Day 1

**UPDATE** Pictures have now been added!

Catchy title don't ya think?

Yeah...I'm good at those.

Ahem.

No pictures yet. I didn't find a camera store and they don't have Walmart here (gasp). I sent a message to my mom to bring one to me tomorrow when she comes, so hopefully she was able to find one. It's hard to write this post without pictures but I will add them when I am able to.

Our first stop today was to Ceasarea where we saw the ruins of the palace of Herod the Great. The apostle Paul was held prisoner there waiting his appeal to Rome. We saw the Roman Amphitheatre there, also where Herod (the 2nd??) was eaten by worms after he declared himself equal to God. It was also there that many Christians were killed in an area where there were games and chariot races. One of the 'games' was to kill Christians. Very sobering to stand there and imagine it. It was right on the Mediterranean Sea (as in: you could throw a rock to it). All three places were together kind of like a campus.

Ruins of the palace in the background, amphitheatre in the foreground

Location of chariot races and killing Christians for sport

Panda poses in the chariot area

Another view of the chariot and 'game' area

I believe this was a cistern, but it was also the same depth as the prison that Paul may have been kept in. Speculation....

Ruins of the portico of the palace overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.

We then went to Mt. Carmel where Elijah challenged King Ahab and the prophets of Baal to prove that God was greater than their gods. Mt. Carmel is actually a 25 mile-long mountain range. They have a tourist stop at the place they think the confrontation actually took place. There is a small church built there and you can walk onto the roof. I think we all caught our breath when we got to the top of the stairs. It had an amazing view of the plain of Megiddo. In the book of Revelation, it's called Armageddon. I'm sure you have heard of the battle that will take place there in the future--where the blood of the slain will be up to the horses bridles. (Rev. 16:16) That is an amazing statement even before you see how HUGE the plain of Mediggo is. It goes farther than the eye can see--and it took four photos to capture each part of it. I don't think even a panorama camera could do the job (unless you were in a plane). It was also there that King Josiah died in a battle. It was at an intersection of a very busy road that has been there for thousands of years, running from Egypt to Messapotamia. We actually drove through the intersection where Josiah was killed. In that same area, King Ahab built an elaborate way to bring water from a spring outside the city into the city so that enemies couldn't keep them away from their water supply. I took some pictures that I hope will do it justice.

Don't be taking your guns in there!

Statue commemorating Elijah's challenge to King Ahab

A small part of the Plain of Megiddo, future site of the battle of Armageddon.

King Ahab's tunnel to the spring that was outside the city walls. We went down, down, down into the tunnel.

Walked for quite a way...

And then back up. The tunnel was built to prevent their enemies from sealing off the spring, since it was located outside the city. After the tunnel was built, the water was re-routed through the tunnel, enabling the city to get water inside the city walls.

We then went to Nazareth. I have always thought it was a flat, dusty place. I had the dusty part right but almost all cities are built on hills. Hills were much safer because they could see their enemies coming from a long distance. There isn't much left to see of the city from Jesus' times but there is a replica of an old Nazareth village. It was very interesting. My favorite part was the synogogue. It was so small. And plain. It was just like the one where Jesus read Isaiah 61 about how he had come to heal the broken hearted, etc. It was a passage about the coming Messiah. After he got done reading it, he laid the scroll down and walked to his seat. Sitting there, it was easy to imagine Him doing that. So amazing. Can't wait to show you the pictures.

The local shepherd

We saw these growing all over Israel

The thistles there were on steroids

Local carpenter

The carpenter's project

Yarn like that in Jesus' day

Torah scroll in the temple

The Temple in Nazareth was small. All temple's were sized by the number of people living in the town. Jesus would have stood to the left side, read the scroll, and then walked over to sit on the stone seats on the right side.

We then drove to Tiberias, which is on the Sea of Galilee. It is so cool to see the place where so many Bible stories happened. Peter and the other disciples who were fishermen...you could look out into the water and imagine them out there in their boats. And then Jesus walking on water... We walked down by the water after dinner. It's really beautiful. I took pictures but it was pretty hazy today so I'm not sure if it will give you a good idea of what we are seeing.

