PSA 127:3-5, " Behold, children are a gift of the Lord; The fruit of the womb is a reward.  Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one's youth.  How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them; They shall not be ashamed, When they speak with their enemies in the gate."
 

    Israel  enjoys his new guitar on his 12th birthday.  He studied ballet for 6 years, but is taking a break from it currently.  He also likes sports, and art.  He studies at a Christian School in Jerusalem.  He is also taking piano lessons.  Israel has been with us since age 3.  He is a great kid, and everyone loves him.  Of course, like many gifted children, he is a handful of energy, and needs a lot of attention.

    Yoel just turned 30 years old, and is reading his card in this photo.  He came to us at age 17 from the Ukraine.  He was too old to legally adopt, but he is a part of the family.  He lived with us for 5 years, and took our family name when he got his citizenship papers (he is from Jewish parentage).  Yoel studied to be a goldsmith, and worked in that career for a couple of years, until the market failed.  Then he took up hair-dressing, and has done very well at it.  He even does styles for some of the Kenesset members' wives.  He lives in Jerusalem in his own apartment.  He still visits quite often (mainly for Elisheva's cooking).

   This was taken the morning Yosi went off to boot-camp.  The name Yosi is actually short for Yoseph (Joseph) Ephraim.  He just finished high school a couple of days before induction into the Israel Defense Forces.  He has been volunteering and working at the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo since age 14.  He works with the grass eaters (giraffes, hippos, zebras, etc.)  He has a lot of funny stories to tell.  All of his friends at the zoo were sorry to see him go to the army.  Evidently the saddest of all was one particular female ostrich, who had taken a liking to Yosi.

    Avigail preceded Yosi as a zoo worker, and returned to work there after the army.  She has begun studies to become a basketball coach and referee.  She received the "Excellent Soldier" award in her unit while in the army, and really loved her time there.  She has take up Elisheva's mantle in the worship arena.  She plays drums, guitar, and bass; sings and writes songs.  It's hard to believe so much time has passed since I first met her at an orphanage in Romania at age 3, and she grabbed my hands and danced in a circle with me.  Avigail (Abigail) means "my father's joy", and has totally lived up to her name.  She is now 21.

    Here are a few more pics, thrown in for good measure.  I will eventually add more.

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