Fresh Eyes

Kendall the Flight Attendant

I love seeing the world through fresh eyes! Everything is new and exciting. There is an eagerness and innocence that blesses me as I get excited in their excitement. It is a huge reason I love to lead adventure trips for beginners, as their enthusiasm is contagious. I think that may be one of the reasons God created us. He is creator God and I know he must enjoy the thrill of His creation discovering this world which He created. Come enjoy the world God created through fresh eyes.

Kendall writes:
April 1st: The plane ride
At 5:00am, I got up, dressed, went to the potty, and said goodbye to Daniel my sweet Kitty.  I did not get to say goodbye to my dear chicken, Daisey, before we were all bundled into the car.  As I sat down shivering in the cold, I saw a tiny moth alight on the windshield.  After it alighted it moved down the windshield.  Then it took off.  That little moth reminded me that we were going to visit Israel.  I say visit, we would explore all the country of Israel like the moth crawling on the windshield.  When it (the moth) took off and alighted it seemed to represent our flights there and back.  Then Daddy got Hosanna and mommy into the care and we sang songs on the way to the airport.  Somehow, it still does not seem like we are truly leaving today!

We left our family with waves and goodbyes and started on our way.  We took the escalator up to the next floor.  Daddy had me find the sign that told where the A gates were.  We started walking towards them and paused by a bunch of computers.  Daddy told me to find our flight and what gate it was leaving from.  We found out that we were leaving from gate A7.  It saved us time because we thought we were leaving from gate A11.

Security check – Daddy and I got in line and waited for our turn.  I kept looking around missing my six other siblings.  When it came, we put everything in the boxes and pushed them through.  Daddy prayed that I would not have to go through the full body scanner and God answered by allowing Daddy and I to not go through it.

We found A7, sat down at A6, so we could watch our gate.  Daddy bought us some water, and we ate a banana and half of a yummy muffin bread mommy bought us at Trader Joes.  I went  to the restroom once, came back, sat down and waited.  Daddy watch the stuff while I went potty before we boarded.  Then Daddy went to the restroom while I watched the stuff.  The lady started calling people to board so I prayed for Daddy to come back quick!  He did and we boarded in time.  We found our seats; and we were seated next to a china man.

We took off!!!  Daddy and I looked at Israel guidebooks.  We were each given one juice cup of what we wanted.  I picked apple juice.  Daddy picked orange juice.  When we landed, we got out of the airplane and went straight to the restroom.  Daddy let me go first.  On our way to the restrooms we passed a service dog as huge as a pony.  There was a line in the restroom so I had to wait; and as I was waiting, I heard some ladies behind me commenting on the size of the service dog.  Daddy went next.  Then we went to the computers to find where we had to go.  Then when we found it, we sat down and ate the rest of that yummy muffin bread.  I went potty again and there was a long line.  So, when I came back, I asked Daddy why he didn’t have a line.  And he said, “Boys potty faster than girls.”  Then we went to look for a lunch because we did not know if the plane served lunch, and if we ate lunch when the plane landed,  we would really be eating dinner.  So, we finally, after walking a little ways found  some expensive sandwiches.  We decided to split one.  Then I went potty before our plane left.  There was a line made up of about, maybe – 17 more or less in that line.  I jumped in thinking, “Daddy said our plane would start in 15 min, so I’m glad I got in line now!  Not right before we left.”  They got done finally and Daddy and I got in line to board.  Suddenly we got pushed back, not allowed to board.  An older man told us they had to fix the airplane.  So, we sat down to wait.  The people in the airplane said, “our flight is to be delayed 30min.”  I went potty again and came out in time to hear them say, “Now our flight will be delayed 15 more min.  Daddy went potty and then we boarded the plane.  It took a little time but finally we were all on the plane.  Daddy had told me that this flight would take 5 1/2hrs.  Unexpectedly, the pilot said, “our flight will be shorter than was intended.  It will be a little over 4 hrs.  I had been worrying about missing the plane that went to Israel.  We went to California first on our flight.  We were flying to Pennsylvania next.  Then straight to Israel.  But Got is always in control.  He knew all about my worry and anxiety.  We were seated in the very back seats.  Row 34.  Daddy in Seat B (middle), a man near the window, and I sat in seat C (next to the asile).

A very nice lady who worked on the plane saw me looking at an Israel guidebook and asked if I was going to Israel.  I said yes and she told me she had went with her Daddy (only them two) and had seen the sights.  She recommended a few places to go and asked some questions.  I gave her our Funhog Family card and she took a picture of Daddy and I.  Then Daddy took a picture of me and her.  She was such a sweet lady.  She soon showed us that she was even sweeter.  She came down the aisle handing food out to anyone who wanted to pay for it.  When we found out you had to pay for it, we ate our own lunch instead.  Then they came by with drinks.  Again, Daddy picked orange and I picked Apple juice.  But then this lady showed herself to be so very sweet.  She gave me (out of the kindness and sweetness of her heart) a snack pack and cookies that were left over.

Near the end of the plane ride, she gave me a second snack pack (cranberries, cheese, crackers, nuts).  Daddy asked her name after she blessed us with two big bottles full of water.  And she said it was Deborah.  In a few seconds, she was back again.  She plopped on my tray, a fruit crunch, two Milano dark chocolate bars, a fig bar, and a savory snack mix with the words, “You’ll need plenty of snacks on your flight. (and to me) Never lose that pretty smile.”  When I told her she was very kind, she said, “Oh, it’s easy to be kind.”  Then she took a few pictures of me on some seats in the airplane.  She has the nicest smile too.  Well, we said goodbye and thanked her for her generosity as we moved up the line, out of the airplane and towards our last flight.  We ate some pizza and then went through security check.  (It wasn’t as bad as I thought.)  Next, we boarded the plane.  They gave us sleeping pillows and blankets.  They brought us dinner and then I tried to sleep.  In the morning, Daddy let me watch, “Sound of Music”.  I only watched the first tiny part before we landed.  First thing I though was, “I could have gone to our airport instead of taking that long ride here.” (Because the airport was just like ours. We went through security check nice and quick.  Next, we hailed a taxi driver to take us to Jaffa.  Our hotel was in the oldest part of town.  After unpacking, we just explored.  Next thing you know, it’s bed time.