Sea of Galilee at Tiberias

Panda's yummy dinner. He couldn't eat all of it.

Tiberias at night on the shores of Galilee.

Our guide is a Messianic Jew from Russia. He is very knowledgable and we are really enjoying him.

Tomorrow is going to be another amazing day...hopefully I'll be able to post pictures tomorrow night.

Panda is hanging in there even though it's been hot. He didn't have to walk because he rode in my camera bag. He wanted to go swimming but I said no. He has been pretty amazed by all things we have seen today.

Made it!

I made it to Israel. {insert clapping and cheering}

The first class upgrade was su-weet!

I found out that it IS entirely possible for airlines to serve quality food. Just thought you'd want to know. My unshowered self (ewww) felt a bit out of place but I enjoyed it anyway. Having a recliner for the long flight was amazing. I slept very well and made up for the lack of sleep in the airport the night before.

There was no one to pick me up at the airport. I started to have a mini-meltdown. Finally found an info desk after schlepping my suitcases all over the place. They called the tour for me and eventually I had a ride. When I got to the hotel, Mark, Meredith and my Dad were waiting outside. It was SO GREAT to see them!! Yay!

We are at a hotel on the Mediterranean Sea. It was dark when I got here but after dinner, Mark, Meredith and I took a walk along the promenade. There are flowers in bloom that smell sooo good.

My camera card reader broke so I can't load any pictures. Drat! I hope to be able to replace it tomorrow. I took some pictures at the airport of interesting people but nothing too exciting--so you're not missing much.

We are going to Caesarea, Megiddo and Nazareth tomorrow. We'll be visiting Mt. Carmel, where Elijah challenged King Ahab and the prophets of Baal. We'll visit Nazareth and then end up at a hotel on the Sea of Galilee.

And we interrupt this post for a hair update.

It wasn't good yesterday and it is certainly not better today. No. Not at all. Now it's greasy AND ugly.

Gotta love that.

And the shirt I've been wearing for the past 2 and a half days...I might have to burn it.

Panda goes to Israel

OK school kids... I know we were supposed to take the newly voted on school mascot with us--a deer with some really big antlers--but I'm sorry to say that he missed his flight and a panda had to take his place. I hope you won't be too upset because this panda is a really nice one and he is hoping you will want to follow his adventures to Israel.

His first day of flying started out like this:

Ready....Set...Go!

Then the trip got kind of yucky because panda missed the next flight which would have taken us to Israel. We had to stay overnight in the airport and sleep on some chairs.

"Here I am, all snuggled into my mylar blanket. They gave it to us to keep warm. It wasn't very snuggly at all!"

"This is the pillow and blanket they gave us to stay overnight in the airport. The blanket was folded up into that tiny ziploc bag. Crazy, huh?"

"These are some of my roommates for the night."

"We are leaving in a few hours for Israel. I will tell you all about it as I travel. "

Love, Panda

I Can See Clearly Now the Rain is {not} Gone

Thank you sooo much for praying. And thank you so much for your messages and phone calls. God is sooo good to give us friends to help us when we need it! You guys are the BEST! You know who you are. :)

OK--my night was comical. Seriously. Every stinkin' 10 minutes between midnight and 1:30, the sirens would go off and the public service announcement would come on. There was an older couple who came to the area where I was, crowing about finding a quiet place. They made no attempt to be quiet themselves, however and seemed oblivious to the fact that others were trying to sleep. They weren't lying down five minutes when the sirens and flashing lights started up again. The older man got so mad that he abandoned all attempts to sleep and sat up to play with his iPad.

With the sound on.

I glared at him.

He didn't notice.

I glared again and rustled my fabulous mylar blanket.

He noticed. He silenced his game. {OK--the hilarity of an aging gentleman playing some type of computer game in the middle of the night does not escape me but I have no sense of humor in the middle of the night.}

Gah!

I drifted off and was awakened over and over by the weirdest noises. People yelling, vacuums, and the funniest one was the guy with the broom and dustpan. Sweep, clunk, scrape...sweep, clunk, scrape. All.the.way.across.the.room. I was lulled to sleep by the garish sounds of 'hits of the 50's and 60's.' If I hadn't been so exhausted, I think I would have been laughing hysterically.

