Last Visitors and Goodbyes

Our time in Jerusalem ended in a whirlwind of visitors and goodbyes. One year was simply not enough time to do all we wanted with the people we came to love, but at the same time, I think we did more in that one year than we would have otherwise, because we knew our time was short.

With the Hawaii Crawford cousins at the Mount of Beatitudes

With the Maloneys (Annie was a mission companion) having dinner in Bethlehem

J's Aunt Kevin's family at Hezekiah's Tunnel

Goodbye to the Rasmussens, who left Jerusalem and the Foreign Service

Night games with the Howells and Sarah & EJ, sweet, loving friends

After repeated attempts by my friend Carolyn to get into Jerusalem from Ramallah (a U.S. citizen, retired kindergarten teacher denied entrance because she is married to a Palestinian!), we finally were able to have lunch and get caught up after 10+ years.

The kids requested a final trip to the Old City for some shopping. Paul's souvenir was a shofar (ram's horn), for which he had to bargain hard to get it within his price range. The blue eyes helped. It later got nicknamed the "chou-fart" because it smelled so bad ("chou" means stinky in Mandarin).

Our goodbye to Jerusalem would not have been complete without another stop at the fountains in Teddy Park.

Headed to the airport. Our last goodbye was to our cross-the-hall neighbors, the Riggs. We will miss them!