Its getting close!

We are getting really close to due date, so in answering demands for pregnancy pics, I am uploading what I hope are the last ones before baby is born! If you look closely, you may be able to notice that baby has dropped, and things are becoming pretty real now...and I am becoming a waddling duck!

Now that I am back from the President's Conference in Jerusalem, I am ready for him to join us in the ouside world :) I am also very thankful that he let me have those three days to enjoy meeting so many amazing people and being part of such an impactful event on Israel and the world...Plus, I got to see a guy prostrating himself before Dr. Ruth...yes, THE Dr. Ruth, sex therapist, definitely a highlight :) (seeing the cute boss fro Ugly Betty was alo pretty fun) Idan made fun of me that with all of the important politicians and nobel prize winners, these are the people that excite me, but, I guess I am just used to the politicians, and pretty bored by seeing them all the time. Now that I think about it...thats a bad sign :) But the Ugly Betty guy was so cute, and I love Dr. Ruth!!!

So, here are some pics...I hope next time we post, it will be to show you our beautiful baby!

We had a great short hike today, which nearly beat me...for the first time in my life, I almost thought that I might not make it to the top. But I did, huffing and puffing and Idan barely started to breathe heavily.

I have wanted to walk (or in my non-pregnant days, to run) up this hill for years...it has always called to me; so today, as Idan and I were on our way to some prehistoric caves, I offered to him to walk up the hill with me and skip the caves. I was pretty sure that he wouldn't take the bait, as he keeps remndng me that I am one foot out the door of the hospital and he thinks I am taking ths pregnancy thing too lightly (we were actually right in the middle of that exact discussion). But then, all of a sudden, he pulled the car over at the hill. The bastard called my bluff!

Of course, as stubborn as I am, there was no way that I intended to pass up this opportunity! So up we went, Idan practically skipping his way up and me huffing and puffing with frequent breaks, wondering why I had to get myself into this one...

Once we got to the top, I couldn't even stand anymore and just plopped down right where I was. But what a great feeling! finally did something that I had wanted to do for five years, and it was well worth it!

The hike lasted less than 15 minutes each way and within a half hour, we were back in the car and on our way home. Idan got what he wanted, I got what I wanted, and we go a couple of heifer shots along the way. How fun!

So for all of your viewing pleasure...Safra the heifer, Eight and a half months...I don't promise

beauty, but at least you get a tummy!

I promised some pictures when Idan back from reserves, and hallelujah, Idan is back from reserves! I am so happy to finally have him back...

The view from Idan's base...beautiful!

Today we went a a tiyul (outing) to a park in Haifa with Moran, Miki, Gabi (Idans dad) and the kids. The park had a few suspension bridges and it was pretty fun. It was a short walk, but I was pretty exhausted by the end and Idan is not having an easy time learning how to walk really, really slowly so that I can keep up. I told him that today it was great that we had to walk as slowly as the two year old, so that it wasn't me holding us back half of the time :)

After that Idan and I went to lunch at an Arabic restaurant. The food was great and I am still stuffed from the salads, hummus and lamb, and pita...oh, I love thayt food!

So anyways, here are the pictures...

There's nothing hotter than white trash and a beer belly! (Beginning of 6th month)

Seven and a half months and feeling more and more like a heifer...

The view fom one of the bridges and Idan practicing parenting...

Summer is way, way too hot during pregnancy. I didn't believe my mother in law when she told me tht I would not enjoy the summer months. I thought to myself, I've never had a problem during the summer, so what if I get a bit hotter than normal.

Noooooo...this summer, I have gotten heat stroke 3 times, all on my way back from Jerusalem and spent the first months of summer lying on the couch, with 2 ice packs and the a/c, that didn't really work, on top speed.

Now we have moved to a new home back up North on the kibbutz that I swore I would never, ever go back to, and we have a great AC. I am happy. At least now when I get hit with heat stroke, I can get the frigid AC upon arrival home.

It has been really nice back here on kibbutz and I guess you could say that three times a charm. I am still having a bt of a time dealing with all of the when are you do, belly patting and congratulations (I don't take too well to this kind of attention...put me on a stage anywhere and I will come out on top, but this personal attention, not my thing..I guess I hide behind causes...). But more or less, people have left me alone, which I really need right right now. And having Idan's family around hass been suc a blessing (who would've thought?) My mother in law and I have really bonded over the past month and I really look forward to a good relationship with her!

