Not at Home, but with Family

Titus and I rode a train to NY to spend Easter with Jessie, and to see our Cambodian-American friends: Phalkun, Janell, and Naomi.  After hurriedly cleaning the church after Wednesday services, we got on the train (my first time on a train, and Titus' first time inside a train - he's ridden on the top in Cambodia) around 1:00am Thursday and our friends picked us up at the station around 10:30am.  I slept fairly well and was surprised at the extensive amount of room at my feet (unlike an airplane!)

Phalkun and Janell took us back to the Asian market, where we bought a variety of Asian foods [including chicken feet - more on that soon] that we can't find at Wal-Mart in Marion.  We went to a few more stores and finally to Jitters, where we had iced coffee that tastes almost like it does in Cambodia (very strong coffee sweetened with condensed milk.)  At Phalkun and Janell's, we played Scrabble before preparing a variety of Cambodian foods, and enjoying it with Jessie and other friends who have also been to Cambodia.

Phalkun teaching my husband to use a bow&arrow

I slept in until almost 10:30 on Friday morning, and we passed most of the day and night playing games: Scrabble, Ticket to Ride, Nirtz, Swap, Monopoly Deal, and Skipbo. All three of us took turns winning and a good time was had by all. Jessie made pizza for lunch, and we went back to Jitters for more iced coffee and two games of Scrabble. For dinner, we met three of Jessie’s roommates at a quaint family diner; much laughter occurred there. After dinner, we rented two movies and returned home for an insane six-person game of Nirtz.

Saturday morning we watched Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. Neither my husband or sister had a positive reaction to this movie, but I thought it was amazing. Seriously Oscar-worthy. It was a riveting and gripping story of what nine-year-old autistic Oskar does to handle his grief and understand why his dad was taken away from him [on 9/11.] It is about love and triumph and had me feeling all sorts of emotions.  Seriously wowwee. So so so good.  I recommend it!!!

After the movie we went to a mall in Buffalo [much much much larger than what we have in Marion] with Jessie and three of her friends.  I was on a mission to find a bridesmaids dress for my bff Loren's wedding in August, but I was unsuccessful.  I looked at probably 300 dresses in 20 stores and found only 5 or 6 dresses that I thought might work... but won't.  Sad!  I did however find 4 shirts for less than $6 each (Papaya might be my new favorite store,) and a swimsuit at Old Navy that I am in love with... and waiting for it to go on sale.

Jessie, Titus and I celebrated Christ's resurrection on Sunday at Phalkun and Janell's church and had lamb for lunch with her parents at their house.  After lunch we played games, sat around a campfire, had pizza for dinner, and played more and more games.  It is so wonderful that Phalkun and Janell live only a few minutes from Jessie [such a small world!] and we are able to visit them when we come to see her.  After Jessie graduates in May, I am not sure when Titus and I will be able to return to New York, so we really enjoyed all the time we could with the Nov family.

Love love love, 
Jewel