However, I didn't laugh because I'm not nice when I'm sleep deprived. I'm not proud of that. It's just what it is.

The big news is that Jeff and I both woke up with the same thought. That I should push on and continue with the trip. I know it doesn't make sense. All rational minds would say, "Go home." But that is not what God said to my heart. And He confirmed it with this verse of Scripture that was in my daily devotional "Jesus Calling" phone app: "We live by FAITH not by SIGHT." The 'not by sight' part hit me really hard because I had been praying that God would show me what His heart was for me--not by way of circumstances that I could SEE, but that He would speak directly to my heart. I woke up with a very strong thought to GO. I went back to sleep and awoke again with the same strong impression to GO. I texted Jeff to see what he thought and he said he felt the same way.

For the past year I have been praying that God would show our family a ministry we could be involved in that we could all do together. No small feat for a family with a large age range! A few months ago, a friend at church started a ministry to the homeless in our area. My heart has been soooo THERE. We haven't helped a whole lot yet as they try to figure out a way to include us. Last night, all I could think of was how I felt kinda homeless. I had no place to sleep. No blanket--unless you count that mylar thing that held in moisture and rustled loudly with every movement. I had to sleep with my purse under my body so that no one would steal it. I had no clothing because my checked luggage was still out in Never-Land. I was dragging all of my worldly possessions behind me in a small suitcase. No one could help me and I felt all alone. At night. In a strange city. Of course I had it much better than the homeless because I had a roof over my head, a cell phone and a computer. But as I laid there in extreme discomfort from the hard chair I was in, I felt like God was showing me a glimpse into the lives of those He has been laying on my heart for the past few months.

And I guess that isn't too much of a sacrifice. After all, my 'homelessness' is temporary.

And you know what else? God sent a friend this morning.

In person.

To this very airport.

A guy from my parents church who I have known since I was a teen, saw my Facebook post and told me he was going to be at the Philly airport this morning. He hasn't been here in 20 years and I have never been here. And yet, God put us both here on the same morning. We connected and spent an hour at a restaurant exchanging stories about our kids. They have adopted from China, too, so we have a extra connection there. I was acutely aware that it was God--sending a friend just to let me know that He was fully aware of all the rotten circumstances yesterday. He had seen every tear, every snotty thought (ahem) and He cared. He had arranged the circumstances to teach me something I couldn't have learned a different way.

And then God provided again.

Jeff told me to go see if I could get into the 1st Class lounge since I have been upgraded to first class for tonight's flight. He said they don't usually allow it but it was worth a try.

And guess what? I'm in!

SCORE!

So I'm sitting here in front of a window on a nice soft chair with my own outlet. But I couldn't get my computer to work. It would not connect. I had been trying it downstairs in the airport--and continued to try with a different carrier in the lounge. Nothing worked. Finally, I prayed that God would tell satan to flee because I was just totally sick of him. I took the computer up to the service desk. They tried the same things I had done and nothing happened. Then...all of a sudden...it just clicked itself into the Internet. We had not done anything different. It just suddenly worked. Hmmmm..... I think God answered my prayer.

However.

My hair.

It's just not good.

And I've been wearing the same clothes for more than 24 hours. Be happy you aren't nearby.

But back to the hair.

It's not good. You know what I'm sayin?

Karin's Series of Unfortunate Events

First, can I just say ARGH again?!?! Just need to get that off my chest.

I am currently sitting in an airport in Philly. It's just past midnight. It's an unscheduled 'visit.' Here is how it has all gone down....

To recap---we were scheduled to go on a dream trip to Israel, paid for by my parents. My parents and my brother and wife were also going.

First...last Thursday, Jeff gets a severe pain in his leg that is still undiagnosed--possibly a blood clot--but the ER doctor didn't think so. However...he is no better. The ER doctor just said not to fly for 5-7 days. So Jeff cannot go on the dream trip to Israel with me.

He didn't want me to stay home. So I reluctantly kept my plans to go. But without him, the trip had lost a lot of its luster.

