Kayla's Birth Story - Part 2

Baby Day!!!
Woke up around 5am. Had to be at the hospital by 6am. We had rented a car for a few days so we didn’t have to worry about busses. We had packed the day before so pretty much just got up, dressed, Shu had breakfast, and off we went. Arrived at the hospital and Shu dropped me off to register while he went to park. There were 2 others there for scheduled C-sections also. No one gets appointment, we are just told to show up at 6am and then they choose who goes first. We were told I have a good chance of being first because it’s my 3rd and they want to get the baby out. Lucky me. I followed another couple and we attempted to find where we were supposed to go. We met up with Shu and found the right building, and the right floor. Then came a lot of waiting. Checking in and waiting, some paperwork and waiting. Had to get an IV thing put in and my blood drawn. I was there with Shauli, and we were playing Word Twist and on the computer. Another woman was there with her husband but he kept leaving. And a 3rd was there and she already had so much company! She arrived with one person – maybe her husband, then another lady came (mother?), then a few more people, and then a few more! They were all talking and laughing A LOT. Very busy people. We were finally called – close to 9am and a nice religious doctor – English speaker who we called “Ira” – took us to get an ultrasound and make sure the baby was still breech. We asked if he would be the one doing the surgery but he said he had to do clinic so he probably wouldn’t be back in time. Then back to the room and more waiting. They finally called me and I had to get prepped. I changed into a gown ,went to the bathroom, got the IV put in, and got onto a stretcher. A guy came who maybe was an orderly but seemed more than that. He was Russian and chatted with us for a bit. At one point, he asked how Shu and I met if Shu was Israeli and I was American. That was funny.

So, off we went to the pre-op room. There was another woman on a stretcher in there and then another woman sitting on a chair. Throughout the whole morning, I had been asking Shauli what he thinks is worse. The anticipation of the surgery or the actual surgery. He felt it was the anticipation. I wasn’t sure. At this point, I was getting really nervous but now that we started the process, I just wanted to get it over with. I still hadn’t met the surgeon and had no idea if the people who were going to be dealing with me would speak English. So far- they hadn’t really. But I also almost wished I had a big sign that said “English Speaker”. This way they would know why I am looking at them with a lost expression. I felt weird to preface every conversation with “Do you speak English?”. So there we were…waiting. Again. But I was all set and ready for the surgery.

A woman walked in and stood by my bed and I heard the most wonderful words come out of her mouth. She said “Hi, I’m Sharon. I’m your anesthesiologist.” In perfect English! I cannot explain the sigh of relief that came out of my mouth. And I said something like “Wow, that sounds good. An English speaker. Thank G-d.” Turns out, she is from Louisville and made Aliyah years ago when she decided to do medical school here. She was absolutely phenomenal. I cannot imagine what I would have done if she was not there to help us.

We talked about my previous c-sections and the pain management in each. What I liked and what I didn’t like. She told me straight off the bat that pain management here is lacking. But that she wants to do whatever she can to make the experience as good or better than my experiences in the states. Because Israel is always competing with the States. We discussed a few options for pain management and finally came up with a plan. She would put it in my chart and be available in case I was in any pain. She gave us her cell phone number and said to please call if I am in any pain. Then basically it was a matter of waiting until they were ready for us in the operating room. There was an older nurse there too who kept coming and talking to us. She was really nice too. Shauli got to put on some scrubs, and Sharon took a picture of us. I took one of Shauli too where he looks like a big scary surgeon.

Almost time......

Kayla's Birth Story - Part 1

This whole pregnancy has been pretty crazy. What an experience! That is for sure.
To summarize, it was an easy pregnancy as far as the actual pregnancy was concerned. A bit of nausea in the beginning and some tiredness throughout. But no major complications, aside from one trip to the hospital . That was scary but it turned out to be okay. One of the biggest adjustments was switching to an Israeli OB. I was not impressed. Twice. With 2 different OB’s. I am used to the fantastic doctors at Women’s Health Consultants in Detroit. They were concerned about me, took their time to talk to me, delivered 2 of my babies, and I could call them anytime with any questions. Even once I moved to Israel, I called with a question for Dr. Schoenberger because I didn’t know who to call here!
So the pregnancy was definitely my easiest. My biggest issue was that I didn’t sleep well. I often spent a few hours in bed, then a few on the couch, then back to bed. I was in pain if I stayed in the same position for too long. For a few months, it was my lower back and towards the end, the pain was in my hips. Not so fun. I also got sick a lot. Not badly sick but I kept getting colds, sore throats and they would NOT go away. My immune system had a rough time.
But who had time for a difficult pregnancy? We had to apply for Aliyah, pack up our house and lift, get our house ready to be rented, move to Israel, adjust to life here….and just when we were getting settled in – have a baby!!!! G-d only gives us what we can handle. I could not have handled a difficult pregnancy.
They had scheduled me for another C-section because I had already had 2. Also, the baby was breech. So that made me feel better. I don’t like having C-sections and I always wonder, were they really necessary? So far, yes. And with a breech baby, yes.
We went in to the hospital on January 11th for a meeting with the surgeon and to register, etc. We met with a great surgeon (but who would not necessarily be our surgeon) and he explained the process to us. Then he got out his calendar and said, ok, let’s pick a date. He said, “Since this is your 3rd C-section, we like to deliver between 37-38 weeks. And tomorrow you will be 37 weeks so you can have the baby anytime between tomorrow and next Monday.” I looked at Shauli and said, “What? We are having our baby in a week?!? I thought we would have 2 weeks! If we have it Monday, we will miss Rachael’s wedding and (Shauli’s) Mom won’t be here yet – woah, that’s really soon.” I told the doctor that I know they like to do the surgery early so I don’t go into labor but that’s not really a problem with me. So do I really have to have it so early? He said not only do they not want me to go into labor but they don’t want me to have any contractions. That puts stress on the uterus and could cause uterine rupture. Well, we don’t want that. I wasn’t going to argue. So Monday, January 19th, it is.
The following week was spent anxiously getting ready for Baby Day. Cleaning up a bit, getting caught up with work, etc. I never got to the point of “Nesting” which was sad. Meant my house wasn’t quite as clean or organized as it could have been. But I think we were ready. As ready as we were going to be!! We arranged with Shev that she would come and stay with the boys for that first week. This way, Shu could come and go to the hospital and she could watch the boys. We had a nice day on Sunday. Boys went to school, Shu took Sammy to the ENT, Shev came around 5:00. Shu and I went to a meeting with the Mayor of Ariel. He wanted to meet with the Olim because he wants to bring a lot more North American Olim to Ariel. Then we went to Petach Tikvah and got dinner (Mmm Chinese food) and went to a movie. That seems to be our tradition. A pre-baby movie. We saw Madagascar 2. We had the entire theater to ourselves. It was a cute movie but seemed to be a little too much like The Lion King. But it was nice to spend a few hours of just the 2 of us. That will be it for awhile.
Baby Day!!!

