Friday, July 26, 2013

Meant to be



I don't consider myself superstitious. I don't particularly like it when people say "if God wanted it to be, it would be", but don't put any effort on their part to make it happen.
Now, don't get me wrong, I do believe in God and the fact that He has a plan that is much better designed that your own. Having said that though, I also believe that you have to make a great effort to achieve whatever it is that you want and if God thinks your plan should work, then things will roll smoothly for you and if He thinks your plan sucks, then He will make sure you find a new plan. Now, a few bumps on the road don't mean you should give up. Challenges build character and make whatever it is you are working towards that much more valuable when you do achieve it. But no bumps on the road, now that is a sign! A sign that your plan and God's plan match!

Our Aliyah, if my theory above is correct, is nothing short of a plan made in heaven! 

Let me give you a little bit of background and then I will come back to the point. When I graduated high school, I considered (for like 5 minutes) to make aliyah. So did my husband Ivan after he spent his year of ajshara (i am sure that is not how it is spelled, but bear with me). Instead, he moved to Miami and I stayed in Colombia and started college in Bogota. After three years, I decided I wanted to do a semester abroad in Paris, learn some french, take some baking classes, see the world... As I started to plan my semester in France, a semester started to turn into finishing college there and then those bumps on the road I talked about started to appear. One day, my grandparents said "why don't you go to the US and finish college there? The education is reputable worldwide (it is not like I was going to go to the Sorbonne if  I moved to France), and you can do your semester in  Paris  afterwards". The suggestion had a ring to it and I thought "it doesn't hurt to apply".  This conversation with my grandparents took place in April, I applied and got accepted at FIU right away, my student visa came in quickly and in June I was living in Miami, looking for a roommate and ready to start school. Now, talk about no bumps on the road. 
Now, perhaps my plan to go to Israel after college or study in the City of Love or my husband's plan to make aliyah before moving to Miami was a good plan, just the timing wasn't right. I am sure of that now (hindsight is 20/20). I met my husband after only two weeks in Miami and we have two beautiful children.  We were both meant to be in Miami at that time. 

Today, our plan is God's plan. I am certain of it. It may not have been years ago, but today, it is. From the moment we said "let's look into it" until now, our road to aliyah has been bump free. I would even dare to say we've been "pushed". I know that moving to a new country, learning a new language and a new culture will come with its challenges, but I also know that just as when things happened so easily for me when I decided to "look into" moving to Miami, if things are happening so easily for us to make aliyah, it is because good things are awaiting for us just around the corner (well, just at the other side of the world)


Wednesday, July 17, 2013

OUR LIFE CONTAINED



"The year 1866 was signalized by a remarkable incident, a mysterious and inexplicable phenomenon, which doubtless no one has yet forgotten. Not to mention rumors which agitated the maritime population, and excited the public mind, even in the interior of continents, seafaring men were particularly excited. Merchants, common sailors, captains of vessels, skippers, both of Europe and America, naval officers of all countries, and the Governments of several states on the two continents, were deeply interested in the matter." (20,000 Leagues Under The Sea)

No, my life was not written by Jules Verne, and I am pretty sure that our 20ft container filled with every one of our belongings does not quite "agitate rumors amongst the maritime population", but to me, this is huge! I never thought a container traveling half way across the globe would make part of my life. This is very exciting! And to think of the journey that it is about to embark on. Wow.

The guys from Omega Shipping have been here for two days straight. Great crew by the way, would highly recommend them. Yesterday was packing and today, loading the container. We are crossing our fingers as we were told that we may not be able to fit everything in the container. What this means is an extra shipment, which is not only more money, but as Olim, Israel allows us three tax free shipments, so two separate shipments means using up two tax benefits. We are full about 2/3 of the container. Will keep you posted on the progress.

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

OUR LIFE IN BOXES

And so this light stomach pain that feels like a mixture of an unsettled stomach, a knot and butterflies all at the same time, and that I have been feeling for the past couple of weeks as our aliyah date approaches and moving to Israel seems imminent, has today manifested in the shape of my first shed tears as our home (and what feels like our lives) is being packed into boxes. The kids’ rooms that we painted grey and pink for Ilanit and grey and blue for Nathan are now bare and breath an air of emptiness but at the same time are filled with so many memories. This hasn’t been our home for too long, but this is where our oldest son grew from a crib to a big boy’s bed and where our daughter was born. This is where we shared as a family, where we invited friends over for barbeques and shabat dinners and Passover seders. And I get it, I do, home is where the heart is, but I can’t help but feel nostalgic.