Then Sunday, my mom fell and broke her elbow. It is going to require surgery. She is having the surgery tomorrow and then she and my sister are going to join the tour on Friday, if all goes well. My sister was not originally going, but she is going to use Jeff's tour ticket.

OK--that was enough drama to make me pause and say...."hmmm.....is God wanting us to stay home?" I didn't get an answer, so I packed to go.

Jeff took me to the airport today and when we walked in and got in line, I saw something that made me gasp.

The lady in front of me had her passport in her hand.

I had forgotten mine.

We live a good hour from the airport--more when the traffic is bad--which it was. We got back in the car and started driving home. A sweet friend had sent me a text just at the moment that I realized I had no passport and I sent her a 'panic' message. She offered to go get my passport and meet us part way to Boston. {I have such awesome friends!}

I still didn't think I would make it. And I didn't really sweat it because I was still rattled and wondering if God even wanted me to go. So I prayed that if I wasn't supposed to go, I would miss the flight and if I was supposed to go, I would make it.

I arrived at the airport 15 minutes before my flight was supposed to take off. It was delayed. They checked my luggage and I was in.

OK.

But I just couldn't get over how weird it was that I didn't take my passport. I had even looked in the place where we keep them today (for something else) and I practically would have touched it. But I didn't even think about it?

Odd....

Well...the flight was delayed. And delayed. And delayed some more. By the time it finally boarded, they made an announcement saying that they could not guarantee that anyone with a connecting flight leaving before 10PM would make their connections. Mine left at 9:15.

What to do???

The counter guy was iffy on it--said I could try but didn't want to make any promises. I only had a few seconds to make the decision {and I'm horrible at making decisions}. I tend to be kind of a 'oh let's just go for it' kind of gal, so I got on the plane.

And by the way...I will say that US AIR has been a horrible experience so far. Just sayin... Need to give them a little word-of-mouth advertising.

Apparently there were a lot of weather-related delays. I sent a text to my brother, who was already in Philly with his wife and my dad, telling them that I had landed and was coming. He sent a text back that the flight attendant had told him that they were aware that there had been a lot of connecting flights coming late and that I should get a cart to give me a ride since it was a long walk between gates.

Of course there were no carts.

I tried to flag a few down and was curtly told they were picking up someone else and couldn't help me.

So I started to hurry across the airport. I called my brother and breathlessly told him I was on my way. They were still at the gate.

Pretty soon my calf muscles were burning--not that I'm out of shape or anything--just because was so far! hahahahaha

Finally, I decided to run. I took off my flip flops and was sprinting as fast as one can while dragging a rolling suitcase. A woman in a cart spotted me. She was driving toward me from the direction of the gate I needed to get to. I jumped in as she said, "I just dropped someone off there. I don't know if I can get you there in time but let's go." We were there in less than a minute. That means that it took her less than a minute to get to me. So from the time she dropped off the other person, it was less than two minutes.

I jumped out and was told,

"We're closed." There was a scanner there and it had been shut down.

I begged. I pleaded. I even cried. And I almost never cry. I was just so exhausted and could not believe I had missed a plane by a minute.

They looked at me unmovingly and said they couldn't do anything. Some other employee said, "Can you just open back up?" The scanner-Nazi said she couldn't--it would take too long to warm back up. I asked if she could just open my bag and look through it.

Nope.

Wow...really?

I pleaded some more. They were stone cold.

Finally I just sat down on one of the scanners and started bawling.

They just stared.

They told me I had to go back to the spot I had just come from to 'adjust my ticket.' {I was thinking about something else I might like to adjust--but I didn't.} I asked if they could call a cart then because I had just run all the way there and I wanted a ride back.

Nope. Couldn't do that.

Fine.

I said I would just sit there.

They said, "No you won't because you can't sit on the scanner."

Fine.

I jerked my suitcase and marched off with as much dignity as I could muster, whereby one them sarcastically said, 'Have a nice day."

She is lucky that I am a Christian.

Because in my world you don't kick someone when they are down. And I was obviously down.

Soon I was walking across the airport again. I found the service desk. There was a long line. Lots of other people who had missed their flights.

I waited and waited and finally got almost to the front. Suddenly, they announced that we all had to move to a different service desk and all of the people behind me rushed over there. Guess where I ended up?