In Search Of:

I'm looking for copies of the newspaper (English and Hebrew, Detroit or Israeli) from Monday, January 19th.
Please let me know if you have one still around or know how to get one.
Thanks!!!

Tehillim Request

Please take a moment to say Tehillim and daven for:

Shoshana Yehudis bas Bracha

This is my good friend's baby daughter who is in the hospital with RSV in the PICU.

May little Shany have a speedy Refuah Shelaima. We're thinking of you and your family.

Sleep Training......again?

I'm sitting here in my computer room, trying not to make a sound. I've turned off the volume on my computer, in case someone Skypes me. I've turned off the ringer on my cell phone. And I am praying no one calls on either of the house phones (American or Israeli #'s).
And I am listening to Sammy cry. And cry and cry and cry. Bedtime has been really rough lately. It could be because of so many reasons - I don't know which one to blame?
There is the general one - his life has been turned upside down and he is still adjusting. But I feel like he should be past that. He seems happy with his daycare, he is picking up some Hebrew here and there. And he has slept normally at times. So it's not like this Bedtime H*ll has been a constant for 4 months. It's been up and down.
There is the Ear Infection excuse. But it doesn't seem to bother him at all. We only knew he had an ear infection because he has tubes so the nasty infection leaks out. He's been on oral antibiotics and ear drops since Sunday and was on some different ear drops starting the Thursday before too.
There is the fact that I am Mommy - and he just doesn't go to sleep nicely for me. I don't know why but he always seems to go to bed earlier and nicer when Shu puts them to bed. Personally, I dread bedtime. I can't handle listening to him cry and scream. And now that he has finally decided to acknowledge us as Mommy and Daddy - his pathetic cries out for Mommmmmy and Daddddddy break my heart.
He seemed like he would go to sleep nicely. We did the whole bedtime routine, just like every night. Teeth brushing, book reading, milk drinking, and Shma, Hamalach, and Esa Enai. He lay down at first for about 1 minute. Then sat up and started crying. And that is where we are at...
The pathetic sad sounding cries have now turned into squawks "MoMMy! MoMMy!"
I'm trying to do the whole cry it out thing but come ON! I've already gone through this with him. When he was just a few months old and that's how we taught him to sleep. And he did a good job with him. We were so relieved to have a decent sleeper........after all, we had learned our lesson with Jonah. :)
And now I have to sleep train Sammy again???? Just when I am expecting another baby?? I can't imagine how Sammy will ever sleep once we have a newborn home. That's really going to throw him off.

Anyway - just thought I would post that complaint/concern out there.

Anyone with any advice? It is VERY VERY welcome!!!!
For those who don't know - Sammy and Baby will be about 21 months apart.

THANKS and wish me luck!

To Buy or Not To Buy

I'm trying to decide if I should get these shirts or not.
It's really hard to buy clothes online but these are such a great deal!!

FunkyFrum - Classic Longsleeve Tee

I plan on wearing them as "layered" shirts (and obviously post-pregnancy). Hmmmmm.........

Also, I figured I would pass along the link to my friends! Maybe they want to buy some too. :)

Moving Sale

Our dear friends and neighbors in Detroit are moving and need to sell a lot of their stuff. They posted this on MI Shuls, etc but I figured I would post it on my blog too to try and help them out.
Please pass this along to anyone else who may be able to benefit.
They take good care of their things and the prices look really reasonable.
Here is their post:

Well, we're moving, and we need to sell a lot of stuff - quickly! Furniture, appliances, and other random items - in great quality and in good shape. Click here for pictures and prices ( http://picasaweb.google.com/yishaiyosef/GreatStuffForSale ) . Please e-mail us if you're interested in anything (yishaiyosef@gmail.com), or call us at home. More stuff will be posted soon, so stay tuned! If you can think of anyone who might like any of our items, please forward this e-mail on to them. Thanks!

Yishai and Bellischa Mendelsohn

(Send me an e-mail if you would like their phone number).
THANKS!!!

Prayer for the Welfare of Soldiers in the Israel Defense Forces

Prayer for the Welfare of Soldiers in the Israel Defense Forces

May He who blessed our fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, bless the soldiers
of the Israel Defense Forces who keep guard over our country and cities of
our Lord from the border with Lebanon to the Egyptian desert and from the
Mediterranean Sea to the approach to the Arava, be they on land, air or sea.

May the Almighty deliver us our enemies who arise against us, may the Holy
One, blessed be He, preserve them and save them from all sorrow and peril,
from danger and ill.

May He send blessing and success in all their endeavors, may He deliver to
them those who hate us and crown them with salvation and victory, so that
the saying may be fulfilled through them, "For the Lord, your God, who walks
with you and to fight your enemies for you and to save you", and let us say,
Amen.

I Believe

The rocket range has now been extended to 60km. No rockets have hit that far yet but Israeli intelligence believe they are able to. That adds in a whole bunch more cities - a whole lot more family and friends are now possibly in range. The war is coming closer.

But we sort of joke with our friends about it. And say that now we are the ones on the "safe" side of the Green Line. So many people did and still do ask us "Isn't it dangerous where you live? You live over the Green Line!! You have Arab towns all around you. Aren't you nervous?" Some people don't want to come visit us because of how "far in" it looks on the map. When really, we are only about 10-15 minutes from the Green Line.

