Daddy's Post

Ok..So..one full week down..and toooo many to go...hahahahaha.

Our first full week here at Jerusalem School has been an interesting one to say the least. No, contrary to popular belief, I have not set off the alarms, CNN has not had to do a special report, and I have not had to "dodge bombs". (seriously..how can u dodge a bomb anyway?).. The teaching is a new experience for both of us. Tracee is a trooper..never having taught anything before she has taken the bull by the horns and is going to do a wonderful job. (and by bull i mean it may gore her...but it won't kill her..hahaha..yes i know she is gonna read this). I am comfortable in front of the class and the subject matter is what it is. Algebra I..everyone's favorite.

Our apartment is now set up the way we like it - Clothes in rooms and bathrooms full of toilet paper. Showers are an adventure here. Solar power for the hot water..so if u want a hot shower in the morning you had better move to the sun. Hours and hours of darkness will cool down your shower water..I don't care what the locals say. If you don't believe me..ask my poor frozen toe nails in the mornings. We let the girls take hot showers at night..Yes, I am the Father of the Year. We have to adjust to hard floors everywhere as well. Never thought that much about carpet..until I walked for 2 weeks on nothing but tile floors. Oh..and the honey pot..look it up..but yuck..Jessi's face when we told her she had to throw it away and not flush..Priceless.

Our first adventure came this past Sunday. We made the trek to the Old City..and walked the Via Del a Rosa. Apparently it is a Speed - The - Light fundraiser in Jerusalem as well. We made a Borden tour of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. (from now on reference to a Borden Tour means..I were the tour guide..with commentary coming in the form of Kurt Gowdy.) Very interesting..lots of history and lots of paintings..and LOTS of STEPS. Oh my gracious!! Everywhere you go here is uphill..no kidding...and if u finally go down hill just know u will need grappling hooks and a gallon of water per meter to get up the other side. hahaha... We entered the Old City at the Jaffa Gate and walked to the Damascus Gate. Suprisingly enough - we were the first customers everywhere. Apparently the big un' with his Bama jersey on was good luck all along the streets of Old Jerusalem. Stopped for lunch..had a fresh falaffal and the girls split some noodles, brought water and the family downed the bottle.

Our first bus ride was an experience as well. As we entered the bus, paid 4 and 1/2 shekels a piece to ride, I felt an unfamiliar breeze. AIR CONDITIONING!!!!!!!!! That's right...the public buses have wonderful COLD air. So the Borden Tribe took up residence in the back seats - cuz we r the cool kids in class. Jessi nappin on my lap..Zoe looking out the window..and Mommy with her best Cheshire Cat impersonation..we settled in for the not so long ride home. As the air was a blowin' on my previously sun soaked face..Zoe looks up at me and says in the sweetest most matter of fact way. "Um, Daddy, I think everyone on this bus speaks Arabic." She then turns and continues to gaze out the window.

That brings us to the moral of the story. We are serving a people that speak Arabic. We are living in a land that I previously did not understand nor did I want to. I am learning a few things however and that is this. A smile goes a long way, everyone likes bread, and when you travel with the two sweet girls that God has entrusted me to train up in the ways of the Lord - life will always be an adventure. Even if no one speaks the same language.

Please continue to pray for The Borden Tribe as we gaze out the window..trying to figure out what God has for us next. (I pray it involves escalators!)

Mr. Jonathan (my name at school)