At the end of the line.

I was so happy about that.

There is only one flight a day to Israel. So if I want to be on it, I will be sitting around here until 9:15 tomorrow night.

They did upgrade me to first class. Whoopdi-stinkin-do.

They informed me that since the delay was weather related, it wasn't their fault so they were not obligated to pay for me to have a hotel room for the night. But there was an information desk that could help me find a room.

Nice.

Of course the information desk for that was way across the airport.

So off I went.

The attendant was in the bathroom. For a long time.

When she came back she told me that most of the hotels were full due to conventions, graduations, and stranded fliers, but there was a rent-by-the-hour spa with room in the airport where I could spend the night. It was way back across the airport--back where I had just come from.

Fine.

There was a line when I got there and I saw the employee in charge shaking her head.

They were full.

So I went all the way back across the airport {AGAIN} to the information desk to see about a hotel room off site.

I was told that they were all full. ALL.OF.THEM.

But...they were going to pass out blanket and pillows to all the stranded travelers.

Wooo!

They were, however....guess where?

ALL.THE.WAY.BACK.ACROSS.THE.AIRPORT.

The blanket is mylar. Yes...like the balloons. It came in a tiny little ziploc bag.

Oh...and the alarms are being tested every 15 minutes. So not only are the hideous alarms going off, there is an announcement blaring that says, "A test of the blah, blah, blah is being conducted. Please disregard any of the alarms you may hear."

Oh, I would love to disregard them except for some reason it's kind of hard to sleep or think straight when a siren is going off every five minutes. And when there are not alarms, there are loud announcements about other things no one cares about.

This currently ends my tale of woe...although I'm sure it's not yet over.

If you are still reading....I really wrote this post for two reasons. The most important is this: If you would be willing to pray, I would love God to give me some clarity about this trip. Should I be going? Or is He trying to tell me to stay home? The circumstances are really just sooooo bizarre that I cannot just dismiss them. I need Him to speak to me-- not just through circumstances--but speak to my heart and tell me what to do. Part of me just wants to run home to my sweet family and husband. I want to be where God wants...so if He wants me to go home, I want Him to tell me. If He wants me in Israel, I need Him to tell me that. I know He has a plan and I am just struggling to figure out what it is right now.

The second reason I wrote it is because I just need to get my frustration off my chest!

Arrrgggghhhhhhhh!

About a year ago, my parents went with a tour group to Israel. They loved it so much that they came home and offered to send all of their adult children and spouses on the same trip.

Yep.

A trip.

To Israel.

For free.

With no children.

Woooo!

{Truth be told, my parents would probably rather take said children, but I was elated not to be taking mine. For some odd reason, my parents seem fascinated with the little people called, "grand" children. I still remember the slight shock I felt after driving eight hours to see my parents, walking in the front door, and having them walk right past me with arms out to Ryan. They were squealing his name and acting as if the queen of England had arrived. It was as if I had become invisible. hahahahaha I'm not bitter. I figure I'll do the same to my offspring some day.}

Well, anyway....

Needless to say, I have been slightly excited as the trip date has drawn closer. And that date is in a few days.

Did I mention...free trip...Jeff and I all alone for 10 days....no kids?

Oh yeah. I guess I did mention that.

Now insert some scary, depressing kind of music....

Last week, Jeff had to fly to Italy. He came home Thursday with a severe pain in his leg. I immediately suspected a blood clot. He went to ER yesterday in some lame hospital near his office where the doctor couldn't make a definitive diagnosis. Jeff was sent home to 'watch' it. They gave him no meds. Zip...nada...nothin. The doctor's only parting advice was not to fly for at least 5-7 days.

Noooooooooooo......

{I ask you....if there is nothing in his leg that warrants any blood thinners, WHY the advice not to fly? Hmmmm? Who was this doctor, anyway?}

Jeff is still in considerable pain. Dr. Karin still thinks he has a blood clot, prescribed aspirin and sneaked him some of Katie's coumadin (blood thinner).

Don't call the police.

I know it's a federal offense or something to share prescription medicine.

Don't worry...Kate has an unlimited supply.

