Vacation in Jerusalem

I took a week off work and spent it with the family in Jerusalem. We had the possibility to borrow an apartment close to the city center. Sure, Jerusalem is just 10 minutes by car from where we live, but moving a family of four kids from one apartment to another, when not having a car, is quite a project. And being able to have walking distance to the Old City, and take only one bus to the zoo, was really great.

A few days before I got off work I started bringing bags with clothes etc from home, and dropped them off every morning in the apartment before heading to work. Thursday the 14th wife and kids took the bus and got settled, and came to pick me up from work. Apartment is walking distance from my work too. Then the vacation started with a Shabbat. A perfect and easy start-off. Just being with the family, and most important – being 100% offline with no internet access. That vacation really made me realize how much time I waste online… On Shabbat we visited our old congregation in Jerusalem where we were before we started our local congregation in Maale Adumim. A bunch of people we hadn’t seen for a long time, and many remembered our 6-year old as a baby.

We went to the Old City on Sunday. Walked around mostly in the Jewish quarter, ate a falafel, went to the Western Wall, saw the Roman pillars at the cardo, the kids played around the Hurva synagogue, etc. On Monday we went to the Jerusalem zoo. Really the high point of the vacation. I think I enjoyed it at least as much as the kids. The goats at the petting zoo came up to our stroller and woke our 1-year old up by nibbling on his toes! We are really thinking of buying a yearly family pass to the zoo, and make it a part of the home schooling. Free passes an entire year, and after only 3 visits it’s already worth it. The only problem is the distance – 2 buses from where we live. But I still think it’s worth it!

The rest of the days just passed. We had planned a one-day trip to the beach in Tel Aviv, but it didn’t go through. Just being together, walking to the park, having a family together-time was so precious. And the wonderful evenings with wife – when not watching “Friends” or playing a game we would just sit and read – read books instead of Facebooking. I also discovered how to survive for a week without a dishwasher, and I discovered how great it is to take care of things immediately and not let them wait and pile up.

Yesterday, we went back home to Maale Adumim. Ending the vacation as it started – with a Shabbat. It’s been great having some family time at home now too, and not run off to work immediately as I come home. Tomorrow it’s back to work. It’s actually going to be great, I’ve missed the people, and there’s a lot of things to do. But this vacation has really been great. I’ve reloaded my batteries, I’ve been able to focus more on the most important things in life – being a good husband and father – and I’ve had some great and memorable times with wife and kids.

God is awesome.

Just hearing you breathe

You’re next to me in the bed. We just said goodnight and are about to fall asleep.

I hear you breathing. In and out. In and out.

That silent simple sound. So quiet. So soft. Yet it means so much.

It means that you are here, next to me. It means that we are falling asleep together. It means that we will wake up together. It means that we are spending our lives together. It means that we have made the choice to be together forever, whatever happens.

That sound of you breathing. In and out. In and out. I could lie here and listen to it for hours. Which I will. Some nights I drift off quickly. Other nights I will stay awake, just a little longer than you (or are you also awake, trying to fall asleep, just like me?)

Some nights I will open my eyes just to look at you when you lay there and breath.  In and out. In and out. I watch you, and my heart aches. Every breath makes my heart spin. I want to give you the world, I want to give you everything. I love you so much I feel like I’m going to explode.

8½ years of marriage, and I love you more and more for every day. I want to spend every single moment of my life with you. I want to grow old and wrinkly with you.

You and me. Together forever. I don’t ever want it to end. I love you more than life itself.