Tuesday, May 29, 2012

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?!

29 comments:

  1. Thanks for sharing! I was curious of how different it would be. Praying for y'all.

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  2. Thanks for showing pictures of your home. I love seeing what homes look like in other countries. -Jessi

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  3. I enjoyed your tour. God had all those details planned out just right, didn't He? He is so good.

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  4. Hi Jolene,
    Thank you so much for sharing these pictures with us. I LOVE to "see" where people live. That is so neat how God worked all the arrangements out just for you. Why do we ever worry? I always do but know that God is always in control. That park looks like so much fun. I think you should slide at least once before you leave.:)I would spend my days there too.

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  5. Thanks for the tour. I was curious!!

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  6. It is amazing how our Father provides for His children, isn't it? Knows what we need before we even need it. I was thinking about that today -- that He isn't 'doing' stuff for me, but when I'm in His will, I will be where He wants me to be, fitting right into His plans. Your home is lovely, and the balcony would give me jitters, too!

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  7. Thank you for sharing about your current abode! Love to see how others live too! Guess I am a curious George as well! The glass balcony is beautiful by the way! But I understand your apprehensiveness about it. My David probably wouldn't want to step out on it either. He really doesn't like heights! I would have to try reminding myself that I was not in Russia where they balconies sometimes are not that stable. Maybe that is why it is unnerving to you! ;) So happy to hear about God's provision in this apartment and the van. He is SO good to work out the details before we even know there will be any! Love you my friend!

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  8. Yes, I love seeing where others live too! I LOVE that park. We don't have very nice parks here. They don't take care of things very well, so when we do get a new park we try to go enjoy it before it gets torn up. :) We are thankful the Lord gave us a house with an awesome yard (also unusual here) and we were blessed (through grandparents and churches) with a pool and a trampoline, so we have our own park. I'm not sure if I have posted photos of my house.

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  9. Wow. The timing of all that does give me goosebumps. Amazing! What a God we serve!

    And, yes, I'm also a curious George about where people live. Three rooms would be a squeeze for us now, too, but really, we've only been in a bigger apartment for two years now. We didn't have a second bedroom until after we already had three children. Oh, but it's going to be hard to go back down to smaller for us now!

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  10. I was so happy to see the title of this post because it was something I was wondering about! I enjoyed the tour. Thanks so much!

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  11. You should go down that red slide... just once! :-)

    I'm of the curious sort, too; seeing pictures of the whole helps me feel like I have my bearings when looking at other photos. :-) The apartment looks cute! And while I can see how the move did have it's moments of adjustment for you all, it's so wonderful to see and hear how the Lord took care of so many details! I bet the boys think sleeping in the livingroom is an adventure. :-)

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  12. Thanks so much for sharing! Always curious here too. In that photo of the park, I noticed how much more...ummm...interesting the apartment buildings look from the outside than they do in UA. :-) No straight, flat smooth walls! I suppose the palm trees help it look more interesting too. LOL

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  13. OHHHHH! I want to go with you to the playground! We could act crazy and go down the red slides together! :o)

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  14. Hi Jolene,

    I enjoy reading your blog. Very cute apartment! And I love the playground below. It is always such a blessing to hear how God has provided for you and your family. You always are an encouragement to me. Have you gotten your visas renewed yet? I'm praying for you and your family.

    Love in Christ,

    Esther Preston

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  15. Yes, I was curious to what the apartment looked like and the glass balcony. They had glass balconies in Victoria. They looked so pretty, but I think it would make me nervous too. Thanks for the tour!

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  16. I enjoyed that. When do you all head back? I had a washing machine just like that in France! :)

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  17. Jennifer Spell BontragerWednesday, May 30, 2012

    What a cute little apartment.

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  18. Different yes! God provided, yes! A blessing, yes! Thanks for sharing.

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  19. What a blessing! Each step of the way He has provided for you and the kids! I am so glad that you can look at the blessing and see Him at work.

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  20. Thank you for sharing. Your apartment is so sweet. Praise the Lord for His provision and how He worked it all out. What a mighty God we serve! It is always a blessing to see the miracles He works in our lives.

    Also, the playground is so neat! Our little ones would absolutely love it!

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  21. Loved seeing these...what a great God to provide for your needs during that time! That park looks awesome.

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  22. Oh I loved the tour of your new home. What an amazing story of how God provided for you!! Doesn't it just speak directly to your heart when God lines up such a wonderful gift. I love it! Thank you for sharing it all here.

    ~Cinnamon

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  23. I LOVE seeing other people's houses, and I love to hear how God provided for them! You have a beautiful place, praise the Lord!

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  24. Love seeing your place that is a gift from God. Thanks for sharing!!

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  25. Yes, I'm a curious person too. I look so forward to reading your e-mails and seeing the pictures. I pray for you and am so thrilled to see how God continues to bless and use you. I forward your e-mails to a friend who has had an awful life and still does. I send it as a form of encouragment. Have a wonderful summer. God bless you. Love, MaryAnn. PS, I also pray for those in Mexico. A piece of my heart is there.

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  26. Thanks for you letter and your cute apartment! I know its small but in time are wonderful Lord Jesus will move you on too bigger and better things. I would pray for you and your family! Just think you are living where are Lord Jesus once walked the streets! I must go for now! Love Patrick xxx

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  27. Jessica CurtisFriday, June 15, 2012

    I'm sure you are anxious to get home. Praising the Lord with you about how He has provided for you during your stay in Israel...and WHAT A PARK!!!

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  28. And some people think that God doesn't know what is best or doesn't take care of His children well. WE KNOW BETTER, don't we. To see God demonstrate His love for us in such wonderful ways, from the small thing to the large is so wonderful.

    I love you and look so forward to seeing you again in the near future.
    Vicki

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Thank you for your encouraging comments! "As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country." Proverbs 25:25