Go Big Red!

I cannot believe that I have let a year and a half go by since the last time I posted a new blog!!!  Where does time go??

I certainly don't have any new Israeli adventures to add, but I do have some new adventures in a new state ...

As I mentioned in my last (and ancient) post, I had started a job with a hotel in the Fort Collins area.  Little did I know what I was stepping into...one thing has led to another and after filling the role of interim manager at that hotel January through some of March 2012, the management company requested I do the same thing at a hotel they own/manage in Kearney, Nebraska for 6-8 weeks while they went through the process of hiring a new manager. 

As anybody who knows me would know, Nebraska is enemy territory.  I grew up with season tickets to CU Buffalo games and the red team was hated!! :)  Knowing this was temporary and knowing it was a good opportunity, I agreed and three days later was driving to Kearney for an unknown length of time.  I don't mind admitting I was very much dragging my heels.  I didn't mind the opportunity, but it's NEBRASKA ...enough said. 

Long story short, after I had been in Kearney for a little over a month, the management company actually offered me the general manager position.  I was taken completely by surprise and humbled they would make this offer.  By this time, I had softened a tiny bit and was actually starting to really like Kearney.  It has a small town feel but larger town amenities.  It was a big decision, but I said yes and so started the Nebraska adventure...

House hunting was quite interesting ... rentals are quickly snatched up in Kearney!  I set up an appointment with a realtor on a Saturday to look at one on Monday only to have it taken before I even got to the realtor's office.  The next day, I looked at a different apartment and was on my way to her office a mile away with my application and she called to say it was taken.  I did find one that I am quite happy with and have enjoyed having my own place for the first time in (then) four years.  It's a two bedroom, one bathroom apartment with a balcony.  It has truly become home and a haven in the evenings.

My parents and a little sister very kindly transported all my belongings out in mid-July ...While I had gone back to box everything up, they put in the hard work of hauling it up the stairs from the basement, and then Mom, Dad, and Abbi very kindly did the bulk of the work hauling furniture up three flights of stairs to my 3rd floor apartment. :)  I heard lots of jokes about this division of work ... :P 

Contrary to popular opinion, Nebraska is not only cornfields and country bumpkins.  Yes, I might as well admit it, I have changed my opinion on the state.  I actually am enjoying life in Nebraska and ...yes... have become a Husker fan.  One cannot help it here!!

 My car was the first to be affected--I actually did not apply this sticker!!  On of my employees did it as a joke in May, but I couldn't find the heart to remove it and so it remains the first Husker decoration.

 Next came a pair of Husker earrings ... those of you who know about me and earrings know that this purchase/addition is quite a statement.

 And by September 1st (the opening game of the 2012 college football season), I had gone as far as purchasing my first red Husker shirt.  (In all fairness, I had been coerced into buying my first Husker shirt in June, but it was GRAY.  A little more subtle and only worn at home ... this one was full on red and has been worn outside in public ...)  My family calls me a traitor.  I still follow CU football, but it's fun to be reminded of winning college football. :)

I even attended the University of Nebraska's graduation ceremony in Lincoln last May, two weeks after coming to Kearney.  I noticed on Facebook one of my fellow Israel volunteers was graduating and realized Lincoln was well within my reach.  Thanks to his sister's help, I was able to surprise Nick Winter and celebrate with him!  Proud of you Nick!!

 To be completely honest, managing a hotel full time has kept my hands full and limited free time.  I don't have a lot of pictures of spare time activities as I don't have a lot of spare time, but today marks the one year anniversary of coming to Nebraska.  Now that I have wintered and summered the state, I can say I am really enjoying it.  While one never knows how long they have in any specific place, I certainly treasure my time here.  It is more than corn fields, Kearney is a great town, and I find Nebraska to be a solid midwestern state with solid values and kind people. 