Personally, I feel we are in one of the safest parts of the country right now. We're Bli Iyin Hora, out of rocket range. Even if we were in rocket range, we are surrounded by Arabs and since they don't aim those rockets well, I imagine they may not want to risk taking out their own people. Although Hamas doesn't seem to be too bothered by using children as human shields, not sure if they would really be bothered by killing a few of their own.

We live in a city that has a security fence around it and has a security gate to get in. There are soldiers 24 hours a day watching who drives into our city. History has shown, Bli Iyin Hora again, that we haven't had many security problems or problems with our Arab neighbors.
And since we don't have a car, we won't be driving down the 60 or going anywhere where we feel at risk. We even did the responsible thing last week and did NOT drive down the 60 or go to the Old City of Jerusalem the day after the bombing in Gaza started. We're watching out. We're being as careful as one can be here.

People have always asked when told about my time spent in Israel or told about my plans to move there - aren't you scared? Isn't it dangerous? Again, when we moved to the Shomron, we were asked, aren't you crazy? Why would you move there? Is it safe?

Bottom line - and I believe this about everything in my life. It has been proven again and again. G-d is in charge. G-d ultimately decides what will happen. Granted, I wouldn't go dancing in the streets of Ramallah. But we moved here because we believed it was the right choice. We felt that it was the best place for our family , for our children. And we know that we are doing the right thing. As hard as it is at times. As much as we miss our dear friends and family that we left behind. We are confident in our decision and have moved a step up in our lives. We made Aliyah.

I have faith that Hashem will keep us safe. I pray that He keeps us safe. That He keeps our friends and family safe. I know that He is the mastermind of it all. He has a Plan. Yes, I sometimes question that plan. And I have a list that of things I will ask about after 120 years. :)
But ultimately He is in charge. He is in charge of where the rockets land and of where car accidents happen. My brother in law mentioned that there are probably more car accidents with injuries on Highway 2 than there will be people injured by rocks thrown on the 60. We didn't stop driving (when we had our Chanukah Car). Just like people are way more likely to be killed in a car crash anywhere than in an airplane crash. Yet so many people are way more afraid to fly than they are to drive.

G-d's in charge. We have to remember that and we have to believe in Him. Sometimes it's as simple as that.

May we have a quiet, peaceful Shabbat and Hashem should continue to watch over us all.

War Dreams

Well, I had my first War Dream in Israel.
As far as war dreams go, this was tame. There must be a part of my subconscious that is scared. Scared for the people who are already affected by this war. Scared because, as I wrote in my last post, these rockets are hitting places which I always considered safe. Especially for the year that I lived there!! Beer Sheva and Ashdod. We were always "safe" in those cities. During the 2001 Intifada.
I talked to my Mom for a loooong time last night. And reassured her that we are safe. Ariel is far away from rockets. And there are probably too many Arabs around us for them to want to launch rockets at us anyway. :) We're the ones who feel like we are on the "safe" side of the Green Line now. People that are leaving Sderot are coming to Ariel.
I've been doing some reading of people's blogs and watching videos of what happens when a "Code Red" siren is sounded. I read on the Homefront Security webpage about how close people have to be to a shelter in case a siren sounds.

Residents of towns adjacent to the frontier, including the city of Sderot, are instructed to remain continually indoors, within immediate reach of protected spaces.
Residents of towns located within the 10 km. radius are instructed to remain in places that allow access to protected spaces within 15 seconds.
Residents of towns located within 10 to 20 km. radius, including Ashkelon, Netivot and the surrounding areas, are instructed to take cover in protected spaces within 30 seconds of hearing an alert siren or a blast.
Residents of towns located within 20 to 30 km. radius, including Ashdod, Kiryat-Gat, Kiryat-Malachi, Ofakim, Rahat and the surrounding areas, are instructed to take cover in protected spaces within 45 seconds.
Residents of towns located within 30 to 40 km. radius, including Beer-Sheba, Yavneh and Gadera, are instructed to take cover in protected spaces within 60 seconds of hearing an alert siren or a blast.

Schools and kindergartens are closed in these towns, except those operated inside bomb shelters. Public gatherings are generally prohibited. Only shopping centers located in hardened structures are opened. People should refrain from loitering outdoors and try to stay indoors and within reach of protected spaces, as much as possible.

Once again, for my family and friends outside of Israel that may not be aware. These are all instructions to people in the South. People in cities that are currently being hit by rockets or within rocket range. The threat is very very real. People have to continue day to day living but what a weight they have on their shoulders.
I reassured my Mom that we do have a sealed room in our apartment and the nearest public bomb shelter is literally across and down the street from us. I would say within a 15 second range. But please G-d, we should never ever ever see the inside of it. Maybe that's what sparked the dream. The thought of hearing a siren and having to get the kids down the stairs and run down the street to the bomb shelter with them. Getting inside and waiting until the rocket hits. It totally freaks me out. And people ARE living like this right now. The people of Sderot have been living like this for 8 years!!!!!! There are kids whose entire lives have been spent running from rockets.
Where was the outcry then? Where was the world sympathy then?? Are people only sympathetic to the residents of Gaza?? Many of which are Hamas terrorists???
Ok, I'm not going to go down that road right now.
Not sure the point of this post. Maybe just to get my thoughts out. I was surprised I had a war dream. Didn't realize that I actually was scared. For the safety of my family, my unborn child, myself. And feeling so helpless for the people down south that are living what I fear.
We have offered to a couple of the people that we know down there to feel free to come to us. Spend a Shabbat with us. If they just want to get away, we are happy to have them. But for the most part, they are staying put. They believe that is where they belong. That is where there homes are. They aren't going to run. They aren't going to let the terrorists win. I'm proud of them. I'm impressed by them. And I pray for them.

Pray for them. Pray for the soldiers - who are kids. 18 year old kids doing their jobs. Protecting their country - our country. Putting their lives on the line. Everyday.

May we merit Moshiach coming soon, and peace for everyone!! May we have a quiet and peaceful 2009. Only simchas and brachot for us all!!

Close to Home

I can't believe that rockets are hitting Ashdod and Beer Sheva. That's close to home. Well, close to what was once home.