Idan has been in reserves for the past 3 weeks, but Ive had him home for about a week of that, so it hasn't been too bad. If anything, we have both really enjoyed this time apart. I had time to work and settle the house, Idan had a break from prego, nagging Safra. A win-win situation. Now one more week and he will be back in reality, needng to find work and back to surviving mode.

I dont know why we ever came up with economics and finances...what a waste of life trying to make it from month to month, only to try to get more and more and then acheive "financial security", which in itself is an oxymoron, as any newly poor rich man would attest to. But we do, so Idan needs to find a job, and I need to keep working.

Luckily, I have the absolute best work in the world for me right now, so at least I get to live out the brilliant quote "Let the beauty of what you love be what you do".

My belly is really bulging, and bigfoot kicks like crazy. The doc was shocked when he saw baby's foot and wanted to make sure it was a boy, cuz "That is one big foot!" :). I can't really hide it any more, as I managed to fo the first 6 months, my cover up shirts now bulge out and show some sexy underbelly...oh well. I do love putting my hands on my tummy and connecting with bigfoot, though. It makes me really happy knowing he's swimming around in there.

I really want to upload some pics, but Idan left that camera in the reserves, so it will have to wait another week. Just imagine a blonde cow...

OK, so thats the news from lake Wobegon, not to exciting, but my life, and really nice...

Time to Share the Excitement

I have been putting this off for long enough, and I have run out of excuses why not to do this...I am also completely jetlagged and bored at one thirty in the morning, so we are pleased to announce to the world, that we have a little baby boy on the way!

We are just beginning our 18th week, he has passed all of his tests with flying colors and has even flown to the States in my belly, for his great Grandmother's funeral and survived a severe virus that Mommy caught. I am finally at a place where I think that everything will be alright!

Personally, I have relished in being pregnant. The exhaustion, nausea and headaches of the first trimester let me know on a minute to minute basis that baby is alive and well, and there is no better feeling than knowing that! Idan has been such a strong support, always there for me, learning patience overnight (I used to be really laid back and easy to deal with...then comes baby) and offering to help in anything, whether cooking (all the time), cleaning (his most hated chore in the whole wide world) or getting whatever it is that I am craving at the moment. I am so lucky to have him!

Now that we are mid second trimester, I am completely content. I love watching my belly grow and feel so sexy all the time! It was well worth the first three months for this!

I think it also came at the perfect time, as my Grandmother just passed away, but we were able to share the news with her and give her the pleasure of knowing that she has a great Grandchild.

So, seeing as my computer has gotten a mind of its own and wont let me add punctuation at the right places, below I have added a few pics that my Mother took at 16 weeks:

Trip to the Dead Sea

To both of our amazement, we were actually pretty busy over Pesach and had a lot of fun! The Seder was still a bummer for me, ending in record time of about half an hour, but the rest of the Chag was really fun.

We visited a few old friends that we hadn't seen in a while, one in Ashdod near Gaza, who is a friend of Idan's way back from his army days. We also met up with our old neighbors, who had just moved into a house that we had considered a few months back...it is the weirdest thing with us, we are always interested in the same homes! They almost took the one we live in now, we almost took the one they just moved into, we both wanted the same house two years ago (before we met--the owner was obnoxious and the deal fell through) and we were next dor neighbors in the same apartment/house that we just moved out of...I wonder if the universe is telling us something?

Last week we went to the Dead Sea area for hiking and camping. The hiking lasted all of one short hike (mabye a kilometer each way) up to Mt. Sodom. We had intended to visit the Flour Caves, but just our luck, it was closed due to a collapse!

So we did the hike and Kiri, our oldest dog, spent the entire way down walking rrrrreeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaallllllllllllllllllllllyyyyyy slowly and limping a bit, so we used the excuse not to hike anymore (well more I went along with Idan for the benefit of the dog, but still...)

It was a beautiful hike, as all hikes are, but there is something special about the desert. Plus, the last time I was there, I had gotten in trouble for something and was not allowed to join my classmates on the hike, so I made up for a missed opportunity...

In the background of the photo, you can see the Dead Sea. Idan and I both gasped with disbelief at how much of the Dead Sea was gone due to over harvesting...ever since I remember, there were actually 2 Deas Seas (separated in the pasy few decades due to man's rediculous notion of money being more important that the Earth that sustains us), but this time, it was really scary. The gap between the seas was huge!

After the hike we drove down to Maktesh Katan (the Little Crater, or as the sign says, the little Maktesh :) where we decided not to camp.

So, we drove back up to the Dead Sea, stopped to check out what happens when one doesn't heed God's warnings...see if you can guess who this is...