Summer in Colorado

(With Joseph at a Colorado Rockies game, September 7th)

Shalom to anybody still watching for new blogs from me . . . For whatever reason, there hasn't seemed to be as much material and/or motivation for blogging since returning to the States. Maybe because this seems old and familiar and not of interest. Or maybe I need to look at this from a different angle--now, instead of sharing my life in Israel with friends in the States, maybe now I am sharing my life in the States with my friends in Israel! :-)

Let me try and summarize my first six months back in the States in one paragraph . . . After setting foot back on Colorado soil May 5th, I spent the month of May largely unpacking, adjusting, and spending time with family (including a week with my brother at his home in Arvada). I was quite surprised to find and begin a job in June! I wasn't really anticipating that step until mid to late July, but the perfect job appeared and a brain doesn't think so clearly at midnight! I sent in my resume, was called the next morning to schedule an interview, and started working at a hotel in my town on June 17th. This role is virtually identical to the role I filled in Israel my last eight months there--head housekeeper/assistant manager/hotel supervisor. Basically, the general manager's right hand. I have found this type of position to be my strength.

(Okay, well maybe two paragraphs) June, July, and August gave me quite a taste of what a hotel's busy season is! It is crazy busy and never a dull moment!! Being short staffed sometimes made the summer quite a challenge, but each day worked out--the rooms got done, laundry somehow got done as needed, guests kept coming, etc. I found myself working 6 days a week, 50-60 hours a week. Things stabilized around the end of August; it was an interesting first couple months back in the American work force, but I love my job. It is the perfect job with a great boss and coworkers, and I am so grateful for this opportunity.

Other than working, I haven't had many big happenings, but there have been some fun and special events . . .

As I mentioned, I spent a week down with my brother, Kenton, in Arvada. Although he still had to work (responsible young man that he is!), we spent evenings having fun together, and he took me into downtown Denver on Saturday afternoon. I had such a spectacular time! We went to the REI flagship store--amazing! So much equipment for sale and such a customer friendly store.

The REI store from Confluence Park
Confluence Park is so named because it sprawls around the junction of Cherry Creek and the South Platte River.
After spending time at REI and the park, Kenton and I visited an amazing spice shop and then stopped for boba tea before heading back to his house. (If you've never tried boba tea, it is an experience. Just don't ask your brother to try and explain it before you try it!! The description may color your impression :-)
I went for a walk most of the days while Kenton was at work. A lovely trail following a small creek runs a few blocks from his house, and one could walk for miles.

A lovely spring day on the trail

Arriving back in Colorado in May felt like stepping back a month weather wise. Israel was firmly starting summer, with temps easily in the 70s or 80s each day--sunny and warm. Here, temps climbed into the 60s on warm days, but there were also many cool nights and cloudy/rainy days.

Beautiful sunset over the mountains on June 8th
Later that night, it poured rain and hail. There was over a meter of rain water in the window well; needless to say, Hannah's basement room flooded . . .

Hannah was awarded her associate's degree from Aims Community College the first weekend in May. It was so fun to celebrate with her!

Abbi and I had a little fun with all of Hannah's regalia . . . (this can be completely chalked up to jet lag--had only been home 2 1/2 days!!)
The first time our entire family was together in 16 months. This was about the 27th of 83 family pictures taken that day. After each attempt, a certain family member would say "let's just try one more."

Mom had wanted to do a little welcome home party for me and also a celebration open house for Hannah. Hannah chose to postpone hers a little bit so that she could share the afternoon with me. It was so thoughtful of her, and I was honored to share the party!

The PURPLE cake table . . . (Mom made the cakes)
Hannah and I with a very special family friend (our beloved Aunt Patty) at our combined party
Spring and summer at the Larson home would not be complete without baby goats. Although most of the does had kidded before I returned, there were still some left and I got to enjoy the new babies!
Hannah with one of Savannah's babies
Dixie's beautiful and splashy little girl

July 4th--America's Independence Day for my international friends. I had to work for some of the day, but then celebrated with my family with a barbecued dinner, fireworks viewing, cherry seed spitting, and red/white/blue temporary tattoos!
With Abigail and Emily
August brought with it the county fair. Since I have worked every weekend since beginning my job, I hadn't been able to attend any goat shows this summer with my siblings. The goat show at the Larimer County Fair was scheduled for a Monday; I was excited to be able to watch my siblings show and help Mom and Dad with the show paperwork.