Don't worry - friends and family in Chutz La'Aretz - it's "far" away from Ariel. Check out the following map if you want to see locations of where the rockets have hit. Although I don't know how often it is updated:
Current Events Map in the Middle East
** It says on the map "Blue is where I live". But that is referring to the person who made the map. I live in Ariel. You can see it on the northern part of the map. Just East of Petach Tikvah.

But I spent a year in Beer Sheva in 2001. I studied in University there. And that was a bad time - terrorism wise. That was in the middle of the Intifada. I was constantly in touch with family and friends in the States. Constantly reassuring them that I was safe. I was far away from Jerusalem and Gaza and Tel Aviv. I was far away from rocket launches. And far away from terrorist attacks. And there were so many Beduins, Arabs, that lived in and near Beer Sheva, so we wouldn't get attacked. It was a quiet, calm, desert town.

There was one situation while I was there - I believe it was a shooting. But actually at the time, I was "safe" in Ashdod. Volunteering for Magen David Adom. Learning what to do in the case of a mass casualty. We trained for it but never thought there would be an issue in Ashdod either. I spent a few months in Ashdod during my University break. And we constantly went back and forth between Ashdod and Ashkelon, because that was the nearest hospital. But we took old, sick people. An occasional car crash or suicide. Women in labor. Children with high fevers.
Not terrorist victims. Not injuries from rocket launches.

I just can't believe they are hitting Ashkelon and Ashdod and Beer Sheva. I think of my friends there. And the families that live there. Thank G-d, schools there were closed today. Because the rocket hit a kindergarten!!!!

WHEN WILL IT END??????? WHAT IS THE SOLUTION????

I am thinking of all those down south. I pray that Hashem will keep you safe and there will be an end to the attacks soon.

Tuna Macaroni Salad

Here's another recipe from my Mom. It makes a lot and people gobble it up!!! I use the Hellman's Regular Mayo not the Lite or Low Fat or any of that.

Ingredients:

3 c. macaroni, cooked and drained
7 oz. can tuna, drained and flaked
3-4 hard boiled eggs, chopped
1/2 c. celery slices
1/3 c. green onion, sliced
1/4. c sweet pickle relish
1 T. mustard
1 t. salt
1 1/4 c. mayo.

Combine macaroni, tuna, eggs, celery, green onion, relish, mustard, salt, and mayo.
Mix lightly.
Chill 3-4 hours.

Eat and Enjoy!!!

Macaroni and Cheese Casserole Recipe

This is my mom's recipe and is a delicious and easy recipe for mac and cheese casserole. It can also be made in advance and frozen.
This recipe makes a smaller portion but you can double it for larger crowds. :)

Ingredients:

1 c. macaroni (dry)
1 c. bread crumbs
1 1/2 c. scalded milk
1/4 c. butter
3 eggs, beaten
2 c. grated cheddar cheese
1 T minced onion
1 t. salt
1/2 t. paprika

Directions:

Cook macaroni.
While cooking macaroni, scald milk, then add butter. Once butter is melted, add bread crumbs and let sit 5 min.
Combine eggs, cheese, onion, salt, and paprika.
Add macaroni after it's cooked.
Add bread crumb mixture to macaroni mixture.
Turn into greased 2 qt. casserole.
Bake uncovered 30 min at 350 degrees.

B'tayavon!!!

Doctor vs. Doctor

I may have mentioned previously that I am unimpressed with the OB's here in Israel. I don't have a LOT of experience but I have been to 2 here. The first was in Ariel and he was a bit odd. I had been told that the 2 docs in Ariel in my health clinic were just not great. And been advised to go elsewhere. So I chose a doctor in Petach Tikvah based on a recommendation from someone who had a baby 3 weeks prior. I don't really know her well but hey, she just had a baby so the memory is fresh! I did not factor in that she is Israeli and is used to how things are done and patients are treated.
I'm not.
And I miss my doctor's from Detroit. A LOT!!!

I am not worried about the medical care here. I think the doctors are trained just as well and know what they are doing. The most important thing is the health of the baby and the mother, as it should be. And they make sure everyone is healthy.
But beyond that, it seems they just don't care. Like anywhere else, you will have better and worse ones in terms of bedside manner. But things here are just so much less personal. WAY less personal. At least in my small experiance so far. And I am assuming that if I had paid a lot of money and gone to a private doctor, I would get more personal care. Maybe the doctors in the health clinics just have too many patients and don't want to get too involved. But I am not talking about having my doctor over for a cup of tea. I just want a little concern....a little interest. Pregnancy is HARD! I feel like she should ask how I am feeling. Not just have me come in her office, do the ultrasound and say goodbye.
One of the strange things to me is that the doctor you see throughout your whole pregnancy is not the one who will deliver you or even be anywhere near you when it's time for the baby to come. Her job is done. (Although maybe she does a post-natal check-up?) You see the doc every 6 weeks (and I am not sure how often at the end of pregnancy) and then you register at the hospital where you want to deliver. When you go into labor, you head to that hospital and the midwife does your delivery. Or in my case, I have to schedule a C-section so I sign up, go in, and whoever is working, does my c-section. I will have NEVER met this person, have no idea how well they speak English, and have no comfort level with this doctor who is about to preform surgery on me and deliver my 3rd child. WEIRD!
I hate it.

