Eighteen years ago this week I came home from a semester in Jerusalem.  Kerri, you are right-it is almost 20 years-and that makes us officially old.  This time of year is always tender to be me because of the time I spent in Jerusalem.  I can hardly get through Christmas carols or talking about my experiences there without getting too emotional.  It did truly change my life.  My faith today is in large measure due to my time there.  And this morning I was reminded of a night I shared with my friends while staying on the shores of Galilee.  I wrote the experience in my journal and I felt like I needed to share it here.  Not sure why.  Maybe this is for you, Kerri, and for all the other girls that night! 

Nov. 20, 1997

“After dinner a group sat around in a our room and talked.  We talked about life and love and Jerusalem.  We talked about our favorite things about Jerusalem-the funny moments, the sad ones.  The moments we’ll never forget.  What sparked the conversation was a letter Jen Browning got from her cousin who was here 10 years ago.  She read it to us as we sat together and it was such a special moment.  Her cousin said that she’d just gone to her 10 year reunion for Jerusalem and it was just like they’d never left.  They were still one big family she said.  She then told of her feelings for Jerusalem-how it had changed her life-how it was home to her-how she thinks of it every day.  It was wonderful to hear her thoughts-to hear her express her love for Jerusalem.  She is now a mother and closed her letter as she was “going Christmas shopping.” As we all sat in our room we knew that would us us in 10 years.  We’ll look back with fond, vivid memories of this wonderful place and experience.  We were all a bit teary eyed as Jen finished reading that letter.  It was like we’d taken a time machine forward while her cousin had taken one back.  It’s so sad to think that it’s almost over, we don’t want it to ever end! We’re kind of in a time warp here.  Our regular lives almost stand still.  To think that we have to go back to the real world soon is scary and sad.  But at the same time it’s exciting. 

We spent the next two hours straight talking about our favorite times or scariest times, our sad moments and our happy ones.  Our most spiritual moments, our favorite field trips, our favorite teachers and their quirky personalities-we laughed and cried- it was the best!!  To sit around with all my friends here-there was at least 10 of us-and bond like that… those are the most precious moments in life I think.  At least most precious to me.  They’re conversations and laughter and tears that I want to just bottle up so I can listen to them later and re-live them.  I was reading in Jesus the Christ later and I found a quote that fit my feelings exactly.  “Mere pleasure is at best fleeting; happiness is abiding, for in the recollection thereof is joy renewed.” That makes me so happy to know that I will be able to look back on my experiences here and by reliving them I will experience the joy I’ve felt all over!  Our happiest moments we can relive and feel joy again!

Then later we went for a walk along the water and happened along Cam Pederson playing his guitar.  We sat down and listened to him sing and play as we looked at Galilee before us and the stars above us.  He sang his Jerusalem, City of Peace song.  It describes our experience here perfectly and all were in tears again.  What a wonderful moment in time-again.  One I would just love to capture.  These moments are so vivid in my mind now and I don’t ever want them to fade.”

Across the ocean are my deepest emotions and memories that will never cease.

We just finished up fall term in our homeschool co-op where I taught a class about ancient Egypt.  I had an absolute blast and I’m pretty sure the kids did too. 

The Queen of Egypt showed up on the first day of class and taught every lesson.  She brought a kid size sarcophagus with her.

On the day we learned about mummies, the kiddos mummified one of their stuffed animals.

They also got to mummify each other.  Then they were laid to rest in the sarcophagus.

This is Levi doing the mummifying.

Each child could write to the Queen of Egypt in Hieroglyphics to earn a treat.  I had several that took the challenge, but one actually sent me a letter in the mail and it said, “Dear Queen of Egypt, What are you going to give me?”.  Well, that little stinker got a letter back (in hieroglyphics, of course) that said, “You’ll have to wait and see.” 

The kids made Egyptian murals to document their learning.

We made pyramids out of sugar cubes. 

I let Liberty make one at home and after a few hours I could already see erosion happening…..

We call this “Saliva Erosion” for those who want the technical term.

I love our co-op!  And I love teaching.  So glad I get the opportunity.  One of the moms in our co-op even blogged about me on her blog!
http://www.mentorofleaders.com/ancient-egypt-comes-to-life/

Next term we’ll be learning about Ancient Greece.  I’m still trying to decide who I’ll be.  Helen of Troy or Venus?  Or maybe Athena!