today Elle turns TWENTY in Jerusalem

I figured that birthday would be a good opportunity to post some pictures of what’s going on with her over there in that Holy Land…A land that is “holy” for many reasons, but on a personal level it became such a holy place for my heart when I got to go there and do so many of the same things when I was close to the same age as Elle.

And I think it’s safe to say that it’s carved out a pretty large “holy” spot in her heart as well.

I’d love to have her do a little guest post to tell more about this experience but something tells me I shouldn’t hold my breath on that one so I’m going to write the snippets I know here to keep with our family record.

She has met so many people she loves and has learned and grown in so many ways.

I have loved the FaceTime opportunities we’ve had, and the things she’s shared with us over the last three and a half months in that place.

One of my favorite calls was when we got in a deeper discussion on the phone as I was trailing Lucy and a friend (who were chatting away in front of me) walking around a bay in California.  Elle was spilling out all the latest field trips, what she was learning in her classes, but most of all what she was learning from the people she is surrounded by there.  Professors and fellow students.  The discussions they’ve had and the lives they live, she’s learned so much from these good people she adores.

(These pics are from when she was in Tel Aviv….where I think she’s actually going to celebrate her birthday.)

I loved seeing these pictures at the Garden Tomb:

…a place I love so much.

I love that she found this wall under the center with my brother’s name right in the middle of it from when he was there:

(All of my siblings have been there…I think there are more of their names somewhere but I don’t see them in the picture.)

I love that she’s been to so many sacred spots.

…and so many Tels and places that have so many Bible stories surrounding them….and other places that I do not recognize and that don’t come with explanations, but I just love that she looks so happy!

(I took some of these pictures from random Instagram posts from kids there…so thanks to those who have posted!)

I love that she got to go to Greece (lucky girl!)

Usually they go to Egypt as a side-trip with this program, but for a few different reasons they chose Greece this time around.

…and she loved it.

She sent us a text one morning telling us all about how they got to be there at night with lanterns under the stars and someone was playing the flute and it was just one of the coolest nights.

Our friend who took care of her (along with his whole, awesome family) when she had her internship in London visits there for work a bunch and was able to take her and a bunch of friends to lunch one time.

(the same family we had just hung out with in NYC the week before)

Then it was on to Galilee.

She sent us this in the middle of our Bear Lake stint…

It looks so eerily similar to right where we were standing there at the lake when I got it.

Looks so much like our opening night music bonfire at the lake, but nope, it’s at Galilee with her group of students and professors.

 LOTS of school work mingled in with all the field trips.

That semester I was there was one of the most difficult in my whole college career and I don’t think it’s changed much since I was there.  They mean business I tell you!

Oh I do know this picture…she works with the Young Women in her branch over there and I think this is all of them.

 Looks like a pretty great group of girls.

Their “sabbath” is on Saturdays over there since that’s cultural and I think they spend most of their sabbath evenings out on this lawn overlooking the city with the sunset as a backdrop.

I love that very spot so much too.