I don't like my doctor. I have only met her once but I don't like her. And I think I realized why last night. Aside from having a strange visit with her (because of the lack of personal care and concern), she is impossible to reach. That's annoying. If I have questions, I feel like I don't have anyone to call. The nurses on the Maccabi medical line seemed more concerned when I called them in the middle of the night than the doctor herself.
Here's the story.
A couple weeks ago I woke up in the middle of the night and was having an issue. Unsure of what to do and no idea who to call, I first called my American doctors. Not that they could do anything but just so I would know whether I have to be concerned and need to go to the ER or if I could wait and see a doctor in the morning. They were already closed so I called the 700 number for Maccabi and told them I am having a problem and have no idea if/how to reach my doctor to ask her and am not sure what to do. They transferred me to their 24 hour nurses line. I spoke to the nurse and explained the problem and she told me that I need to go to the hospital to get checked out. I could take a taxi because it wasn't a huge emergency but I need to take care of it and can't wait until morning.
Well, apparently it is very difficult to get a taxi in the middle of the night in Ariel. After more than an hour of trying to reach one, and with the help of the nurse at the 24 hour line, we ended up taking an ambulance.
Long story short, we spent about 10 hours at the hospital and thank G-d, the baby was ok and I was ok. They were a little concerned about preterm labor but sent me home because there were no other indications of labor, told me to contact my doctor because maybe she would want to check me out, and told me to REST.
I called my doctor's office and spoke to the receptionist who told me to fax over the paperwork from the hospital, she would give it to the doctor, and the doc would call me. A friend of ours faxed over the paperwork but I didn't hear anything from them. A few days later I had to go into a different Maccabi office for an ultrasound and had forgotten the referral so I had to call the doc to get that faxed over to us. I asked if she had received my fax and she told me no. So we had our friend fax it over again. Still didn't hear from her. The next time I called, there was a message saying the doctor was on vacation and would be back next week (on a Tuesday). I waited till the Tuesday but there was no answer when I called. So I called back on Wednesday. But the doctor doesn't work on Wednesday. So I tried again on Thursday. Spoke to the receptionist again who said she didn't see the fax anywhere but if the hospital said I am fine, then I will just get checked by the doctor the next time I came in. Coincidently, I had an appointment the following week so she said just bring the paperwork from the hospital then and show it to the doc. But at this point it didn't really matter because it had already been a few weeks since the incident.

Ya know what I don't like? Where the heck is my doctor?????? I feel like if this had happened in the States and I called my doctor's office and told them I had been in the hospital, they would not only call me to check on me and talk to me but they would also want me to come in so THEY could check me out.
I don't understand how my doctor can hear that one of her patients was in the hospital and not show any concern. What IS that about??
I'm kind of glad that she won't be delivering my baby.

So, that's my complaint. :) I'll let you know how things go on Wednesday. Wish me luck!

And then it hit me.....

Sammy was sick the other day and I posted as my Facebook status something about "Natalie is home with a sick baby." I almost wrote "Natalie's baby is sick" but I didn't want to give people the wrong idea that G-d forbid something was wrong with the fetus baby.
Because at the moment, I kind of have 2 babies. Sammy and fetus. Or in Hebrew, Ubar (I think that's a funny word).

I had the craaaazy realization that 2 months from now (Bshaa Tova) when I write something about my "baby", I will be referring to a whole new being and member of the Zacks Tribe.

WOOOOOOAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I won! I won!

I vaguely remember getting a credit card statement last year and one of the little ads that they included was for an Instant Win game online. For some reason, I decided to enter and I ended up winning! Or so it claimed. Something about I won a few tickets to a Soundstage concert - one to keep and one to give away. And a $500 gift card. One to keep and one to give away. The promotion was called "A Season of Giving" for the Holiday Season.

So that was exciting. But of course, I was wary of it. Did I REALLY win? I filled out some paperwork and then didn't hear from them again for about 6 months. Out of the blue I get an e-mail regarding the SoundStage tickets and how to claim them. I also get an e-mail about having to choose someone to give the 2nd $500 gift card. So I write them back and ask if I could give it to my spouse. Turns out - I can!! Woohoo!!

So I had some more paperwork to fill out and then they said I would get my gift cards. Another few months went by and then we moved to Israel.
Then I get an e-mail saying the gift cards had been Fed-Ex'd.

Long story short (ok, so it was still long) the gift cards finally made their way to us in Israel. We now have 2 $500 gift cards that must be redeemed by March 2009.

What should we buy??????

Should we be boring and responsible and just use them for groceries, heaters, household items? Should we get something more fun and rent a car for another few weeks - maybe over Chanukah? Should we save them and get something for the baby?

Or should we get something just plain FUN! And if so - what?????
All thoughts and opinions are appreciated!!

Out of the mouths of babes

Here are just some random comments that my kids have said in the past few days....

Jonah: Mommy, when are we going to forget our English?

*********
Me to Shu on the phone: Well, I'm on the bus but I am literally on the bottom step next to the door.
Shu: Just tell them you're pregnant and they should let you sit down.
Me: Even if I could say something, there isn't room to get to the seats.
Jonah in background: Tell Mommy to say "Yaish Lee Tenoket Babeten" and to let you sit down.
Me: Thanks Jonah for translating that. :)

*********
Jonah: What is today called, tomorrow?
Me: Yesterday?
Jonah: Oh yah, yesterday. Well tomorrow I will tell Daddy that yesterday you read me 6 books!

(Doesn't seem like he is forgetting his English anytime soon)
****************************

As far as Sammy goes, well he says words in English but I think he has picked 2 Hebrew words up at Gan. The first is "DIE". Keep in mind, this is NOT English. In Hebrew "Die" means "Stop". He may have learned that one from his brother. And the second one which I noticed this evening after giving him some cheese, he asked for "Od" which means "More". YAY!!!

Out of touch

I spoke with my grandmother briefly yesterday who informed me that my aunt (who lives in Israel) told her that no one hears from me. This didn't surprise me and in fact, I had even told Shauli that I bet my aunt was telling my grandmother that I don't call. That's how it was all the other times I have been here.
Well, this time I asked my grandmother - has my aunt called me? No......
I am the one who just made Aliyah, pregnant, with my husband and 2 young children. She has been here for something like 25 years or more.
I am the one trying to deal with the medical system (both for myself and for Sammy who has constantly been sick since we arrived), the educational and childcare system, a foreign language (yes, I can have a simple conversation in Hebrew but ask me to read and understand forms, bills, and Jonah's letters from Gan - forget it!). We've been the ones without all our stuff for the past 2 months, attempting to live normally. Now that our stuff has arrived, we are trying to put our apartment into some kind of order. Kudos to Shu for that one because I don't know that I have unpacked a single box - aside from kid's clothes!
So, I want to know - how come she hasn't called to ask ME how I am doing???
The truth is, I don't expect much different. I will definitely call when I have a chance and hope to visit her and my cousins (who I haven't spoken to yet). When I see them we get along fine. But I feel like I am always the one who makes the effort.