Anyhoo....it's becoming obvious that Jeff is going to be in no shape to fly on Monday.

I'm totally bummed.

But I know that God has a plan...and He knows and sees things that I do not. I can freak out or I can accept His plan.

I'm disappointed.

Deeply so.

But since I don't have a lot of energy to waste freaking out, I am going to accept His plan.

In my devotional yesterday, God spoke so clearly. I love it when He does that!! He said, "Are you still trying to make things go according to your will? If you keep trying to carry out your intentions while I am leading you in another direction, you deify your desires."

Ouch!

Alrightly then! Going with acceptance to the new plan...

God has proven Himself trustworthy soooo many times in my life. I know I can trust Him for this latest re-direction, disappointed as I may be.

I will be blogging from Israel and trying to make it educational for my kids' school. They are sending a mascot along to have adventures on the trip and to hopefully learn something without realizing it. ha.

How We Spent Mother's Day

If a male was describing the day it would be like this.

First, we went to church. Then we went out to eat. Then we came home.

Yep.

But I'm not a male.

Before we went to church, I came down the stairs all dressed to go and heard loud stage whispers from the kids, "Here she comes!" So sneaky, they are.

I pretended not to hear them.

In the kitchen, Jeff was waiting with a corsage that he sweetly pinned on me and didn't even jab me with the pin.

Church was um...interesting since it was my turn to teach the 4th and 5th grade. Let's just draw a curtain of silence over that sad scene (and breathe a sigh of relief that my turn won't come up for awhile).

We went to lunch at our favorite restaurant because I have a favorite waitress there that I wanted to see. I'm weird like that. She apparently was happy to see me, too, because she paid for my meal. That almost made me cry because she is a single mom who works so hard and it just seemed so wrong that she was working and paying for MY meal on Mother's Day. I'm going to have to figure out a way to bless her with some kind of surprise. (Feel free to help me out with ideas!)

When we got home, I begged, cajoled...then just gave up and ordered the kids to pose with me for a Mother's Day photo. I excused the teen because he seriously cannot STAND to get his photo taken. However, as we were getting organized, he came strolling out and said he would participate as a Mother's Day gift. {This is where I could make some really lame pun about his presence vs. his presents, but I will refrain. I'm nice that way.}

Here are the glorious results.


The teen came sauntering out with an ice cream cone. Oh yes...he did eat it in front of everyone.


His brand of humor...just start turning around in mid-shoot.

And I guess he's done. I have always wanted a photo of his backside anyway.

After so much excitement it was hard to calm down but we decided to play some whiffle ball.


Jake{aka Speedy Gonzalez} knocks out the first pitch

"Oh yeah. I'm that good."


Zoey is fierce competitor

She hit one after another!

Nice stance, girlfriend!

The lackluster outfielders quickly lost interest in chasing fly balls

J-Man is a natural

Katie takes a swing but just can't get the job done

Big brother steps in to give her some advice

Su-wing! She hit one after another! Who knew this tiny little thing could be such a slugger?

Poor dad gets the brunt of one of her line drives. {Notice Zoey--ever vigilant in the outfield}


"Sorry! How about a flower?"

Happy Mother's Day!

So good to get outside

I think that spring in New England has to be a little taste of heaven. It's incredibly beautiful. But sorry....I don't have any photos of it. My car windows are too dirty to take photos so I'll share some of the kids instead.

Don't hate.

It's the best I can do right now!

Lovin' some sun flare on Miss Molly

SaraGrace and her favorite colored 'flower'

Mischief and dirty bare feet all in one package

But lovable in spite of it all

Katie--snug as a bug

They both love the camera

"Here comes the smolder."

Jake's favorite line from the movie, 'Tangled' is when the prince tries to impress Rapunzel with his charming 'smolder' look. Jake thinks his version of it is quite fetching. NOT. Jillian was mad at him today about something and he tried to give her 'the smolder.' She wasn't impressed and he was seriously shocked. Ha.

Miss Katie's long eyelashes...{swoon}

Speaking of Kate, we have not gotten a decision from the doctors about possible surgery. We did get an email this week that they haven't been able to meet to discuss her case yet. Trusting God and knowing His timing is perfect.