...and found the PERFECT spot to camp. I spent the first hour a bit freaked that it would flood right where we were, as two rivers convereged there when it rains, but the forecast only called for rain the next morning, so I chilled and enjoyed the beauty!

We built a lovely fire (more Idan built and I enjoyed the warmth)

...and Mica spent the night on guard for bad guys, who might dare to attack.

I doubt anyone would be that stupid with a dog like Mica guarding us.

Kiri, on the other hand, was out like shout...she barely moved the rest of the trip. Someones's getting old!

The next morning we watched the sun rise over Jordan...

Then hauled it before the rains came and flash floods hit...

Overall, we had a lot of fun, didn't get eaten by any scorpions, and agreed that we have to do this more often!

So, we had a really fun Pesach break, and now, it is taking all of my willpower to get back on schedule and work...Thank goodness I love my job, or this would be impossible! Se la vie...

So, a quick update on life...Pretty great, personally that is. We are both doing really well, a few weeks ago we went to a lovely cabin up North for the weekend and next weeks we will go to the desert for some hiking and camping and a stop at the Dead Sea on the way home, so we have been doing some fun stuff lately.

Tonight is the first night of Pesach, my favorite holiday on the Jewish calendar, and one of the times when I get most homesick for the real Seders that we used to have at home. Here they run through it to get to dinner, always a shame for me. Amy, we will have to do this next time we see each other, and even though it may not be on Pesach, it will be just as fun and spiritual as we will do it right!

Things have been interesting here in Israel. Due to overwhelming anti-Israel sentiments and anti-Semitism in the world, especially during our last war, as well having to deal with non-stop terrorism (for which we are always the bad guys, I really dont get it) the Israeli population voted right wing for these elections. Now our Prime Minister is a rat that we had about 10 years ago and failed miserably, our Foreign Minister is a fascist...no joke, Idan and I also call him a ben zonah (son of a @#$%^). He strongly believes in transferring the Arabs out of Israel and is just an absloutely evil man (just look in his eyes).

Anyhoo, out of this mess came yet another sign of Israeli resilience, which I will share with you now. Here, we laugh at our problems, sometimes going a bit overboard, but I guess its a defense mechanism...below is the link to a hilarious song that one of our comedy shows wrote to the rest of the world about getting attacked by rockets ans the non-stop targetting of Israeli citizens by the terrorists. I have translated whatever is in Hebrew, and hope you are able to see the humor in this as we do. Idan and I have watched this numerous times, always cracking up from it, so enjoy. As a sarcastic song, they pretend to have terrible English and play on every stereotype out there, so don't take too much offense, cuz we are all bashed in it :)

It's called "someone throws on you Til" by Xplain (rocket): http://www.mako.co.il/tv-erez-nehederet/fd82c9a2478a8110/Article-f85dd0df440de11004.htm

I wake up in the morning and suddenly fall on me TIL (Rocket)
How would you feel if someone throws on you TIL (Rocket)
This is not what we built the Jewish State for לא בשביל זה בנינו בית יהודי

The children theysit in M.M.D (Bomb shelters)
We cant go to MAKOLET (local grocer), we cant go to school
But you don't understand because you live LACHEM BECHUL (outside the country)

How would you feel if in Paris they throw on you TIL (Rocket)
You ask for croissant but instead they throw on you TIL (Rocket)

Our army is the most moral in the world, at least in the five most moral of all (armies), we can close on the the most moral in the region...הכי מוסרי בעולםאו לפחות בין החמישה המוסריים מכולםטוב אולי אפשר לסגורעל הכי מוסרי באזור

They throw on us TILIM (Rockets),
we come with METOSIM (Airplanes)
But remember who started shooting on EZRACHIM (Citizens)

How do you feel if in London they shoot on EZRACHIM (Citizens)
You want LASHUT (to sail) in the TEMZA (Thames river) but instead they shoot on EZRACHIM (Citizens)

If you ask why we fight,we say:They started
If you ask why we bomb we say:They started
If you ask what we want we say.....(basically uhhhhhh...)

