Picture Diary

 A little picture summary.

Scott has finished school - really enjoyed second class at the JUC, Jesus and His Times.  Ethan turns 5 on Tuesday though we are celebrating tomorrow.  Em and I take Grandma for a girls road-trip/sleepover to Tel Aviv on Tuesday then she returns home.  Then our gang is off to Elat for week at the Club Hotel.  Kids are pumped for the swimming!  Scott and I are pumped to get to one place with food and accommodation settled and just stay there.

En Gedi

Mediteranean Sea

Shuk Shopping

Spices at the Shuk

How cute and fun is this?!

Dead Sea

Kids in Mediteranean

Milk comes in plastic bags

Typical Israeli salad

Mt. Herzel

Days around the City

Scott left today for his final study days outside of Jerusalem.  They will mostly be up in the region of Galilee.  He is especially enjoying the teaching this round.

The kiddos are enjoying Grandma being here.  Ryan escorted her to Yad Vashem where they spent the entire day together.

The next day Em took her to the Burnt House in the Old City.  This house dates back to 70AD when the Temple was destroyed.  Remnants of a priests home were discovered there - also destroyed by fire.  Very surreal and vivid experience of what it might have been like during such death and destruction.

The comic relief for them involved entering the Old City by the wrong gate and winding up in the Muslim Quarter.  Not necessarily a dangerous place to be, but not exactly where I wanted my 9 year old daughter and 65 year old mother to wind up alone.  I was at the house when Emily called and said, "Mom, where are we?"  Then, sweet Ryan offered "to go get them!"  Ha - no thank you.  Three of my people lost in the Old City isn't my idea of a fun day!  They did manage their way out and we all met for a late lunch at Big Apple Pizza.

The night before Scott left, he and I went out for a late night bite with neighbors James and Rachel.  They are a hoot.  We laughed and talked for almost 4 hours.  So amazing that our paths have crossed here at the Nov apartment in Jerusalem.  Two Israelis, two Americans, Jewish, Christian, husbands, wives, parents.  It was a no-holds-bar discussion about all of it.  We learned so much about each other and I am so grateful for the intimate time with new friends.  Have already invited them to come see us in Texas!

Em and I are feeling our legs and abs today after joining Rachel for a Birkam Yoga class last night.  We met with a few of her friends outside on a front porch.  Best way to exercise ever - underneath the wide-open sky.

Scott returns tomorrow - Thursday night and then will be all finished with his coursework.  We will do some final things around the city with Grandma then start doing a bit more traveling around Israel.  Almost a month from our return home already.  Ryan and I agreed last night that we have mixed feelings about that.  Happy to be returning to our home, friends and family, but we will also miss the home we are just now really figuring out and settling into.

For mature audiences only . . .

Forgive this post, but I am still giggling and must share to get it out of my system . . .

I'm shopping by myself in the Shuk this morning.  It is Friday which means it is busier than normal as patrons shop in preparation for Sabbath.  Vendors are doing their normal shout out about their goods and prices.  All very lively.

As I make my way up the row, I start hearing a peculiar call.  "Va-gin-a, va-gin-a!"  Over and over again, "Va-gin-a, va-gin-a!"  I start snickering wondering what exactly he is saying in Hebrew and wondering if he has any idea what it sounds like in English.  His next cry out sounds like, "Why, why, why?!  Why, why, why?"

As he comes into full view I recognize he is selling delicious looking green grapes.  I default to my Spanish brain "La Vina, la vina?"  Fruit from the vine?  Vi - Buy?  I decide I have to buy some of the grapes from the man whose expense I'm taking such silly fun.

Hey - these can't be all deeply reflective and meaningful posts, now can they?!  I couldn't stop laughing the entire time I shopped as I heard him in the background like a tortured  soul shouting over and over again - "Va-gin-a, va-gin-a, why, why, why?!"  

Grandma's Adventure Begins

Day One:  Grandma falls in love with the Church of the Holy Seplechur.  She was so taken in with everything she saw, that she went back on Day two for another peek.

Day Two:  Grandma conquered the Shuk and snapped tons of picts of all of us shopping.  Then just when I was already exhausted from the day, Grandma and Ryan went to the Tower of David for an audio/walk through tour of the ancient ruins.

Day Three:  Rest Day

Day Four:  Grandma braves Hezekiah's tunnel with Emily and Scott.  She wasn't too sure about going into an underground tunnel that is partially full of water, but Grandma took a deep breath and went for it.  Five minutes in she had forgotten all fears and was following Em through it listening to her re-tell the story of the miracle of bringing water into the inner city.

