So since our last blog update, WE HAD A BABY!!! Her name is Eleanor, and she's awfully cute. We spend a lot of time playing with her, watching her sleep, clipping her fingernails, checking diapers, and feeding her. It's so much fun that we'd like to recommend procreating to everyone! Here's her first movie for you to get a glimpse of our lives right now:

Piers has been teaching Hebrew with a friend from church here in Omaha while I've been at school. We made a video to help people learn the words from the lessons: http://www.youtube.com/v/GFUv6K1izas

So it's been a year since we last wrote anything on this blog. After getting back to Israel, Piers went back to working at the Jerusalem Botanical Gardens and I started working for Musalaha Reconciliation Ministry. We did that for a year and life wasn't exciting enough to report to the world. There were interesting things happening in Jerusalem of course, especially the situation with Sudanese refugees coming into Israel and the local church and Israeli community getting involved to help them and to integrate them into life in Israel. The government was not being very helpful, and I don't think they've given up the hope of sending them back to Israel. I, Tamar, got to be involved in a protest for the first time ever in front of the government offices. It was quite a privilege.
Some things changed and I decided it was time to finish a B.A. degree. We're now living in Omaha, Nebraska for a year while I attend Grace University. I'll graduate in May. Piers is here too, finally, and he just got a job working at a sporting goods store. It's really a great fit for the short term because he'll get employee discounts on all the stuff he is normally inclined to spend loads of money on (hiking, camping and climbing gear, plus all the clothes to go with), and more importantly, he'll get holidays and weekends off.
That's basically it. If you want to get in touch with use the facebook links on the right sidebar.
New pictures on the sidebar as well...
Ciao for now!

When we were in Calgary we made hummus and tabouli for our temporary Israel fix. Now we're in Denver denying ourselves yeast products. I'm happy that this is the last day of the passover week, we finally get to eat bread and cereal again. I tried not to eat a whole lot of matza this time and instead just stick to fruit carbs. When you get sick of matza, the week takes longer to end because bread is all you think about.

We stopped in Yellowstone National Park on the way to Denver. We didn't actually see Old Faithful because the road was closed. We did however get to see when we took a walk to the petrified tree. We only noticed him when he was standing to our right off the road, buffalo really close upno more than 15 feet from us. The little newspaper they give you at the gate said that most attacks on people in the park involve buffalo. I got so scared I froze and couldn't move my feet. Piers kept walking and I had to beg him to come back for me. Fortunately we got out un-harmed. So altogether it was a memorable visit to Yellowstone.

Our car just had its oil changed and one bearing replaced. It's a high maintenance little car.

Piers went skiing with my uncle today at Vale. It's a day off the landscaping project we're doing in my uncle's backyard. All my muscles are sore.

When I left the States in 2002, I thought I was coming back in 2 months, and I left two suitcases full of stuff here. The other day I opened them and found the most delightful things I'd forgotten I had. It was like finding a treasure chest. There were tapes and shoes and clothes, bras and socks, everything I thought I'd need to buy more of. The best thing in all of it was a little book signed by all my friends at my goodbye party in Three Hills. I read them all to Piers before we went to bed. It's hard to think that I can only keep those friendships and experiences in my memory.

We have to leave N. America by May 28 because Piers' visa is un-renewable and has a three-month limit. It seems our round the world trip is drawing to an end. It's been an adventure of a lifetime!
It's not over yet, and we still have some people to visit before we leave, but I must admit, I miss home. I can't wait to see family and friends back home, not to mention having a place of my own, one where I can finally unpack my bags.

That's all for now, folks!