Six Hearts One Journey

Posted on September 17, 2015 by Deena Gainor

The Donkeys of Santorini – April 2015

And I’m finally back with a few more shots from Santorini! Re-entry has been wonderful yet time-consuming but I’m committed to finish what I started. So…please hang in there with me. First, the donkeys of Santorini. They are everywhere and often found transporting people up and down the 600 plus steep stairs that start at the water and ascend into the town of Fira. While they are absolutely adorable and the thought of riding them up from the port can be very enticing, the situation for the donkeys is very similar to… Read More

Posted on August 21, 2015 by Deena Gainor

Santorini and the Gorgeous Village of Oia – April 2015

When you fall in love, you can become a little obsessed. You think about the object of your affection, you daydream about it, and you count the days until you can be together again. That’s how it was for me…and Santorini. As I shared before, it was Love at First Sight! How can I resist thinking or talking about it? As a result, you’ll probably see a few more posts on this destination before I am willing or able to move on. Today I wanted to share my love for the village of Oia…. Read More

Posted on August 19, 2015 by Deena Gainor

Santorini – Love at First Sight, April 2015

“What was your favorite destination?” We’ve been asked this question numerous times as we journeyed around the world and increasingly more now that we’ve returned. It’s almost impossible to answer this question, as we loved so many different countries and cities for several unique reasons. But, if I were forced to choose one, for the beauty alone…I think I’d have to choose Santorini, a small, friendly island off the coast of Greece. From the moment I set eyes on this island, it was “Love at First Sight.” Years ago, Ryan had the opportunity to visit Santorini… Read More

Posted on July 30, 2015 by Ryan Thomas

Athens by Ryan

We flew from Israel to Athens on the ninth of April. Athens, like Rome, is another place steeped in history, that goes even farther back in time than Rome. To take advantage of all the history, we bought tickets for a bus that you have probably heard of – the Hop On Hop Off. Hop on, Hop Off is pretty self explanatory. You can hop on whenever you want that day, and hop off whenever you want. They have commentary throughout, in eleven different languages, and stop at all of the main… Read More

Posted on July 23, 2015 by Deena Gainor

Athens: Ancient Greek Myths and Modern Financial Crises

Greece. It’s a country I’ve always wanted to visit. My desire to explore Athens especially grew when I began homeschooling Mikayla and Ryan in first grade. I have to admit it was also when I discovered how amazing history could be. Until then, I’d thought the subject rather boring, as my history teachers seemed to fall into a catatonic state cracking open our old history books. As I began to share fun Greek myths during story times, or teach them about the birth of democracy, and about philosophers like Socrates, Plato, and… Read More

Posted on July 13, 2015 by Deena Gainor

Day 393: The Wailing Wall, Jerusalem

After the encouraging Easter service (The Beauty of the Empty Tomb), we took a walk through Old Town Jerusalem, dodging friendly shopkeepers and aggressive tourists. We visited the Western Wall, and more specifically the Wailing Wall, which is one of the most sacred sites in Judaism. I’ve often heard of the Wailing Wall but was not prepared for what greeted us as we entered the plaza and began to slowly descend the stairs. Before approaching the walls, we encountered hand washing stations used to ritually cleanse oneself prior to praying. While I… Read More

Posted on July 12, 2015 by Deena Gainor

Day 392: The Beauty of the Empty Tomb

On Easter Morning, we celebrated together at the Garden Tomb with Nick and Angel and about 1000-1500 other believers from around the world. It’s hard to describe just how special that experience was. As we viewed one of the likely spots where Jesus may have been buried and then risen on the third day, I marveled at the beauty and significance of the empty tomb! For some reason, I had never thought through that before, but having the empty tomb with the words “He is not here, for He is risen” displayed just outside the… Read More

Posted on July 10, 2015 by Deena Gainor

Day 390: Israel and Old Town Jerusalem

We have dear friends in Israel who invited us to visit them during the week of Easter, as they had some time off. We were surprised by the timing, as we’ve wanted to visit Nick, Angel, and their children for several years now, as well as spend an Easter in Jerusalem. To have the opportunity to do both at the same time was a wonderful and unexpected treat. Just being with “family” again after so many months on the road was its own kind of special. Add to that the love and kindness… Read More

Posted on July 6, 2015 by Deena Gainor

Day 380: Jordan/Israel and the Dreaded Border Crossing!

After enjoying a few days in Jordan, we headed to the Jordan-Israel border at Allenby/King Hussein Bridge, as we had opted to drive to Jerusalem versus fly into Tel Aviv. We found that the easiest way for our family of six to do this was by arranging for a taxi to the Jordanian side of the crossing from our hotel by the Dead Sea. It was so much faster, we thought…just an hour or two away to our destination from the Dead Sea by land. Why go through the hassle of checking in… Read More

Posted on June 29, 2015 by Deena Gainor

Day 379: In Search of Gordon Ramsey – London

Ok, the truth is, I am not into reality TV shows. Most of them are crazy and I avoid watching them. Master Chef and Hell’s Kitchen, however, are two I can honestly say I enjoy at times. I’m not sure why exactly. I don’t particularly enjoy the bickering, fighting, and swearing…but I do love learning about food and there’s no denying that Chef Gordon Ramsay knows his way around a kitchen! Just take a glance at his profile and you’ll know what I mean. Plus, there’s just something genuine and kindhearted about the Chef… Read More

Six Hearts One Journey