Hannah ring stewarding and holding the next goat Emily was going to show
Emily, Joseph, and Abbi in the show ring with some beautiful goats!
And, what would a fair be without attending the rodeo? I was given complimentary tickets and enjoyed the performance with Aunt Patty. You know you're back in the States when you see the Stars and Stripes instead of the blue and white Star of David.
I had to laugh at this and thought you all might enjoy it. How does one transport a turkey? By wheelbarrow of course! I showed poultry for seven years and learned quite a few tricks in preparing birds for exhibition, but I hadn't seen this before. I didn't get my camera out in time to catch the bird in motion, but trust me, he was getting wheeled across the roadway!!

One of the things I really wanted to do was go to a Rockies game. I procrastinated most of the summer, so then Joseph and I were left with very few options when we combined our schedules with the Rockies home schedule. We were able to go to a Wednesday night game; the Rockies were hosting the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Walking (limping in my case) towards the grand Coors Field entrance
Looking out at the field from behind home plate
However, our seats were not behind home plate :-) We still had a great view--could see strikes and balls and got to watch the outfielders in action up close.Something unique to Coors Field--the blue line running around the stadium near the top marks exactly one mile above sea level.
Unfortunately, the Rockies lost the game that night. Despite the loss, Joseph and I had such a fun evening. Some nearby fans were entertaining, we got our hot dogs and nachos, and enjoyed walking around the ball park.

So now, you are all mostly caught up on my summer! Coming up next--either a few more pictures from the last couple weeks in Israel or a review of my Colorado fall and short holiday in Denver . . .

Last few days of sight seeing (Part 2)

Looking west down Gershon Agron street, April 26th

I apologize for not getting this post up faster--the pictures have been uploaded for almost a month, but I haven't seen to find the time or mental focus to write anything about them. Part of the reason for that is six weeks after returning from Israel, I was honored to be offered a full-time job at a hotel here in Windsor! I was not anticipating finding a job that fast and am so grateful. However, I once again have limited time to write and blog.

But enough excuses--here's another glimpse at one of my last sight seeing days in Israel . . .

After a couple days walking around and through Jerusalem's Old City, I spent most of Tuesday, April 26th in the western New City. Jerusalem's Great Synagogue had been on my list for a long time, but I found it hard to fit in. You might be wondering why . . . mostly because it is only open for visitors until noon, and I did not want to be up and bushy-tailed that early on my days off! :-) But with two weeks at my leisure, I had lots of other mornings to sleep in . . .

In Israel, Pesach (Passover in English) lasts for seven days, the first and last days being a bit more ceremonial than the middle of the week. The international Jewish community, however, celebrates an 8-day Passover feast. Okay, here's where I try not to confuse anybody--there are those who live outside of Israel, travel to Israel for Pesach, and retain their eight-day celebration. So, while all the shops had been closed on Monday for the final day of Pesach, there were still some holding services in the synagogue on Tuesday for their final day. The downside to this was I wasn't able to take in my camera and photograph the interior of the synagogue (it is beautiful!). The upside was I got to sit in on some of the Jewish prayer service. I didn't understand every word (it was in Hebrew), but I picked out some words here and there. The experience was special and memorable.

For more history on the Great Synagogue and a few interior pictures, go to http://www.jerusalemgreatsynagogue.com/EN_HomePage.aspx.

The first synagogue on this plot of land was built in 1958, but the current building was completed in 1982 at a construction cost of $18 million. The building was constructed in the style of the Jewish Temple that stood in Jerusalem two thousand years ago, and it was inaugurated on Tu B'Av 1982 (wikipeda has a fascinating article on that specific date). The synagogue was dedicated to the six million Jews murdered in the Holocaust as well as fallen soldiers of the IDF. (The building is visible in the top picture, just to the left of the tall building and above the trees)

The outside of Jerusalem's Great Synagogue--it really is "great", seating 850 men and 550 women. You can imagine the height of this building when compared to the people standing outside the doors. The windows are stained class and are beautiful from the inside with the sun streaming through them.

