Catching Up...

Hello again!  We know it's been awhile since we've kept you posted on what's been going on in our lives over here in Israel, so we thought it was due for an update.  Here's some pictures to enjoy and fill you in on what's been going on lately with us.

In January we took an unplanned and last minute trip back to the states.  We had some plane ticket issues and needed to use them or lose the money we already spent.  So, we had a fun break spent with family and friends and even got our fix of snow for the year.

We had so much fun hanging out with our nieces and nephews at JJ Ranch for a weekend.  We love these little people and miss them so much when we're living so far away!
{Aiden, Ava, Dani, Noah, Addison showing funny faces
(Madelyn is too little to be in the water, so she's not in this picture)}

While we were visiting family & friends we got to share with
some of them our exciting news!!
Baby Smith is due July 25th {here's Jeannette at 18 weeks}.

The Judean Wilderness - see the rainbow?! We saw 3 of them within the hour or so that we were standing there.
The desert imagery has become really significant to us in the past few months and we especially love this verse that demonstrates so well how God cares for His people in the deserts of life: "In a desert land, he found him, in a barren & howling wasteland.  He shielded him & cared for him; he guarded him as the apple of his eye."  - Deuteronomy 32:10

Visiting Jericho in the spring - Israel is so green this time of year!

Incredible sunset at Gezer looking toward the Mediterranean Sea.
Solomon may have seen this same view back in his day when he lived here. 

Jeannette has been auditing a class again this semester {Jewish Though & Practice}.
Here is her professor, Rabbi Moshe, reading from the Torah scrolls.

We went on a field study this past Friday to an Orthodox Jewish neighborhood in Jerusalem {Me'a She'rim}. It was a neat experience to be able to see so much of the Hasidic Jewish culture in it's own element.  They have very strict rules about dress and lifestyle as you can see from the sign hanging at the entrance to their neighborhood. 

Even Matt (and the rest of the guys) had to wear a kippah out of respect & reverance. 

Here's a shop with women's head coverings for sale - most Orthodox Jewish women cover their heads at all times in public either with something like this or a wig.  They do this mainly because it says to in Torah and also to remain humble and modest, not drawing attention to outward beauty.

An Orthodox family - counting 7 boys (and another baby in the stroller)!
Orthodox families believe in having as many children as God blesses them with. 

An Orthodox man dressed in a robe/shirt with tassles (tzitzit) on the corners.  The men also have peyot (long curly sideburns) to obey the Torah command to not cut the corners of their beards (or fields). 


Challah bread setting out fresh as people rush around getting ready for
Shabbat which begins at sundown.

That's all for now!  Matt's been staying busy with his classes and volunteering at a school in Bethlehem.  Jeannette continues to volunteer at the Anglican school and is enjoying her Jewish Though & Practice class.  We continue to find new experiences and opportunities here and appreciate your prayers for Matt especially as he has midterms coming up in the next couple of weeks.  We'll post more again soon.  Shabbat Shalom:) - Matt & Jeannette