Even though I sound bitter about it, I do feel badly. I feel badly that I just don't have the time to make phone calls. I feel like I am not only neglecting that family that is here but I haven't been well enough in touch with my family and FRIENDS back in the States. And I was the one who reassured them that sure, I'll have an American number, we can talk all the time. We just have to make the effort. Even if we don't have time for a loooong phone conversation, we just have to call and say Hey. But I haven't fulfilled my end of the bargain.

However, yesterday was an example of why I really did not even have a minute to sit down and make a simple phone call.

After being up constantly through the night because of a bad cough, and waking up a bunch of times with Jonah, because of his bad cough, I finally was woken for good by my kids shortly after 6am. Yesterday was a little different because Jonah ended up staying at home but normally, they wake me between 6 and 7am and we get up, play, get dressed, eat breakfast, and get ready for school. Then Shu and I each walk a kid to their respective schools (or sometimes Shu takes both). That's by about 8am or so. I get back, drink a Shoko in a bag for breakfast and settle in for a long day of work. I work from about 8:30am - 4:30pm, give or take an hour. Sammy comes home at 4pm and proceeds to cling to me and cry. Then I attempt to make dinner (with Sammy clinging to me) and often give up and Shu either takes over the kid or the dinner. After dinner, I either head off to Ulpan (until 9pm) or am at home getting the kids ready for bed and attempting to put them to sleep. I say attempting because while Jonah has been pretty good about going to sleep (after books and songs), Sammy has stopped going to sleep. I mean it. He just doesn't go to sleep anymore. And he's our good sleeper!!!
Last night, we thought he was out for the night at a normal hour. So I attempted to make a phone call. I left a message on a friend's machine and then called Grandma. She has a packed schedule so it's hard to reach her but I guess it was early enough in the morning that I caught her at home. We spoke long enough for her to tell me about my aunt and then Sammy started screaming. So we wrapped up that conversation and Sammy was awake until close to midnight.

So much for phone calls.

So, for all you dear and loved ones out there, I know I haven't called. Or certainly haven't called enough. But at the moment, it's just because I literally don't even have 2 minutes to sit down and breathe. it's not cuz I don't think about you and miss you and wish you were here! I look forward to hopefully the near future when Shu has a job (so I don't feel the pressure of the only income) and Sammy is adjusted and our house is somewhat in order.

Aside from that, all is well and good here. :)
By the way, if you don't have our number - drop me a line and I will send it to you!!! Then you can call me and say sit down, let's chat. :)

All the best and all my love from the Holy Land. I'll try to post pics soon! But you may want to check Shu's Facebook for that. He's better about it.....

Complaint to Omega

What do you think of this letter?


Dear Alon,

I am writing this letter to inform you of my complete and total dissatisfaction and disappointment in your service and your company. I do not ever remember dealing with a company who is handling such an important service for us, who claim to be professionals, and whose total incompetence was clear every step of the way.

When we first began dealing with you, we made constant attempts to reach either you or Tali or anyone that could assist us and failed. You did not call back, you did not e-mail back with answers to our questions, and the very few times we were able to reach you, you always had to "check on the matter" or "look into it" and get back to us. Never happened. Tali even told us that you don't check phone messages so don't bother leaving them. I remember after we paid our 25% deposit, debating canceling with your company because you were so completely unprofessional. Looking back, we should have taken the loss and switched to another company.

I imagine that someone in your position has learned something about Customer Service, despite that it's not clear in the way you handle matters. Perhaps you should go back to business school and take some of these courses. You may have heard the saying that a happy customer tells 1 friend, but an unhappy customer tells 10 friends. Experts have researched that and agree. However, these days the Internet has changed all that. Now, the unhappy customer can post intimate details about their bad experiences on blogs and message boards that reach millions of people everyday and can live on forever. I, for one, plan on not only telling at the very least 10 people, but also posting on a variety of Internet sites, Yahoo groups, Facebook groups, wherever I can reach anyone who is planning on making Aliyah. You may be aware that Olim Chadashim do a lot of networking, a lot of sharing experiances, and a lot of talking. And while yes, people want to know that someone had a good experience with a company they won't necessarily believe the good things written on the web or certainly not the "Testimonials" on your website. Those can easily be made up and "good" experiences easily posted by someone working in or for the company. But let me tell you, everyone believes the bad experiences. Why shouldn't they?

As far as Customer Service goes, I have worked in this area for a number of years and dealt with my fair share of unhappy customers. I worked in retail and people always find something to complain about. I found an important article that you should take a minute to read and try to absorb what it says:
http://www.allbusiness.com/company-activities-management/company-structures-ownership/11599156-1.html

Seeing as you don't want to take any blame for the way our case was handled, I imagine you ignored that article. But I will reiterate a few points made. The article says that sometimes it's difficult to maintain your composure when a customer is angry. But let them vent and don't interrupt. Listen carefully and with empathy. Try to rephrase the problem for clarity and ask for confirmation from the customer. Then, look for a resolution.
When my husband spoke to you last week, he was frustrated. He was tired of no one informing us of what was going on with our lift, or where it was, when it was coming, and even how do we get it??? When he spoke to you, you only seemed to be making it harder and harder for us to get our lift, as opposed to finding a solution. Yes, he lost his temper but it was not unjustified.
When I called back to ask a separate question, I was appalled at how you spoke to me!!! You spent the entire phone call ranting and raving about how angry you were that my husband spoke to you that way and how now you really didn't want to help us get our lift because of that. I couldn't get a word in edgewise. If you are upset about the way an unhappy customer talks to you, take it home with you and complain to your own wife, not to the customer's wife. I was calling so I could attempt to resolve the problem not so I could hear that your feelings were hurt. And certainly not to hear that "now you really don't want to help us". Once again, a sign of the unprofessional way that you dealt with us.

I know my husband already sent you a letter expressing his complaints. But to reiterate, our complaints are as follows:

1. It is almost impossible to reach you and has been from the beginning. You rarely answer your phone calls, don't respond to phone messages, and may occasionally "reply" to our e-mails but not with answers to the questions we asked.

