7 Quick Takes 68: Travel, Third Trimester, and Tapas

It’s been a hot minute since I’ve written on this blog! I loved my 10 days in Israel, but it’s so good to be back in Kansas. I’m still unpacking from the trip (our dresser is strewn with the contents of my suitcase), but a quiet weekend ahead promises time to finish getting settled in and back into the swing of things.

But before I put away all of my travel size shampoo, here’s what’s new with the Langrs!

1. Home again, home again

After 10 days in Israel, I’m back in Kansas! The pilgrimage trip was beautiful and so highly recommended. Some of my favorite moments included a Eucharistic Adoration hour in the Garden of Gethsemane and a visit to the Church of the Visitation. It’s going to take me a few weeks to unpack my thoughts (and my suitcases . . .) but if you ever get the chance to go to the Holy Land, you should!

Check out Holy Family School of Faith’s social media to see pictures of our pilgrimage.

I also loved the sunny and warm weather. This past week in Kansas has been single digit weather and sheets of ice on the road, so I’m missing the warm beaches of the Sea of Galilee!

Joseph picked me up from the airport and surprised me with flowers and a “Welcome home” banner in our kitchen. Even though it was only 1pm when we got home, I promptly fell asleep and didn’t wake up until 9pm. Then I fell back asleep at 11pm and didn’t get back up until the next morning. I’m still adjusting to the time zone changes, but I think a growing baby may have something to do with my exhaustion, too!

2. Spot-the-cat

There are over two million street cats who live in Israel, and we saw a good number of them during our time over there. I love the little details of visiting new places - like the architecture, the mosaics of churches, and the little cats who run and sit on your lap when you get a chance to sit down and catch your breath. Here are some of my favorite cat pictures from the trip:

3. Hello, third trimester!

We’re down to double digits in our countdown to meet the Littlest Langr! My trip to the Holy Land couldn’t have been more perfectly timed. I hit the first day of the third trimester on the day after we were back in Kansas.

The baby is moving around like nobody’s business. Even though there isn’t much room left in there, the baby is finding new ways to kick and punch all through the night. We’ve even felt the baby hiccuping over the past few days. Everything is going beautifully, and we can’t wait to snuggle with this little one!

4. Putting in the miles

Over the 10 day Israel trip, I was on 6 different airplanes and spent a total of 26 hours in the air. My (swollen) ankles weren’t a fan. But I was able to catch up on quite a few podcasts, read a few books, and even get a movie in. I probably would have watched a few more movies, but every time I would start one, I’d doze off.

When I looked up our flight to Italy for this fall, I was pleasantly surprised to see it was only a 7 hour flight - after Israel, that’s nothing!

5. Celebrating two years of marriage!

Before I left for Israel, Joseph and I celebrated two years of marriage. We stayed local this year, and hit up KC Restaurant Week. Every year, restaurants around the KC area run specials for a week. There were so many options to pick from, but Joseph and I ended up deciding on a pop-up restaurant run by the Sporting KC kitchen team.

We didn’t know what to expect with a pop-up restaurant. Dinner was either going to be an amazing, once-in-a-lifetime experience. . . or a hilarious joke like this pop-up restaurant in London that was just some guy’s shed in his backyard.

It turned out to be a great experience. The food was amazing, and the view of KC was gorgeous!

6. Small plates, full stomachs

The food in Israel was amazing. In the morning I ate creamy oatmeal with fresh honey, and lunches and dinners consisted of small plates of hummus, pita bread, salsas, and salads. The part about our meals that cracked me up was the size of the cups for water. A typical American, I’m used to the super-size cups. These cups were perfect for a few drinks of water - but they reminded me of the size of glass we’d use for beer flights back in the states!

I can’t wait to get some hummus made here at the house and fill up some small plates for a dinner here!

7. Wilson updates

Wilson is doing well - he didn’t seem to miss me at all while I was gone. Joseph sent me a video of Wilson frantically trying to chew his way out of his wire cage, but he didn’t escape. Wilson and I spent some quality time together last night cleaning out his cage. Other than that, life as a rabbit in the Langr house is pretty chill.