Chocolate Cookies and Bruised Feet

Sunday - Oct. 13

So we got back at midnight on Saturday night from Turkey and I did laundry (since I had no clothes or underwear for the next day) and went to bed around 3. We all got to sleep in because the other half of our group didn't get back til 2:30. So we had a brunch from 10-noon and then Sacrament meeting at 12:30 since we had missed Sabbath. I hardly remember it though because I slept so much. I was exhausted. Turkey took everything out of me. Then I played some ping pong and soccer and we watched the Saturday afternoon session of conference before dinner. D. Todd Christofferson's talk was my FAVORITE! We went out to the Old City which was so fun to go back to. I had missed it! We went to a bakery in the Jewish quarter that had delicious chocolate cookies. It made me soooo happy!! I might spend the rest of my money on those cookies...

Monday - Oct. 14

Monday was a pretty awesome day. We went to the Holocaust museum which is a totally different experience being in Israel. The children's memorial really got to me and I just wanted Cali, Rock and TJ there to hold so bad. It was a gem of a museum and we had a good time and learned a lot.

Part of the Museum

Then we came back and played some games and did homework before dinner. For FHE tonight we all went to a concert that is through an organization that gives Jews and Palestinians equal opportunities in music. There were filming a documentary for Discovery Channel and we were in it! And I was in the front row baby!!! I'm hoping this is where I catch my big break.I won't forget you all once I make it in the big leagues. I sat next to Lillian who I learned is the wife of the guy who founded this organization! She was fun to talk to and let me practice my Arabic on her. There was a little 14 year old guy there playing the violin that completely won my heart. He was adorable! 

Tuesday - Oct. 15

Tuesday was another great day. Actually it wasn't too good. I had classes from 8 am until 9 pm and only an hour break for lunch and an hour break for dinner. I had a nursing test in there too that I  did not succeed on. After the last class at 9 I was chompin at the bit to get out of there so I ran stairs for an hour and then we did P90x ab ripper workout and then I played soccer. Well, tried to play soccer. Within the first two minutes I went to kick the ball with full force and accidentally kicked Nate (a huge buff guy) in the heel. Needless to say, I thought my foot broke in half and I ran out of the gym and sat in the hall and couldn't breathe because the pain was so bad. I started crying because it hurt and I got really nauseous. I couldn't move my toes and my foot was bruising and swelling all across the top. Everyone came to help me and I couldn't stand up or put any pressure on it. They carried me back to the gym so I wasn't out in the open and they got it elevated and some ice and gave me a blessing. Then they had to carry me down to my room which was such a painful process. We stopped a lot so I could catch my breathe. I was so humbled at how nice everyone was. Erin, Becky, Nick, Little Nick, Whitney, MJ and others were right there with me the whole way. They got me a blanket, some food, Advil, water, and they carried me down tons of stairs and hallways, they set up my bed so I could elevate my foot and they even placed me down in bed and tucked me in with everything I would need around me. They got the doctor and he gave me some serious pain meds. I needed food to take my pill with so Nick got me Oreos, a granola bar, a chocolate bar and a wafer. Wow. That's more than I eat in a day! I laid in bed (until the pain meds kicked in) and thought about how blessed I was to have such incredible friends. They are all so nice and they sacrificed so much for me and helped me a ton. I'm not good at being the patient, but they were all incredible nurses. 

Wednesday - Oct. 16

I woke up with a throbbing foot that was not quite as swollen but still bruised this morning. I felt so embarrassed because I was totally pampered and babied last night but they were all so sweet. I could kind of walk on it this morning, with a lot of limping and pain. I took another pain med because we did a walking field trip today through the Kidron valley and Hezekiah's tunnel. It was a killer. I hurt sooooo bad and I was soooo loopy. I don't remember too much about the walk through the valley. I probably could never find my way there again. James, Nick and Julie said they couldn't believe how hilarious I was. They said I kept wandering all around by myself and I would just laugh all the time. They said I kept saying random things like the "Ministry of Magic" as Brother Whitchurch was talking. At the Hezekiah Tunnel gift shop I found Jordan and was telling her all about draddles and how I sang a song called Draddle Spin in Kindergarten in a white turtleneck with cats and balls of yarn on there. I laughed at everything and had a great time. We watched a 3D movie at the tunnel and boy, I was having a hay day with that pain pill in me. Jordan got some on video because I kept gasping at everything they said and I would try to grab the 3D bugs and I kept being distracted by the harp shaped lights on the walls. Rough day. The tunnel was incredible and so fun because it was full of water. We walked through and it was a tight space and the water came up to my upper thigh (so everyone else's ankles). After that we went around the Old City for the rest of the night until dinner and had a blast. I just wanted to get home though because my foot feels like it's falling off. 

Once we got home I practiced a song with Becca for the Talent Show on Thursday. Then I went down to the Belnap's apartment. Brother Belnap is the other religion teacher and his family is here. They have four kids and I went down there to color a card with them. I needed some alone from everyone else and just feel like a normal family for a while. They were sweet for letting me come. It was fun. 

Thursday - Oct. 17

Today we had classes all morning and then we got to go out and pick olives around the center. We're making olive oil next week. My foot is doing a lot better but I didn't get to climb the trees very well. Everyone just lifted me up and we had a blast picking them. Then we studied for a while because we have a midterm tomorrow. After dinner we had the Formal Talent Show. It was in the auditorium of the center which has huge windows that look out over Jerusalem. It was gorgeous and such a fun stage to perform on. There are some incredibly talented students here. It was fun to see that side of everyone. I definitely messed up on our song a few times, but I tried to just go with it and rolled my eyes and laughed. And I blushed of course. That always happens. 

Friday - Oct. 18

We had class til the afternoon today and then I went out to the city with James, Jamison and Becca. We saw our favorite shop owners: Shaban and Nacer. It's fun now that we've been in the City for a while and have gotten to know some of the people here better. They're so fun and always nice to us. Nacer is the guy that gave me a free scarf and offered Jenny 50 camels for me. Shaban always gives us free juice when we come and we talk with him for a while. I love it here. It's a lot easier now because we know our way around the city. There were some kids that came up and walked with us for a while. They grabbed our hands and held them as we walked and they kept asking our names. They were so cute! After dinner I just did my own thing and watched parts of some movies, planned my Young Women's lesson, sang and played the guitar and had a great time with everyone. It was a good day.