It's so hard when there is TZEVA ADOM (the color RED, ie, sirens for an incoming rocket attack)We have to house citizens from the South (in the North)לארח תושבות מהדרום
They walk naked in the house, they are so MISKENOT (unfortunate- here it is specifically relating to girls- and at that, pretty women)
Because a Grud missile fell on their clothing closet גראד פגע להן בחדר ארונות

You support us or we take Benayun from Liverpool (A major Israeli soccer player in England)
And we tell Noa Tishbi to take back BETIPUL (the Israeli created tv show, In Treatment)
We take Bar Refaeli, נשאיר את ליאו בלי כלוםand we'll leave Leo with nothing
Lets see him dating with Um Kultum (a famous female Muslim singer)
How do you feel if Leo was dating Um Kultum
And in "Sports Illustrated" instead of Bar there's Um Kultum (in Hijab)

Look on us
Look on them
Who looks more like YOU? מי יותר דומה לכם
We have McDonalds
Soon H&M
They haven't even gotten Suduch yet (some Iraqi food- A play on the War in Iraq)

If your not for us, there will be no choice,
We will remind you what it was like in the Cold War Europe
"Fire Brothers, Fire (the DJ in the background)"שריפה אחים שריפה
I think the point is clear...

Now you know how it feels if someone throws on you TIL (rocket)

I hope they know how it feels if someone throws on you TIL (rocket)

Support us, Hate them!X-Plain!

I cannot believe that I have let my beloved blog go for so long. It doesn't surprise me, but I was really hoping that for once, I would stay on the straight and narrow...then I quit my job and got lazy, then I flew to the States and had an excuse, then I got a new job and wouldn't let myself write until I finished my work (like that would ever happen)...and now I say, this is rediculous, I need to get caught up!

So heres the overall. I quit my job, spent about 2 weeks very happy, then freaked (to myself and Idan) that I wouldn't find a job...then finally got accepted to my #1 career choice, directing an international network called koldor (www.koldor.org). I immediately flew to the States for an uber quick visit to my family in VA and Wisconsin. I had an amazing time and for the first time ever, gave my grandparents a present that they really, really loved (a hand carved olivewood manger)...I have brought them stuff from Israel before, but this one...WOW, right on! I am so happy to have been able to make them as happy as they are about it! It was well worth the trip to Jerusalem to find it!

My time in the States was wonderful, Mom has become an amazing belly dancer and artist and it is wonderful to see her blossom. Amira and I are exactly where we need to be in life. Sisters. God I love it! And Abba, I don't know how he does what he does, but he has all of my respect!

We had an awesome snowstorm that kept us in Wisconsin an extra day, so I had my snow experience. And, for work, I had to take a day trip to NY, so I got to feel like an executive for the first time in my life! How cool!

Coming back to Israel, I began my new position as Executive Director of KolDor (Yes, I am proud, and I deserve it after working so hard for so long), I realized that I have a whole lot of proving I had to do to fit in to the position. I needed to make the unnatural seem natural, to be comfortable in all situations, and show that it doesn't matter how famous one is, they don't intimidate me. I didn't always pass the test, but I did a'ight, and my biggest superheoes are now ecoming my colleagues (yeah, its pretty friggin crazy...I am working with my living superheroes, literally). What is important now, is the obvious, I have everything handed to me on a platter, I CANNOT MESS THIS ONE UP. I have been offered the opportunity of a lifetime, literally on a silver platter...the issue, global economy...not so good. If I can keep us alive for the next year, all will be good, and I am more of less set for a career for the coming decade. If not...then...well, I just need to believe in myself, cuz, no one will want to hire me after that...this is pretty make it or break it!

Anywho, I have been loving work, so far I have voted in the WJC World Jewish Congress, the highest honor I could have ever asked for, ever(think voting in the UN, but for me, better), I have been to the Jewish Agengy Board of Governors, and I may well be in Switzerland for Durban II, though I hope not. It amazes me that it is a part of my job to be a part of every one of the issues that are facing the Jewish people today, I din't think it is fair, cuz it is a lot on my shoulders, but on the other hand, FINALLY, I HAVE THE JEWISH WORLD ON MY SHOULDERS!!! If you are not in the J world, you may not understand, nor do I expect you to care. Just know, that I am 100% on the right path. I wanted to save the world, and I will. It may be my world, the Jewish world, but danged if I dont save it! As I have said enough times, I may not be able to save 7 billion, but 18 milllion is a great start!

Other than work, we moved to a new home, 3 rooms, bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, office, living room and huge yard for the dogs...we have all I could have asked for....especially an olive tree! We are uber happy in the new home and I will put up pics as soon we get batteries for the camera...plus pics of a short haired Safra (I did promise you Noelle).

So, I owe all of you pics. I have also not said a word about the global anti-Semitism that has broken out throughout the world. It is so easy to ignore (and I know Amy says that it happens to Mormons too... but my love, when it becomes State policy, come back to me....VENEZUELA). I will vent on this another time.

In the meanwhile, we are all very lucky, and hopefully very happy! I wish us all the best and may we always remember, money is paper, our lives, priceless...