Better late than never.....catching up.

July 22, 2014
I originally wrote this post on June 14, 2014, but never actually published it. Fast forward a week.  Byron's company has sent all employees and their families to Rome in hopes that things will clear up so that we can return.  The guys are working during the day from a conference room while the gals are entertaining children. We are safe and we are enjoying days of quietness, but hope we can return home soon!

June 14, 2004

I am so sorry that we have been so silent.  As you know the atmosphere has changed here in Israe (July 8, 2014)l and it has been a rocky week for us.  It has been hard to get all the of my thoughts and emotions processed into something I can write (being a horrible writer doesn't help) about but it is time to end the silence.

We appreciate so much and are very humbled by every thought, note received on FB, email and every prayer that has been extended on our behalf.  It has been a very emotional week for us but we are doing well and we find it best to just take it a day at a time.  We knew that we were moving into a country of unrest and that this could be a reality before we decided to come, but we felt so strongly when this door opened for us that we did not want to pass up the opportunity.  There is nothing that could have prepared us for the emotions that we feel, but we still love it here and we are so hopeful that things will get better sooner rather than later.

I don't think that anyone can completely understand what we are going through until you have experienced it for yourself, but amid all of the turmoil we still feel very safe. Our neighbor at our old apartment has been in contact with us throughout the entire week and he said it perfectly when we said that it generally does more psychological damage than physical damage.We can agree with him for sure, especially for us Americans that have never experienced anything like this before. We did get moved into our new place (it is beautiful, pictures to come) and it does have a safe room. We can also attest to the fact that the iron dome has been doing what it is made to do.

We are encouraged daily by so many people.  We have wonderful neighbors at our new place that have been checking in with us and have been so kind to us.  Almost daily phone calls from our sweet friends in Haifa, of course the other families that are here with us, and just chatting with the locals makes us feel encouraged.  The hardest or maybe best part is knowing that when things are good in Israel, this is truly a fantastic place to live!

At this time we aren't ready to call it quits and we are taking it a day at a time.  Some very encouraging words from a dear friend in an email " I don’t say that the Lord guarantees us protection from tragedy...but to some degree you can trust that He is watching and protecting, allowing…whatever is for the spiritual gain of your souls."  We still feel like this is the place that we should be in and for now we patiently endure.  We do have options for a back up plan if the emotional stress becomes too much and we need to leave for a little R&R.  

Again, we are so thankful for every kind note and thought that has come our way even though we haven't responded personally.  In time I will try to get responses out but hopefully for now you can all rest assured that we are alive, doing well, and staying safe!!

Next post will include pictures.  Just need to get them on the computer!

Shalom and Laila Tov!