pasach time

Hello Everyone,
We have just passed the 9 month mark! Feels like I have been incubating something! Maybe my life! I know it is a whopper!
Life continues to be full, exciting and wonderful here. Things have definitely slowed down a bit and I am calming down a great deal. Daily small shockers occur less frequently and occur farther apart.
We are now gearing up for passover. It is a 3 week holiday break for the kids. This Monday night is the Seder and after wards it feels as if the whole country jumps in their cars and begins to travel, camping, visiting friends, and day hikes. Staying at hotels is a big one because getting your kitchen and house koshered for passover is a big ta do! So, many opt to just leave for the 8 days and hang out a a hotel. Not a bad idea I would say.
I am so happy to know that I am finally living out one of my dreams which was to come to Israel for a whole year and experience a year cycle of Jewish holidays. Passover is one of the biggest. I can't tell you all how great it feels to go into each and every grocery store and find that the shelves are being stocked with passover goods and there will be no bread available. The pizza stores sell matzo pizza! I can't wait to explore it all. Too fun!
THE KIDS:
Over this last period the kids are also doing great. As long as I don't think about the upcoming tests (Bagrut) for Zach I stay pretty relaxed. They are growing and learning and experiencing so many new things. I am really happy about most of it. We had a new experience for Drew and I which occurred last week. I am sure it is a ritual for most parents but we were fairly shocked. Last week we went for an interview for Josh to get into Zach's current school for next year. It is an advanced science and math focus emphasis. Longer hours, more intensive and higher level sciences. I know you may be thinking...what? is that good for Josh? Well, we are not exactly sure but the other choice is a school that has 450 7Th graders in 9 classes of 40 kids. He would be completely lost. This school has only 2 classes for 30 kids. So, we figure we can give it a try. And, Josh says he wants to be a doctor although Drew is still convinced that he really only wants to play one on TV! So, here we go. We are on our way prepping Josh for the interview..."Josh if they ask, say you like to do homework, say you like to stay for longer hours, say you like sciences and math." Like as if! OK, so we are ready to go. We get into the interview room with two stern teachers asking us questions. Pretty serious scene as there are a lot of kids that want to get into this program. Well, the minute we walk in the room the first thing that the interviewer says to us (who happens to be the advanced Math teacher of Zach's): " Well, where was Zach today? we missed him. Is he ill?" Gulp! I look at Drew, he looks at me, we call Zach on the spot and hear "yep,,,,mom, I ditched school today". Right there and then. I was livid. The funny part was that the teachers immediately took Zach's side and told me not to punish him, and how they have set 2 days a year that their kids can ditch school etc. Don't ask! So, overall the interview went fine. Josh did his best bullshitting and we are scheduled to go for a week testing in the summer. I will keep you posted. Zach is turning into a mountain biking maniac and is on a small team. Both have 'girlfriends' so I guess we are still in the honey moon phase of things.
DREW:
Drew is in heaven in his bubble of a job at the German, Christian, Gas mask factory/kibbutz. He is busy learning everything he can: Hebrew, German, cultural stuff and some computerized machinery which is taught to him in Hebrew and the computerized stuff is in German. Ugh! He is doing great and I am more than proud of him. He mountain bikes 4-5 days a week after work and he is in great shape! He loves it here and is so happy.
ADELE:
I have settled down a lot! I feel more grounded and calm. It has been a doozy of a time these past 9 months. I never imagined really that it would be such a growing experience but we are doing fine, even great! I am really happy here. There definitely are times when I think that the behavior here is ridiculous and it irritates me but in the next minute something wonderful and loving can happen and it changes the whole color of things. A few more hours were added to my part time job at the army so that was great.l I Love it there and I am growing and learning and introducing new things etc. I work for a total of 20 hours a week give or take and that allows us to have a little extra spending money. I have not been motivated to advertise myself locally and my home business is teeny tiny. I may see 1-4 patients a week. I try not to get stressed and just relax. I will give myself some time with it all. I am excited to be taking another course next month! In English! From an Australian! My next little dream is to go to Australia for a month and study manual therapy there with some big kahuna. Nothing is planned but it is in the aura phase. Ha! the aura phase, I like that.
Life here is really full. It is really what I was hoping for. It is stimulating, challenging and deeply warming and loving. The people I encounter are so special. Mostly!
Things I miss most are my Friends, and patients of course, the mountains edge gym and maybe a garbage disposal? OH year, two cars are a real luxury. Cody. Peppermint patties and MARGARITAS!!! Besides that all is well.
It was great to connect with all this last half hour. I miss you and am so grateful for all the times and memories we shared together. Write back and share with me how you are all doing.
Love to you. Have a wonderful spring and summer. May it be filled with renewal of life, health and joy and wildflowers!!!! Everything is in bloom here and the wildflowers are amazing. God surely had a blast creating all those flowers and colors and combinations for us to enjoy.
Blessings
Adele