Iron

I have been really tired since coming to The Land, and about a week ago started putting pieces together and realizing that I am showing many signs of anemia (not that hard to figure out because my blood tests always have shown low iron, and I haven't been taking iron pills as I was supposed to). I was excited to realize this, because I can easily fix it. With gusto I started taking my iron supplements a few days ago.

On Saturday night, after a frisbee game, I had some popcorn before bed. I was surprised to find a screw in the bottom of my bowl of popcorn. I think the lid I was using might have fallen apart and deposited the screw in my food... at least I hope so. I threw it away.

Last night, just three days later, my roommate and I got a tomato sauce based dish at a local restaurant and brought it home for dinner.

I found a screw buried in the sauce. For your viewing pleasure, I took a photo of it this morning:

Is this God confirming that I need more iron? Or maybe telling me that He'll supply what I need?

Here's to hoping that I continue finding them before biting them and breaking my teeth...

A Happy Birthday

I had a wonderful birthday yesterday!

I woke up to the sound of what I thought was a child yelling, and looked out my front window to see all of these sheep!

In the morning, I went to my friend Tamara's church where a great storyteller recounted the story of Easter brilliantly. We went to her grandmother's for lunch, and got to see pictures from her youth. She is such a beautiful lady!

In the afternoon I came home and had a great Skype conversation with my parents (before church for them).

In the evening, my amazing friends took me out for a nice dinner and then to "Little Italy" for some fantastic ice cream. They gave me some really sweet gifts which I will enjoy for a long time. So fun, and what a blessing to have good friends!

Here are some pictures from our evening:

These are the amazing women I spend most of my time with. We have a great time, as you can see!

Everyone has their mouth full, but check out the amazing spread on the table! I LOVE the food here!

Tamara and me enjoying our ice cream.

A very good friend:-).

Too Much Adventuring, Too Little Blogging

This has been a busy month. Between things heating up at work, me starting to have things to do almost every night with friends (what a blessing they are!), a few special trips, and some illness, I have done a very poor job of blogging. But here is a "catch-up" post with lots of pictures. If you don't hear from me at least weekly from here on out please send me an email like wonderful father did yesterday: "Hey, I just noticed that you are not doing a good job with your blog. Time to get with it!!" Thank you Pops:-)!

Stars and Bucks in Bethlehem. Definitely enough of a "green circle of pleasure" to make me smile when I see it, and it serves one of my favorite things: fresh-squeezed pomegranate juice! There are many benefits to living in the Middle East and the fruit is at the top of my list of those things.

My boyfriend, Kagiso, was able to get a visa to come visit me here at the end of February. We traveled around the country during his four-day visit.

This is me floating in the Dead Sea. It is very cool, but I think the water is one of the grossest things I have ever tasted! (No, I didn't drink it intentionally. I think a little splashed on my lip. YUCK!)

Kagiso on the sea of Galilee. It was cool to be at a place we read so much about in the gospels.

Hanging out with friends and eating a wonderful traditional Palestinian barbecue lunch. These guys have made life here so much fun!

My roommate, Judith, walking in the hills near Jerusalem. This was at the beginning of March and I hope gives you a taste of the beauty and diversity of this country.

Setting out on a trek through the desert near Jericho with good friends.

After our hike we rode on a cable car up the Mountain of Temptation. It was amazing to spend the day in the place where Jesus had done his fast and been tempted by Satan. I have new respect for how difficult it would have been to not turn the loaf into bread... we were sooo hungry and tired after our one-day hike!

After the recent bombing in Jerusalem I was concerned that getting through the checkpoint would be much more difficult. Thankfully, the day of the bomb was the only time we noticed a difference at all. I'm thanking God that for us here it hasn't caused the problems I feared it would. Please continue to pray for real peace here, and that people would not turn to terrorism. I have many thoughts on this, but will post them another time.

Friends and I went to an event at the Intercontinental Hotel (which is amazing) in Bethlehem. It was my first stand-up comedy performance to see live, and had a great time.

Believe it or not, two days from now will mark three months in The Land. I needed to leave the country for a new visa, and spent a week in Bradford. God is providing some possibilities for my time after being here, and I'll need to write about them later as well. This picture was taken in a paddle-boat on the pond in Lister Park on a gorgeous spring day.