The dedication plaque to the left of the entry.
A closer look at the doors . . . the doorkeepers were quite kind, but unfortunately I couldn't take my camera any further.

A random picture as I walked back down Jaffa Road to the Old City . . . this is Jerusalem's version of a fabric store

After a relaxing afternoon at Christ Church, a friend and I went to the Israel museum that evening. This had also been on my list for the 16 months I was in Israel--I have no idea why I didn't get there sooner.

I have been to the Israel Museum on two of my three previous trips to Israel. The museum visit was scheduled for the first day of the tour my first two visits. As some of you know, traveling so far a distance aggravates vertigo for me, and it takes two or three days before balance is restored. My memories from my first two visits to the museum consist of dark edges around my vision, extreme lightheadedness, and concentrated efforts to not faint. Not very pleasant! In 2008, the museum was not scheduled for the first day in Israel--it ended up on the day I was confined to bed for 24 hours per doctor's orders. Unbelievable. I was so looking forward to actually seeing what was in the museum!

And I was not disappointed. Tal allowed me to spend a bit over an hour in the archaeological wing of the museum--that is a long time for somebody who's not into archaeology that much! It's not my number one interest, but I love to see all the finds from Bible times. Especially since I've visited so many of the actual locations--I can picture where the pieces came from. I was torn between being excited to be there and being disappointed I wouldn't be able to fit in a second visit before returning to Colorado.

After the archaeological part, Tal took me on my own private tour through the art wing. To be honest, if I had gone by myself, I probably would have skipped these exhibits altogether. I would have missed out bigtime! There was a whole Jewish history exhibit that was fascination, complete with reconstructed synagogues from around the world. Even the fine art exhibits were much more intriguing than I ever anticipated, largely due to my guide! Tal explained so many artistic concepts/techniques, the artists' backgrounds, and pointed out many details I likely would have overlooked. I walked into the art wing out of obligation to Tal (he had let me have my time in archaeology) but left having really enjoyed the tour. Tal--thank you so much for your patience and untiring explanations. I still can't believe how much I enjoyed perusing all the art, and that is due completely to you!

By the time we exited the building (three hours after entering), it was dusk over Jerusalem. The view was breathtaking.

The Jerusalem skyline, looking west from the Israel Museum
An illuminated waterway ran along the wide concrete path; it's unfortunate this picture can't capture sound and atmosphere.
At the top of the pathway stood this unusual display. The ground is reflected in the top, while the sky is reflected in the bottom. Tal knew the story behind its creation which really made it interesting.
The Jerusalem skyline reflected in the top of the metal sculpture
And then Tal and I had some fun with the reflective metal and my camera :-). The dusk colors made these a touch more intriguing . . .
Another look west at the skyline of Jerusalem
Darkness was falling quickly . . . here is one last look up the pathway at the museum. At the top is the reflective sculpture we stopped to examine.
A reflecting pool meets the glass wall of the museum's coffee shop
The illuminated Knesset building from the museum grounds
Tal and I took one last look back at the illuminated Israel Museum before walking back home.

Last few days of sight seeing (Part 1)

Beginning of the Via Dolorosa

A few posts ago, I shared with all of you my tour of Jerusalem's Old City via the ramparts. The views from the wall in all four directions are breath taking! If you remember, I had a different itinerary for that April Monday, but the morning's plan fell apart one site after another. Before walking the ramparts, I wandered around the Old City for awhile and thought I'd share with you some unique views . . .

I retraced the path of the Via Dolorosa from Lions Gate on the east through the narrow and winding city streets to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher . . . Literally meaning "way of sorrow," this path follows Jesus' route from His condemnation to His crucifixion; however, it is likely more traditional than historically accurate.

