Easter

For Easter I traveled to Jerusalem, the holiest Christian city. There were pilgrims from all over the world. And people from so many different sects of Christianity, it was really an impressive site. 

This is the precession leading into the Church of the Holy Sepulchral.  

Inside the church there were hundreds of people gathered around the place where Jesus was said to have risen. 

Cardinal? I'm not sure. 

There was lots of singing and beautiful music. 

Catholic traditions/rituals. 

So beautiful and moving. =) 

My Easter outfit! 

Eyes and other updates!

My eyes are really a lot better. Not perfect yet, but I can really see. I don't feel like there is a "problem." Sometimes if I am tired things are a little blurry. But the doctor said it was normal, the vision would go up and down for a while until it would finally stabilize.

Also, I received my tickets for working this summer with NFTY! And the dates that I will be in the US. I am starting orientation June 14th, flying to Prague June 19th, (my birthday is June 20th!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) Fly back to Europe on June 26th from Warsaw.  We'll be traveling Israel for 4 weeks and we'll return together (the kids and me) on July 25th! I will land in Chicago at 8:45pm!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am so excited!!!!!!!!!

I also have my graduation ceremony at Ben Gurion on June 12th! Since I was out of the country for my undergrad graduation, it will be nice to attend this one.

Not much else is happening. I will start another month of ulpan tomorrow. This is wonderful, I hope I will be more productive again.  I have been lazy, and watching a lot of movies lately. Including the Royal Wedding yesterday! I didn't care about the wedding at all until yesterday, but when I was at the gym it was on the BBC. I walked at the gym for over 2 hours so I could watch it! I was soooo addicted! It was such a fairytale and truly beautiful. Way to go, Kate! 

Happy Passover!

I know I have been on a long hiatus from blogging, but I have a very good reason, I had LASIK (actually PRK) eye surgery to correct my vision. So I literally couldn't see.  But the doctor said the surgery went really well and everything is progressing correctly. It's difficult because my eyes were so bad, so even if they improve right after the surgery, they are probably still worse than what most people have ever experienced. But I am really hoping that my eyes become perfect. The cells are regrowing correctly right now. It's weird and difficult in this in between stage, but I'm trying to be patient. Roi has been helping me every step of the way, I don't think I could have done it without him.

I am really hoping to have a full recovery by the beginning of May, one because I will take another month of ulpan and I want to be able to read and see the board, and two, a friend and I are going to Petra, in Jordan, and to climb Mt. Sinai in Egypt. We just want to make sure there aren't any more commandments there that got left behind. =)

I hope you have a wonderful Pesach/Passover holiday with your friends and family.  I like Pesach because it always reminds me that I have only ever known freedom and I am so grateful for that. חג פסח שמח!! Happy Passover! 

Ulpan trip to the north!!

Our ulpan had one final trip last week to the north. We went to Tel Dal for a short hike, Tel Chai for some history, and then had a small "graduation" ceremony which was more a thanks to our teachers, and then a beautiful lunch in the Hula Valley.

 This is at the Dubrovin Farm. Now it is a banquet hall. The food was delicious and the place was warm and cozy.

This is "Artzi" the Israeli nature preserve mascot. As you probably already know, I love him!!

The breathtaking north of Israel...

This is at Tel Chai to commemorate the soldiers that were killed here.  

Purim!

Purim in Israel is wonderful! It's just a huge party for a week! Lots of costumes and alcohol!! Here are some pictures of me from the week. 

My ulpan class did a play for Purim, and as you can see, I was Haman. =) 

Robert Kraft at Kraft Stadium

Last Thursday, I refereed two football games. The first was a high school game (my first time to ref a HS game) and then the 3rd place game in the IFL. Robert Kraft came before the high school game with his wife, entourage and, the governor of Massachusetts.

It was all very exciting, except for the weather which was rain/snow/wind. I was miserable. But all for the love of the game...or something like that.

Lynne was in Israel!!

Lynne came, and she went...but we had a great time together when she was here.

Here is just one picture, I know she doesn't like being all over the internet, but I can't skip documenting my great weekend with my wonderful aunt!

We spent most of our time together touring Jerusalem and shopping in the Old City. But they (Lynne and her wonderful friends) also came to Haifa to have lunch with me Haifa! And Lynne got to meet Roi and Roi got to meet Lynne which was a nice added bonus since I don't think they will get to meet this August when we will be in the states!

I love my Aunt Lynne! I was so happy to get to see her and can't wait until next time! 

Lynne!