2. Your failure to communicate with us. You work in a field dealing with people moving across the world. Most people have never done this before and therefore are unaware of the process. Not only that but they are in the middle of uprooting their lives, their families, and leaving everything that is familiar to them. YOU are the professional here. You are the one who knows how it all works. And you should be aware and sensitive to that. If you really do put customers first and you work around the clock, as quoted from your e-mail, then I imagine we would have been dealt with very differently. We were only aware of what was happening with our lift because of our constant phone calls to VASM here in Israel. Every time we called, it seemed another problem or delay arose.

3. Our shipping delay. As far as we are concerned, the last we heard from Tali was on September 9th which said she was attaching our shipment information - with nothing attached. I do not blame you for the strike here or for the "400 files that customs had to clear". What I do not understand is why didn't our container leave America until 6 weeks after the scheduled shipping date? How could you possibly not keep us informed of the status of our container? You should let us know when it leaves, when it is expected to arrive, let us know that it is delayed, and certainly let us know once it has arrived!!! How else are we supposed to know? This is YOUR job!

4. We were certainly aware of our open balance and had no problem paying it. You may have noticed that once we finally got in touch with you we wanted to pay immediately and the fastest way possible. All we asked for was our current balance which you had failed to provide for us until that point. I don't understand why you make it so hard to pay you ?!?! I would think you want your money and if you see an open balance, you would contact the customer to inform them. We didn't even know where our lift was, let alone when we were to receive it. If you place a hold on someone's lift, you should inform the customer of that hold. All it takes is a simple phone call or e-mail stating, your lift is on hold until you pay your balance of X amount. I was not withholding money from you. But for such a large balance, I have to withdraw from other funds and I prefer to do that at one time for the correct amount.

5. Regarding our payment, I would like my $152 returned to me for your "Credit Card Authorization fee". We requested of Liat, the accountant who one would think would be familiar with such a charge, to send us your policy on credit card payments. She seemed to be unfamiliar with this and said you would send us that policy. We are still waiting . Alon, please send that to me. We paid the first payment on credit card and that did not seem to be a problem at all. When we wanted to pay our balance, you told us about this 3% charge all of a sudden. I did some research into whether that was allowed or not and it seems that charging a 3% credit card transaction fee violates your merchant agreement. I would like my money refunded to me. And I plan on lodging a complaint against your company for this bogus charge.

6. When our lift finally arrived here in Ariel and they opened the doors, I was shocked to see 10-15 meters (according to the moving company) of unused space. Empty space that I paid for. Your initial assessment at our house claimed that we would need a 20 ft lift with all our belongings. Not only was that wrong, we brought presents and items for other people on our lift. Our total amount of things maybe would have taken half of a 20 foot lift. And since we had extra space, we would have sent some items that we were told "won't fit because our lift is completely full." We would have sent beds, our dining room table, and other items we left behind in Detroit. I cannot begin to express how furious I am regarding that. We paid thousands and thousands of dollars for that space and your screw-ups had us paying for empty space. Alon, this is unacceptable!

Once again, I am completely disappointed in Omega Shipping and especially in you, Alon Aviani. I am certain you will lose many potential customers because of your incompetence and unprofessional actions.

Natalie Zacks

Processing

I think I titled this post "Processing" because as much as this blog is a way to inform friends and family about what's going on with us - it also helps me sort things out in my head.
What I'm thinking, feeling, what's going on. I wish I were able to just send my thoughts to the blog as I am walking somewhere or for example, tonight as I was driving home from Petach Tikvah. Thinking thoughts. :) I'll try to convey them now.

Well, one thing that I have started feeling more and more is that I really love it here in Ariel and I hope that things work out and we stay. What does that mean you wonder? If you love it, then stay. But it's not so easy. For one thing, my family has to be happy here. And for another, there are a few things that we really hope will happen in order for us to really want to stay.
We need a few more Anglo's. Young couples, maybe a couple kids, people in the same stage as we are. And most important - people that will live in our area! There were quite a few Olim Chadashim to Ariel this summer and some that already live here. And whether they are in the same stage in life as us or not isn't as much of the issue. The problem is that we Anglo's are being spread all over Ariel. Not that the place is huge. But there are in fact, 3 neighborhoods and if your kids don't go to the same Gan or we don't go to the same shul, we don't see each other. And the fact that we don't see each makes it feel like we are much more spread apart.
Now, I am not quite in agreement with Shauli who wants an Anglo ghetto. Or says he does. But I wouldn't mind just a few more Anglo's in a similar position as we are, that live closer to us.

I think that's probably the biggest issue. There are other things that we wouldn't mind being different but I think we will get that in any city.
As far as the positives, there are many. The community and people here are FAN-TASTIC. They have been so generous and helpful and we have made a lot of Israeli friends as well as making friends with the Anglo's. I love the feeling of Ariel. That we live on a mountain and are 2 minutes from a beautiful overlook. In fact, I have part of that view just sitting here at my desk, looking out the window.
I love that this is a big enough city that we have a couple bigger grocery stores (not just Makolets) and a City Center and not everyone knows your business. But not so big that I feel lost. I love that it is a 5 minute walk from Jonah's Gan and a 12 minute walk from Sammy's daycare. Which is right across from our Kupat Cholim (health care clinic). It's a 7 minute walk to Shul and if we want to make the BIG trek to town, that's about 25 minutes.
I love that I feel safe and secure in this city and that we have guards at the gate and a security fence. That they are keeping an eye on everyone that enters the city. But I love that I can leave the city and see people riding donkeys to go harvest their olive trees. I don't know why but I get SUCH a kick out of that! Donkeys, strolling down the highway.
I love that we are not too far from the other major cities. Half hour to Jerusalem (but then factor in a half hour of traffic and getting lost IN Jerusalem), 20 minutes to Petach Tikvah, 45 minutes to Modiin, 45 minutes to Netanya, 2 hours from Maalot. We're right in the middle. Granted, I may change the way I feel once we return our rental car. :)