Day Five:  Grandma gets to help with preparations for Shabbat.  Took her up to the Shuk again at end of day to watch the celebrations unfold.


We have had a great day relaxing - playing cards, having "school", taking walks.  I even went for my first jog through Gan Sacher, our local park.  There weren't many people exercising - might be against Shabbat rules, but I had to get out and run after a phone call from my sister.  

Please say a prayer for my amazing brother-n-law Alan and his family.  His sweet mother Catherine lost her battle to cancer last night around midnight.  She died as gracefully as she lived, having had hospice at home with her for just a few days.  She was a faithful believer, wife and mother.  Her husband is Roy - children Brenda, Carl and Alan, 8 grandchildren.  

Shuk shopping, part 1

Why is it I get questions and dirty looks over my infant stroller at the Shuk?

Everyone rolls around these carts to carry groceries home from the Shuk.  They are big, but mostly roll on 2 wheels.  We have one here at the apartment.  It is a 4-wheeler and the 2 primary legs are angled in to the point of breaking at any moment - so we don't use it and frankly, I don't want to buy a new one.  So, I usually take my empty infant stroller grocery shopping and fill it up to the brim.

Every time, I am asked by some bystander, "Where is the baby?"  They don't seem like they are joking or trying to be sarcastic.  They seem truly mystified over my choice of grocery carts.  I even get dirty looks and waves of frustration over my cute red stroller.  Today, I not only got the two-handed shrug, but also a double air-slap!  What does that even mean?  So I've taken out a few toe nails here and there or perhaps scratched a few heels, but do I really deserve to be shunned for my innovation?  My cart is pushed in front of me, theirs is pulled from behind.  Are we really so different?  Can't we all just get along?!

Our big break

I went to class today with Scott.  Afterwards, we are sitting outside the Old City just talking.  A group of tourist walks up from Bali, Indonesia and their group leader strikes up a conversation with us.  He asks where we are from and Scott replies, "Texas."  His response, "American Cowboy!"  The entire group of Indonesians turns to look at us and out come the cameras!

Scott and I posed with them individually and in groups for about 5 minutes.  We were cracking up the whole time, whispering under our breath, "what is happening?!"  I don't know if they thought Scott was JR's son (Dallas) in the flesh or if they took his Tilly to be a cowboy hat, but they loved us!  So, we've decided we are probably all over Facebook in Indonesia tonight.  They were so proud to get a shot with us.  They would show it to us, smile and shake our hand before scooting over for their next friend's turn!  Still chuckling!  So wish I had my camera with me to reciprocate the fun.

Bye sweet Emma . . Hello Grandma

Emma left us on Sunday evening.  We were so sad to see her go.  She had become such a natural part of our family.  Emily will miss her big sis.  I will miss her adventurous spirit.  It helped encourage the kids and I to just get out there and go for it.  She never hesitated to ask questions and people warmed up to her and just wanted to help her and make her happy.  She is a wonderful joy!

Our crew left the next day for Tel Aviv.  We hoped to treat the kids to a movie and swimming at a hotel before picking up Grandma at the airport.  Scott's expert navigating led us directly to a mall with a food court and movie theater.  Ryan and I saw Men in Black 3 - loved it.  Other 4 saw Madagascar 3 - an early birthday treat for Ethan.  They are still singing about "Afro Circus"!

We headed out on foot to find a pizza place Scott had read a review on - "best pizza in Israel."  Only problem was that no one from Tel Aviv had actually heard of it.  We walked and walked, were hot and tired, when we accidentally ran into a Pizza Hut.  Kids were cheering but Scott was gritting his teeth.  I finally had the brilliant idea to suggest a cab.  We piled in and ended up being only 7-8 more blocks away.

Yummy pizza.  Slices in picts are Eggplant with Feta cheese & Mushrooms with all sorts of onions.  Scott got his pepperoni fix, so all ended well.  We took a taxi back to the hotel and played on the beach since hotel pool was already closed.

The Meditteranean is beautiful.  Kids had a ball just running in and out of the water.  Scott and I got to just stop and breath for a bit.  We love the experience of seeing new places, but gosh, it's exhausting.  Travelling abroad with kiddos is not for wuss's.

Made our way to Ben Gurion Airport Tuesday morning.  We watched the doors that open and close from the Customs area to the main airport excitedly.  We kept playing the over and under game just knowing Grandma would come through any minute.  Minutes turned into an hour!  She is worth the wait though.  Of course, she hit the ground running.  Will have to save that for another blog!

 The clip cracks me up - little Kylen's perspective on the world.