My aunt will be in Israel on Wednesday! I haven't seen her in over three years. To be honest, I can't remember the last time I saw her.  She lives in CA, so even when I go home, or she visits Chicago, we don't usually overlap!

I am so excited to see her! 

Weather!!

Now that the weather is finally warming up a bit, it's easier to remember why I like Israel.  It is 75 here in the day and there are beaches everywhere.  It is still snowing and freezing cold in Indiana. Some of the ladies from my class and I went to Hof HaCarmel (a beach) in Haifa and had a little picnic and relaxed. It was a wonderful afternoon.  An hour or so later another woman from our class came with her two little kids, and it was even better because who doesn't love to play with cute adorable children! 

Ali, me, Natasha, Diana, and Nicola! (I know it looks like we're just at a park because of the grass, but the beach is to the left, I promise, there was just some grassy area)

I am ready for the summer, pretty obvious, no? =) 

I don't think you can get much closer to perfect!!

My two favorite boys and my two favorite Packers fans!!! (Almost twins!!) 

Ode to Paula

This is my beautiful mom working on some ceramic project. (I like how she is looking over the top of her glasses.) 

My mom is ridiculously awesome. As noted previously in this blog she was awarded Indiana's Art Teacher of the Year! Now...after many years of applying for the Lilly Endowment, my mom WON!!!!!!!! She applied to go to the Galapagos Islands, off of Ecuador to take pictures of the endangered species and to showcase them in the school. She is going to show how one can use photography to draw awareness and save (animal) life. My mom has been obsessed with the Galapagos since before I can remember. She would tell me about the crazy (cool) birds that live there and about Darwin's studies.  My mom is not a science person, so it was pretty interesting to hear her go on and on about something so "academic" since she is such an "artsy" person.    

Not only am I proud of her for achieving her goal and dream, but I am proud of her for never giving up.  The Lilly Endowment told her no for many years, but she kept applying. My mom always told me if I wanted something badly enough, people will help you. You can always find help to achieve your goals, there is no reason you have to achieve them alone. 

She is my hero and role model. Way to go, Mom! You are one of a kind.  

Chili

Roi came yesterday to Haifa because he finished all the exams and he had a weekend break. (And he did great on the exams! Thank goodness!! =) It was a beautiful weekend, really sunny and warm! We throw the football around and we read to pages of Bridget Jone's Diary in Hebrew.  It is still funny, but Roi would read ahead and laugh! And I didn't think that was very fair!!! ;-) But it's great practice and I like to read something entertaining. 

Then, I made CHILI!!! with chicken! I was scared because I didn't actually know what I was doing, but it worked out great and tasted delicious!! Roi loved it too, which was really important because he doesn't love really hot spices like I do! 

Today we went to the gym. I walked/ran for 60 minutes and then did weights for almost another hour. Then we went to the pool and jacuzzi and sauna, but it was so hot I stayed for 3 minutes at the most before I had to leave.  

I have lost 4 kilos since I started going to the gym.  I was to lose 6 more kilos.  It's a good and realistic goal for me! Good thing I only go to Max Brenner on very special occasions! 

Roi Update!

Last time I wrote was before Roi's trip to the embassy! Everything went very well and they said they would send the visa in a week to 10 days, which is AWESOME! and which means Roi will be in America in August!!

After the embassy, I surprised Roi by taking him to Max Brenner. You can check out the chocolaty website if you don't know what it is.  But really, going there is a really fun experience, you can smell the chocolate before you even get inside! Needless to say, we had a wonderfully delightful chocolaty time...here are a few pictures to prove it!  

Waffles with ice cream and toffee bananas on the side! The little vat on the side is also extra chocolate in case you don't already have enough! 

Roi would rather be eating than posing for this picture! 

After all the chocolate, Roi was very grateful for my surprise! 

Been busy...I guess

The Super Bowl was great, obviously, because the Packers won. =) Also, because Roi came to Haifa to watch the game with me! We had dinner and fruit salad and watched the game in my room. It was fun.

Then I was in Beer Sheva to referee a game.

There was a big fight in the game, it was pretty exciting. I didn't try to break it up, I just watched. Sometimes I think the players forget that they are playing football.......in.....Israel.......

Anyway, then it was back to Haifa for Ulpan. Really, the Ulpan is going to end too soon and I feel like I'm not close to where I should, need, or want to be in the language...we'll see if I ever get there.

Today is Valentine's Day! I hope everyone had a love filled day! I will see my Valentine on Wednesday for an interview at the embassy so he can come to America in August!! Keep your fingers crossed everything goes well! 

