A "whirlwind" of an update

Any good excuse for my slow blogging?
It took a while to catch up here because (wait for it........) a category four hurricane hit our new hometown!!!  It caused a lot of destruction, and was quite a shock, since we were just trying to settle in and be DONE with traveling!  Fortunately we've been coping quite well and just trying to stay flexible and content with day to day comforts, even if we don't know our long term plan now.

First- about the hurricane
Hurricane Michael touched ground at Tyndall AFB/Panama City Beach area on Wednesday 10/10/18.  The wind speeds were about 150 mph!  The onset was very rapid and the storm intensity increased as it approached land, so this time it was no false alarm like there's been lately, like we’d been hoping for.  Please read or watch the news to get a full scope because I can't do justice to it here!  But in my next blog post (when we return to the base to assess our house) I will share my personal photos.

The storm came just two days after we moved in- so we had unpacked on Monday 10/8, and had to evacuate the next day, Tuesday!  Then the storm hit on Wednesday midday.  We had to be at least 100 miles away, per order of the base commander.  We didn't bring much at all except our suitcases from the weekend before.  But we didn't really think it was going to hit at the force it did and were certainly hoping that it wouldn't be so devastating to the base.  The base suffered extensive damage, some of it "catastrophic," including the school and workplaces.  They did move dozens of fighter planes to safer places, though, so at $140 million each, we can breathe a sigh of relief that American taxpayers won't have to help rebuild them all.  It will take a long time to clean up and rebuild, and we don't even know if they will do so.  They might move most people elsewhere. Time will tell- we are eagerly waiting.  And praying for a good future plan without any extra moving around!  I'd like to find out if they are moving Robert's office to another base and just move there One. Time. and not have the kids need to switch schools any more.

For the record, we are really not in need of anything at the moment- the AF is a) still paying Robert despite his not being at "work," and b) providing quite good per diem, lodging, travel monies to all those on evacuation orders.  There even was a generous "stabilization grant" given by the AF Aid Society.  We hadn't heard of that before, but nice to know how well the military takes care of its personnel.

Keeping busy during displacement
Our first few days on the evacuation order were in Macon, GA.  We stayed near our friends Judah and Jessica Greenberg and their kids.  We had a fun time, including a great outing to Skyzone, an indoor trampoline park.

 COTTON FIELDS (and a cotton truck- now that's a lot of t-shirts!!!)
(Haven't seen any peaches but have seen a lot of pecan orchards)

 MUSEUM OF AVIATION in Georgia

Fun in the hotel

Skyzone!!!

Fun at the Greenbergs

Back to Atlanta

Still hoping this wasn't going to be a long term displacement, we headed to Atlanta for Shabbat.  And there we lived, happily ever after!  JK!  But we've been having a really good time, thank G-d. It's hard to think about those without as many resources for whom the evacuation and damage are an incredible hardship.  We hope they are able to rebuild quickly and efficiently!  There are tons of people providing aid, which is encouraging.  For us, it's just day by day while we wait for our plan to be made.

We are having a wonderful time spending so much time with the Feens, and also got to see old friends (Erica Krivoy Davis, Hebrew school carpool buddy from Beaverton, Oregon!) and Gila Daman Polon, Brandeis buddy!)

We enjoyed many good nearby hikes and walks, the fantastic botanical gardens, lots of great kosher food, and seeing cousin Wendy Gutman!

Then we decided for the sake of happiness and peace, Nesya would get her "wish" and go to St. Louis for a little while under the loving care of Aunt Tammy and Uncle Mark.  There she would go back to Epstein for a little bit!  Adira chose to stay in Atlanta and we signed her up for CMCH Elementary, another nice Jewish school.  They both are doing well!

SOOOO proud of this 6 year old!  She said the flight was "AMAZING!"  You rock, Nesi!

YAY for reunion for Leora and all the family and friends back in STL!

 Look at that smile!

This school has been SO warm about welcoming Adira!

David LOVES Aunt Adi and all the Feens!  They're the best surrogate family anyone could dream of!

The wonderful clothing gemach (yadlyad.com) which came in super helpful- I'd much rather get some short-term necessities there and give money to charity than buy something brand new at the store, when we have all this stuff in Florida, anyway!

Cousin Wendy!  Cousin Stephen, you're next ;)

 Our cutie, a terrific student and flexible young lady!

David is the youngest (and only) student in Morah Noa and Morah Adira's class :) <3

More fun at the Feens

Stay tuned for the next update...hopefully we'll have good plans in the works by then!