The beginning of the Via Dolorosa in the Muslim Quarter . . . it feels a bit crowded walking this street with one car going by, let alone cars trying to pass each other going opposite directions! The wisest thing to do at this point is step into a doorway and wait for the cars to work their way through.
Also near the beginning of the Via Dolorosa, these are original street paving stones from the Second Temple period (100 B.C. - 100 A.D.). The complete street was discovered about 9 feet below the current street and restored in the early 1980s.
One of the fourteen stations composing the Via Dolorosa--this seventh station is the traditional location of the Gate of Judgment and also the the traditional site of Jesus falling under His cross a second time. This station is still located at a busy intersection of Old City streets.
A look back down one of the streets along the Via Dolorosa--it is quite a climb from the east side of Jerusalem towards the Church of the Holy Sepulcher on the western side of the Old City. For a good read on the Via Dolorosa, go to: http://www.biblewalks.com/Sites/ViaDolorosa.html
Turning down the road leading (eventually) to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in the Christian Quarter, one comes across an interesting sight. Tourist often second guess if they've taken the correct turn as this street appears to lead to the Mosque of Omar.
A bit of history here . . . this Omar was actually the main companion and adviser to Islam's prophet, Muhammad. He became Islam's second ruler after Muhammad's death. After the Rashidun army broke into Jerusalem in 637 A.D., the patriarch of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher would not surrender to anyone except the Caliph Omar. Omar traveled to Jerusalem to accept the surrender, and the patriarch invited him to pray inside the church itself. Omar declined, opting instead to pray in the courtyard. Thus, the Mosque of Omar was built over this site. The initial structure was built around 680 A.D., and the structure that stands today dates back to 1193 A.D. Its 45 foot minaret was added sometime before 1465.

But, once you actually walk down the little street towards the mosque, an alley to the left become visible. This alley only goes a few meters before it dead ends and the entrance to the church's courtyard is on the right. On the left, directly opposite, is this store . . . some things in Jerusalem never change . . . :-)
I wasn't interested in shopping for any souvenirs, so I turned right and down the stairs towards the church's courtyard. This is looking back up those stairs
The courtyard and entrance to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. This is quite a massive complex with numerous chapels and altars. This place has been a primary place for Christian pilgrimage since at least the 4th century A.D., and the first building constructed here around 326. As one might guess, the building has gone through many destructions, rebuildings, and restorations in the last 1700 years (and we Americans thought we had old buildings in New England!)
A closer look at the windows above the entrance--this ladder has an interesting and unique story. Well, to be truthful, the reason behind the story is discouraging and downright embarrassing for Protestants. Six religious groups share custody of the church--Greek Orthodox, Armenian, Roman Catholic, Coptic Orthodox, Ethiopian Orthodox, and Syriac Orthodox. Sadly, these groups do not always agree and get along, and there have been numerous arguments over the years (to the point where a Muslim family living nearby has been entrusted with teh keys to the doors since the 12th century). In 1852, the Turks declared a status quo which is still in practice today. Part of this edict refers to religious practices in the compound--whatever arrangements were in place at the time (including worship times, decorations, lighting, etc) cannot be altered and are still in place today. Another part of the status quo edict states that no part of any place designated as common territory can be rearranged without consent from all the communities. Unfortunately, this often leads to neglect of areas that badly need attention and repair. On the lighter side of things, this wooden ladder was apparently placed outside the window more than 150 years ago and was used to haul food up to Armenian monks locked in the church by the Turks. Since the ladder was in place at the time the status quo was established, and since window ledges are considered common territory, the ladder has not been moved (and probably won't be moved).


On that odd note, I will bring this post to an end. The Old City has such a fascinating history and so many intriguing stories. I suspect one could spend years exploring all the streets, alleyways, buildings, and shrines and still not see everything. I am so blessed to have been able to live there for almost a year and a half and hope that I have been able to give you glimpses into this unique corner of the world!