Go Packers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am excited!!!!!!!!!! 

Snow in the Midwest!

My dad sent me a really funny email that he wrote about the snow and I want to share it! I hope he won't be mad because my dad is a great writer, but he doesn't always share his talent as much as he should! I love my dad!!

Enjoy:

"I am sure you know that I hate being sick.  Just like you, there is too much to do to waste being sick.  My nose is running a marathon.  My chest is rumbling like a freight train through down town Chesterton.   My cough is dry and raspy. I am slathered and lathered up  tonight  with Vick's Vapor Rub!!!! (a romantic smell if there ever was one) My back is like two pieces of sandpaper grinding against each other. My blood pressure is higher than the  John Hancock Building (I refuse to say Willis Tower) .  My right thumb hurts every time I hit the space  key.  Luckily, my pal-inter facetious is ok.  When Paula got home tonight I managed to make a piece of salmon for dinner.  Then I slept from 6:00 to 10:00 tonight  until  Paula was going to bed and I woke up and wanted to write to you.  

We are supposed to get a record snowfall over the next 3 days.  It may be bigger than the 1967 storm when I was a young.  Then, we missed an entire week of school. (NO!!!!!!  I DON'T WANT ANY MORE SNOW DAYS THIS YEAR)   It has started already to snow tonight and is not expected to reach it's peak until tomorrow night (Tuesday) with 60 mile an hour winds and 30 inches of snow. Drifts are expected to be over 8 feet in some places.  We may get 3 inches of snow  per hour  tomorrow night (Tuesday). Isn't that just the most wonderful news you have had in a long time?  The guy at the gas station, when I bought gas for the snow blower, said that he has never seen it so busy (so isn't this good for the economy?) He was griping about selling so much. DUH!!!!!  Gas is going up because of the unrest in Egypt!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Don't get me started on that.

My friend Chris and I had to fix a leak in the pipes  in the garage last Friday. Fortunately it was just a bad gasket in the shut off valve. We also replace two hoses while we were working in the sink.  But, now the  line to my hot water line to my bathroom  is frozen because of this storm.  I had to put the  heater in the garage tonight in hope to hope to thaw it. Oh, whoa is me!!!   What else can go wrong?


But,






still,







The Green Bay Packers  are in the Super Bowl!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Nothing

Nothing was wrong in the blood test, maybe it's just a really bad head cold...as for my stomach..I have no idea. But I did sleep until 4pm today =) 

Still...

So even though I was feeling better...I'm still sick. No more diarrhea though. But I have a sore throat, my whole head hurts. And I am having really bad sweats at night.

I went to a different doctor this time, she is MUCH better. I am going to get a blood test tomorrow and some other things coming up to get to the bottom of whatever this is. I'm very happy I switched doctors, this other guy was really worthless.

Hopefully I will be back to normal soon! =) 

Israeli Doctors

I went to the doctor today in Haifa because I have had diarrhea for four days (thanks for sharing, I know) and he told me not to eat...I was like, you're brilliant.  

Bahai - more

The Bahá'í Faith is the youngest of the world's independent religions. Its founder, Bahá'u'lláh (1817-1892), is regarded by Bahá'ís as the most recent in the line of Messengers of God that stretches back beyond recorded time and that includes Abraham, Moses, Buddha, Krishna, Zoroaster, Christ and Muhammad.

Beautiful sculpture in the garden.

The central theme of Bahá'u'lláh's message is that humanity is one single race and that the day has come for its unification in one global society. God, Bahá'u'lláh said, has set in motion historical forces that are breaking down traditional barriers of race, class, creed, and nation and that will, in time, give birth to a universal civilization. The principal challenge facing the peoples of the earth is to accept the fact of their oneness and to assist the processes of unification.

One of the purposes of the Bahá'í Faith is to help make this possible. A worldwide community of some five million Bahá'ís, representative of most of the nations, races and cultures on earth, is working to give Bahá'u'lláh's teachings practical effect. Their experience will be a source of encouragement to all who share their vision of humanity as one global family and the earth as one homeland.

Entrance.


http://www.bahai.org/ - all information is from this website

After 6 years...

After six years of anticipation, I finally went into the Shrine of the Bab. When I was 19 and on my Birthright trip, I went to the Bahai gardens, but no one had told us to wear pants or a skirt, so I couldn't go in. But TODAY I went!! The inner gardens are just as beautiful as the upper and lower.

This is the view from right in front of the shrine...not too shabby!

