Our Home in Israel

Are you really curious like me?  Or am I just a "Curious George"-kind of person all by myself?  I just love seeing where and how people live.  And since you read my blog, I am going to give you the benefit of the doubt in thinking that you can be kinda curious too.  So, if you've been wondering what our little apartment here looks like (or generally just what an apartment in Israel might look like), then this post is just for you!

{Below} Kitchen/Living Room area

Let me tell ya one thing loud and clear: my Father owns the cattle on a thousand hills and it brings Him such pleasure to take care of His children!  Israel is a very expensive place to live {I hope to blog about that in a separate post soon}, and without much time to plan and save money aside for our three-month stay here, we were fretting just a bit about how our family of six would survive on a budget meant for Ukraine.  {Okay, maybe it was me who was fretting, not hubby, who seems to have so much more faith than this little wifey of his!}

{Below} Living room area.  This is where Davey homeschools each day and also where Davey and Nate sleep at night.  See the blue seating on the right?  That is actually a double bed.  The bottom "mattress" pulls out and raises up.  Used separately, they are like two twin mattresses - perfect for our boys.

We have a friend of a friend who lives in this apartment.  It is a two-bedroom, one-bath happy little space on the eighth floor of a 14-story building.  It is located in a beautiful.... no, let me rephrase that... gorgeous area. {Do palm trees and beautiful landscaping get anyone else as excited as it does me?!}  It just happened that this friend of a friend needed to vacate his apartment for three months because of a trip he was taking.  And it just happened that those three months lined up with our three months of being here, with just a two week overlap.  Anyone getting goosebumps yet?  Of course, I am joking when I say that it all just happened.  I know with all of my heart that nothing just happens with God.  

{Below}  Room #1, where Brianna and Micah sleep and where Brianna works on school.  (We were able to borrow the playpen for Micah to sleep in).

This friend of a friend also left a van here, that we have had access to use.  Wow!  Talk about the icing on the cake!  We actually use it very, very sparingly though because it is a 15-passenger van... too much space for us and considering the price of gas here ($6 a gallon!), we really don't need it that badly.  It is wonderful, though, to know that it is available if and when we need it.  Thank you, Lord!

 {Below}  Room #2, where David and I sleep and where Nate does his schoolwork.

I just adore the location of this apartment.  Our view is breathtaking, and the most amazing park in all of the city is just a 3-4 minute walk away.  Yes, the kids and I spend a lot of time there.  What can I say?  They have to be quiet in our apartment for fear of disturbing the neighbors.  When you can be loud to your heart's content in this fabulous park (below), what would you do?!  Makes me wish I could be a kid again to be able to slide down those amazing red slides!

{Below}  Washing machine located in a small closet in the bathroom

I don't have any pictures of our bathroom, but it is pretty basic and the tile color is what you see in the picture above.  Our washing machine is an interesting contraption, and I really wanted you to see it.  It is cylinder-shaped and spins front to back, instead of sideways.  It is small, but we are quite used to a small washing machine.  There is also no dryer, but we are pros at that.  I have been hanging clothes on a clothesline for 10 years now, and I have actually come to enjoy it.  Hanging clothes has a daily rhythm to it, that I have come to look forward to. {Just whistle while you work!}

So, that is pretty much it other than the glass-enclosed balcony some of you noticed and wrote me about after my post about Davey's birthday.  The only thing I cannot get away from soon enough is that balcony.  I am sure it is just as safe as anything else (or else I wouldn't let our children step foot out there), but something about seeing the great open-air sky right in front of me each time I walk out to hang clothes is a little too close for my comfort!  Hmmm, this could also be another reason why I love taking them to that big park to run off their energy!

For our family of six, going from a three-bedroom, two-bath out in a village to this adorable, small apartment in the city has been an adjustment, I confess, BUT.... I am so very grateful for the Lord's provisions for our family!  He always provides in remarkable ways for our every need, and I wonder why it is we ever doubt Him?!