With a beautiful national park right down the street from our house, Raphaela and I have frequented the Jerusalem Deer Reserve four times since it opened its doors and today, finally, we spotted actual deer (to be more accurate, gazelle)! Three of the smaller animals came to the main pond to drink, and all of us sitting there raised a big cheer...whereupon they ran into the field and hid, blending into the tall grass.
At one point Raphaela needed the bathroom, and we were too far away from the only option available to us at the main gate of the park. Surrounded by nature and not another soul in sight, I told Raphaela to go into the field and hide behind a tree and take care of it. Several minutes later a clearly American couple could be heard saying, "These Israeli children are disgusting, violating a national park!" That made me the mother of this Israeli child, and hearing their heavily accented Hebrew, I felt the need to reply. I calmly explained in English that she is five and a half and can't "hold it in," and besides, we are not littering per se. "You disgust me, you Israelis!" was the reply. I guess after 18 years in this country, I am now officially an Israeli.
On the way home, Raphaela fell and skinned her knew and elbow badly. I happened to have brought wipes with me, and used them to clean the wound; a man passing by then happened to have a Band-Aid in his pocket. As I applied the Band-Aid, Raphaela hugged me tight and said, "I am so lucky to have a Mommy who is a doctor! I wish everyone could have a Mommy like mine."
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