of comfort for her, so she likes to be in there. Victoria was very sweet and let all three of us spend Shabbat at her house.

Then we came back to Enid Saturday night and brought Libby to our friends (thanks Daniel and Melissa!!) Sunday morning - for we were off again! We caught a flight Sunday afternoon to Toronto, Canada! We met Yoni's whole family up there and had a lovely day of tourism, seeing the whole city from the top of the CN Tower! Then Monday night (the purpose of our trip) we got to join in the simcha of Jacky and Dina's wedding! The (Jack) Bengios are good friends in Dallas. Jacky (best friends with Shuki) has been living in Baltimore for many years.

They are Sephardi, so the wedding had some very beautiful, unique customs, such as the white tallit being presented under the chuppah and turning around to the open Ark at the end of the ceremony.






























There was also an AMAZING choir singing during all of the special moments. It was nice spending all of this time with the family too. Here's a picture of me, Yoni, Shuki, and Cyrel during the reception.










So there we go - that takes us up to exactly one week ago. Since that time we have been crazily cleaning for Pesach, getting ahead on all schoolwork for the next two weeks, taking a midterm, getting ready to go down to Dallas for the seders, and right in the middle of it all having a well-needed, amazing, relaxing Shabbat just the two of us at home, for the first time in three months.

Tomorrow we finish the cleaning, I have to work for two hours at the tutoring center, and then we're heading down to Dallas.

It's getting really late now and we have a long day tomorrow so I think we're going to call it a night. But we wish everyone a Happy Passover - Chag Pesach kasher v'sameach, and may it be filled with meaning and Joy!

Last night I called in to a really good shiur about the holiday, so if I have a few spare minutes tomorrow I will try to share them.