Basic Teachings of Bahá'u'lláh

Bahá'u'lláh taught that there is one God whose successive revelations of His will to humanity have been the chief civilizing force in history. The agents of this process have been the Divine Messengers whom people have seen chiefly as the founders of separate religious systems but whose common purpose has been to bring the human race to spiritual and moral maturity.

Humanity is now coming of age. It is this that makes possible the unification of the human family and the building of a peaceful, global society. Among the principles which the Bahá'í Faith promotes as vital to the achievement of this goal are

• the abandonment of all forms of prejudice
• assurance to women of full equality of opportunity with men
• recognition of the unity and relativity of religious truth
• the elimination of extremes of poverty and wealth
• the realization of universal education
• the responsibility of each person to independently search for truth
• the establishment of a global commonwealth of nations
• recognition that true religion is in harmony with reason and the pursuit of scientific knowledge

The door outside the shrine.


The inside of the shrine is very plain. There are two rooms, an outer room to pray, and the inner room where he is actually buried. There are beautiful chandeliers and other adornments, but none of them are religious symbols. There is also a prayer of visitation that Bahai recite when they visit the second holiest place in their religion. There were also huge vases with hundreds of roses, red and white, but not mixed.  Simply, elegant, and beautiful.


Not the best picture I have taken of myself, but I wanted to prove I was there!



http://info.bahai.org/bahaullah-basic-teachings.html - all information is from this website

A long vacation

I actually didn't take a vacation, I just haven't written anything in quite sometime.  There is no particular reason for this, I wasn't any more or less busy than usual, I just haven't reported much.  So here are a few updates:

Over the weekend I went to Beer Sheva to see Roi! On Saturday he turned 25!!!!!!!!!!!! Feel free to wish him a belated happy birthday! I got him an awesome camping/hiking backpack because I am slowly turning him into a traveler! He is going to go all over the world with me. I told him he needs a big backpack because he will be carrying most of the heavy things! ;-) We didn't do so much on his birthday because he had a big test the next day, but it was still nice to be together and relax!

My parents got Roi a cubs jersey for Christmas!!!!!!! He looked awesome!!!!!! He's becoming so American already!!

That night I refereed a football game in Sderot, it is less than 6 miles from Gaza and we were instructed that if a siren rang we had 15 seconds to run to the safe houses, if nothing happened, the game would resume at the previous down. I was glad that they told us that last bit, because if there was a kasam, I certainly wouldn't care about which down we stopped at!

Also, speaking of football, can you believe the Bears are playing the Packers?!??!!!!!!!!! My parents are throwing a party! I wish I was there for the festivities. Of course, I want the Packers to win!!!!!!!!!!

Ulpan is going well. Our teacher gave us "report cards" this week. Mine was very good, a little high in my opinion. She said I understand everything perfectly, and I would tend to disagree. She also said that my writing is much better than my speaking, which I have to agree with. Speaking is not my strong suit.  She asked if it was the same with English, if my writing was stronger than my speaking, I told her no, I was wonderful at speaking English!

On January 10th, I went to Jerusalem for my interview at Pardes for the Pardes Educator's Program (PEP). I was unofficially accepted! I will start in September and study there, in Jerusalem, for three years! It'll be the longest I have lived in the same city since Muncie!!!!!!! I hope there are more things to do in Jerusalem! ;-) The program will teach me all sorts of Jewish studies and train me to teach in a Jewish Day School in the US. 

The absolute WORST part about living in Israel is being so far from Jack! I really have a hard time being away from him. He is growing so fast and I will never be able to see him at this stage in his life.  A lot of my free time I spend watching him on YouTube, so thank you Katie and Rick for keeping me updated! He is crawling now and starting to talk. It is really killing me to not be there with him. (I also miss my family, I feel like I can't call my sister and parents enough.) August can't come soon enough!

Who knew Israel had so much water?

Julia, Jonah, Simon, and Rebecca in the preserve.


Kind of looks like home in the dunes.

Water? Israel?


I had a wonderful two and a half days with the Johnson's. What an incredible family! Can't wait to see them in August in Chicago. And of course, Happy New Year! 2011 and a lot more adventures!

In the Ahula Valley to see the birds!

http://www.goisrael.com/Tourism_Eng/Tourist+Information/Discover+Israel/Geographic+Regions/The+Hula+Valley.htm

I love Israel's nature preserves' mascot!

Breathe taking

This too....


Tens of thousands of birds migrate from Europe to Africa and back. They stop here at the Ahula Valley.

Church of the Annunciation in Nazareth

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_the_Annunciation

Outside of the church

The grotto

Upstairs

Me and Mary!