As far as adjusting.....the adjustment is HUGE!!!!! It's not easy. I won't lie. And interestingly enough, I would say Jonah is adjusting the best. By far!! He's amazing. He had a really rough few weeks in the beginning. Probably about the first 3 weeks. And that was hard to deal with. It made me keep wondering, OMG, what did we do? But now - he's doing great! He never fails to impress me. He's making friends right and left. He already has his close buddies, his English (and Hebrew) speaking friends - Leah and Gili Shira. And his Hebrew speaking friends (NO English at all), Shachar, Yedidya, and Mevaseret. And possibly, Elimelech Avraham. I say possibly because Jonah talks about him a lot but I have never actually seen them play together. Jonah has gotten so much more comfortable with his Gan, with the language, with his friends - he has become so much more confident! A couple weeks ago, I wanted to write him a Mitzvah note to put on the Mitzvah Rimon (pomegranate). But he insisted that we don't write it. English, Hebrew, nothing. When I dropped him off, I mentioned it to his teacher and she said he was probably embarresed. Because when the kids bring in mitzvah notes, the teacher makes a BIG deal and calls them up to the front of the class and talks about what they did. Well, this Shabbat (Shabbas) Jonah was really making an effort to make Brachot on the foods he ate. Apparently , the Gan Rabbi (Harav Dadi) told them it's very important to make a lot of Brachot. It was very impressive so I asked if he wanted a mitzvah note (expecting a big NO WAY). He quickly agreed but did inform me that I would have to write it in Hebrew. AND that it would need to take up the entire page that I was writing on. :) He comes home everyday with a new Hebrew word or Hebrew song. And he adores the Gan Rabbi and never wants to be late and possibly miss "HaRav".

Sammy is having a little bit of a harder time. He finally attended his first full week of daycare last week. He cries when we get there and he cries when we pick him up. But they claim he does well during the day. They say he eats nicely, sleeps nicely, plays nicely. I was so happy when I went to pick him up today. He came to me with a biiiiig smile on his face. Instead of bursting into tears! I was so happy, I figured he must have had such a great day and he was finally getting used to being there. I picked him up and gave him a big hug, and the teacher promptly informed me that today he was biting kids ALLLLLL day long! Oh NOOOOOO! They mentioned this a different day and asked me to make sure to talk about it with him at home. But he doesn't do it at home. He pinches, if anything. But he doesn't generally bite! So how I am supposed to have a heart to heart with an 18 month old? The teachers tell me it's his age and it's because he's frustrated that he doesn't understand (they speak NO English). But I'm worried they are going to kick him out!
On the medical side of things, we took him back to the doc who declared him healthy except for the month and a half of diarrhea. His stool culture came back negative (I think) and he doesn't have a parasite. I bought a powdered Pro-Biotic and that actually got him back to normal within about a day of starting him on it. But when we skipped a day, it came back!! We see the doc tomorrow for a "Well-Baby" check up. And we'll see what he says.

Shu is doing ok. You should probably read his blog for more info on that. He's still job hunting and starting to actually get bored of sitting home all day with nothing to do. I am not sure if I should be happy for our lift to come because it will give him something to do or if I should be worried that he may be playing X-box all day instead of unpacking to keep himself busy.

I'm doing ok also. I am feeling more pregnant everyday and I think the easy part of pregnancy is over for me. I got a reprieve so I could function and make the BIG move. And now I am feeling it. Maybe twice as much. I can't believe I have another 3 months to go. On the other hand, thank G-d, I still have 3 months. Because I am TERRIFIED!!! Terrified of giving birth here, dreading another C-section, and scared to death of attempting to take care of 3 kids!! I feel my hands are full with 2. What am I going to do with a 3rd? And right now I am lucky - Shu is home with me! I don't want to think about what will happen Post-Baby and Post-Shu getting a job.

I went to the new OB today because I was seriously unimpressed with the one here. The one here was certainly more convenient!!! 12 minutes walking as opposed to 35 driving plus ?? parking! I got a recommendation for this one in Petach Tikvah. She was ok but I think Israeli doctors are just different. Really really really different. I don't see her for another 6 weeks so I guess it's not so crucial but man, oh man, do I miss Women's Health Consultants and Providence Hospital. I know the "program" there. Here I am just lost. And I won't even meet the person who will do my C-section until the day of. Let's just HOPE they speak English.
I'm having some bad back-aches (most likely pregnancy related) and am tired a lot (pregnancy or life-related). And I am just so busy. I feel like I don't have any time to myself and barely have time to breathe. The kids wake me up between 6:30-7:00 (sometimes even earlier, rarely any later). Then they need to be dressed, fed breakfast, and off to their respective schools. Usually Shu takes one kid and I take the other. It's a lot more traumatic for me to take Sammy though because he still doesn't like going. Jonah is practically ready to walk him self there! (Don't worry - it's not happening). Then I get home and start working (medical billing). I generally try to start by 8:30. I work work work and Jonah gets picked up at 1:30. Then I try to work, work, work some more. Sammy gets picked up at 4:00. He then attempts to attach himself to me for the rest of the evening. Our evening consists of trying to make dinner (with said Sammy attached), trying to get everyone to eat the dinner. And then either me or Shauli going to Ulpan from 6:00-9:00 three times a week. We just found out we will be having a Sheirut Leumi girl come to babysit on Sunday from 5:45 - 7:45 so we can both attend half a class together. :) They days it's my turn to go to Ulpan, I go and am there until 9:00. And the days that I don't go, I am home and go through the circus of putting the kids to bed. And after all that, I just want to fall over. So that explains why you in American haven't been getting too many phone calls from me. At the end of the day, I am just DONE! Heck, by the middle of the day, I am DONE!

So that's life. All in all, we're doing well. I may not have conveyed that well though. It's been frustrating not having our lift. I'm impressed with how the kids have handled not having toys. They've done well. We borrowed some train tracks from R&V so they mostly play with that. And we got them each a toy before Yom Kippur (to keep them busy) so they have a Parking Lot for matchbox cars and a big car carrier. And Jonah has a bag of dinosaurs. They've got a few books, some art supplies, and that's it for the most part.
We should be getting our lift tomorrow morning so that's exciting. And then we can officially lodge or post our complaints against our horrible, incompetent, unprofessional, shipping company.
I look forward to a few months from now. I look forward to being settled in, to getting used to how things work here (medically and otherwise), to learning the language better!!! To not feeling like such an Olah Chadasha. :) I look forward to feeling HOME.