19 July 2006

Joe



Happy Birthday to my brother! I miss you and I hope to see you soon.

We arrived in Amman very early yesterday, and so we have now had two days here. We are slowly figuring out how to keep the girls well-fed on room service. We have learned that Danielle likes applesauce. So far, they are having a very happy vacation, and have no idea that anything else is going on. Stella even sort of liked the bus ride. We were lucky to be sitting next to a family with children exactly the age of ours, and Stella spent almost the whole drive playing with an Austrian/Albanian boy named Bruno. Like her former play-buddy Zayd, Bruno was a very even-tempered child and that's good because Stella is easily put off by pushy, aggressive kids. We've had a fun time with Bruno and his family ever since, meeting up at the pool etc., but his family is off to Vienna in the morning.

We have obtained permission to travel to Tel Aviv where flights are not so booked as they are here. I'm actually looking forward to that. I can add Israel to a growing list of countries I've traveled through, but never seen.

Thanks to all of you who have commented and mailed me and who are otherwise thinking about us and keeping your fingers crossed. I hope you are all sleeping at least as well as we are these days.

10 comments:

Dad said...

Wow, that would be neat if you actually get to go to Tel Aviv. Will you get to stay over at all or just get to go on an airplane to another location? We are anxiously awaiting your arrival.

kat said...

I'm glad Stella made a friend. I'm pretty sure I don't have any kids but I would imagine it made the bus ride a little bit easier than if she had no distractions.

Vatti said...

Israel. Would you fly there or go by ground transport? Hopefully it would be a quick transfer and you can be on your way.

Jennifer said...

Glad you guys are being taken care of, and so well!

suz said...

the kids will have a pretty cool story to tell when they grow up...'i was in lebanon when the fighting errupted...'. kind of like grandmother and grandfather witnessing the beginnings of the tiananman square protests. i was always kind of envious of that.

i've been tempted to wear my hezbollah t-shirt around columbia, but i dont think i'm bold enough...although it's doubtful that anyone would recognize it for what it is.

glad to hear that it will all be over for you guys soon.

Megan said...

i was also tempted to wear my hezbollah shirt which is even less likely to be recognized in boone but chickened out just in case. i was also wondering how/when you would go to isreal and if that section is secure?

Megan said...

i feel bad for joe. happy birthday, man

Josh said...

that last comment was me.

Anonymous said...

Bruno? Poor child. But I guess with a name like that you are ready to face anything. Well. Tel Aviv. Exactly what Jerrold and I talked about last night. I guess one of the down sides of an evacuation vacation is that you do NOT get to pick your route, won't get the best connection and aren't always so sure when you will be where. The upside at least in your position seem to be lovely hotels, that you might not have been willing to pay for yourself...yup.-...one day this will make a great story. Especially if told by Matthew with his colorful way of telling such a story and an occasional ver dry comment from MA to get the stroy back to what actually REALLY happend.... Karin

PS: women ALWAYS get the story right...

joe said...

thanks, mary ann. looking forward to seeing you, too.