Shalom from the other half

Hi Everyone! Ryan has graciously allowed me to post on his blog from time to time. I figure I can post a funny kid story, or a new Israeli recipe from time to time when you get tired of Ryan's philosophical wanderings (not that I ever get tired of them!).

I am writing this from my father in law's office computer. We made it safely to Washington state and have been here since yesterday afternoon. The trip was fun and the boys were all three troopers. Baby Benja (as we have nicknamed him for the moment) slept well and was fairly laid back despite having to sit backwards in his car seat and stare at nothing for three days. At one point I called the trip "nursing my way up the coast" as I sat on a rock overlooking the ocean feeding Ben. I also fed Ben at a rest stop in the pouring rain at 3 in the morning, on the side of the road behind a sleeping big rig driver, on the side of the road in the redwoods, in a Denny's, a KFC, a McDonalds parking lot and by the side of an indoor pool while the boys swam and Ryan slept. This will be the extent of Benja's travelling experience which he has probably already forgotten. :)

If you have facebook you have read my short account of our trip but here it is again. The redwoods were beautiful and majestic, just like the claims. They are tall and straight and taller than some 35 story buildings. The sunlight filters down onto the moss-strewn ground and you feel like you are in another world - travelling in October meant that we were usually the only tourists around which made it all the more surreal. The trip was an interesting emotional mix - of awe at the incredible natural beauty and enormity of this world, mixed with awe at our awesome God and the enormity of what he has called us to do in this next year. He is certainly big enough to cover us with his sheltering branches, to warm us with rays of his love and to blanket the path before us with the life he has already prepared.

Most of you know that I read the Harry Potter series and enjoyed it - if you plan to read it and havent yet you may want to skip this part! But one of the most poignant parts of the final book (in my opinion) is when Harry has just realized that he is going to die. He is walking through the school that he has spent many years of his life, stepping past good friends, and walking through the forest, thinking about what he is about to lose. I can imagine the ache in his heart. To tear away from all that is so precious to him - he knows he must do it but it leaves him feeling raw and pained. This past month for me has felt a bit like that - I have been most certainly blessed by friends and family that love me and have been there for me. Walking on the lawn of MHC on Sunday and looking over the faces of some of those people left me a little achy and raw. Of course I do not plan on dying anytime soon :) but with changes there is a sort of death to the way things were. I look ahead to this next year with much anxiety but also anticipation at what God has in store for our family. But know that for those of you from our home in OC, know that you are loved and missed.