I stole this from Beth's blog...and she stole it from Cyn...and the cycle never ends! I hope someone steals it from me! :)
What is in the back of your car?
Honestly, I'm not exactly sure. The car is Scot's domain. I'm sure he's thrilled about that! I know the stroller is back there. Maybe some car supplies?
What color is your toothbrush? I have two. One is pink and white and one is teal and white.
What were you doing at 8 am this morning? Dropping my kids off at summer camp before heading off to the West Bank for English classes with kids.
What Were you doing 45 minutes ago? Giving my girls a bath while hanging laundry.
What is your favorite candy bar? Snickers and this Lindt bar that has hot chili peppers in it!
What was the last thing you said aloud? "Georgia, Maggie did put on Dora and Boots with Santa! That was just a commercial! Go see!" Said in a loud voice of complete exasperation since Georgia was melting down at the very thought that Maggie undermined her choice and put something else on instead!
What is the best ice cream flavor? Turkey Hill Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup. YUM! Can someone send me some of that? HA!
What was the last thing you had to drink? Water
What are you wearing right now? My really old, falling apart use ta be black capri pants and an old yellow t-shirt and my Nile Crocs. You don't really want more details than that, do you?
What was the last thing you ate? An avacado with fresh ground pepper and salt. But I'm hiding a bag of Snyder's of Hanover Buffalo flavored pretzel bits in the cupboard for after the kids are asleep! Yeah, they're great for my diet! :)
Have you bought any new clothing items this week? No, but I just filled my cart at Gap.com with some marked down t-shirts, which I'm sure I'll just leave sitting there for a few days until they are no longer available.
What is your favorite flavor of popcorn? See now, Beth, I love movie theater popcorn, ADD the butter! I also love the popcorn from the More with Less cookbook that Scot sometimes makes. YUM!
Ever go camping? We went to a beautiful national park on the sea in April. Hope to go again in the fall. And I used to camp lots as a kid.
Do you take vitamins daily? Well, I try to remember. It's a goal. Doesn't always happen.
Do you go to church every Sunday? No. Because our church meets on Saturday nights. But if the question is asking if we go every week, then yes. And every other time the doors are open.
Do you have a tan? I think this is physically impossible for me.
Do you like Chinese food over Pizza? Hmmm...tough decision. Depends on where both are from. I wouldn't choose anything over a Mattucci's pizza. Nothing. But a good Chinese buffet over mediocre pizza? Yes.
Do you drink your soda with a straw? I often try. But then the stuff bubbles up out of the straw, or the straw floats so far to the top that it actually falls out. Annoying. Then I remember that I always get annoyed when I try to drink soda with a straw.
Are you someone's best friend? Scot.
What are you doing tomorrow? I'll be teaching English in the West Bank to 6-14 year olds. Hopefully in the evening I get to rest some.
Where is your dad? Pennsylvania.
What color is your watch? It's a silver Citizen watch.
Do you use Chapstick? I like to think that I do. But I usally lose it or forget until my lips are so stinkin' chapped that they are killing me! "My lips hurt REAL bad!" And for the record, I will not use the school nurse's chap stick either. I don't care how many sticks she has in her drawer! :)
Do you go in at a fast food place or just hit the drive thru? There are no drive-throughs here. I forget what that convenience is like!
What is your favorite number? 54
Do you have a dog? No.
Last person you talked to on the phone? Scot
Any plans today? Well, it's 7:09pm. My only plan is to get the kids to bed! And enjoy aforementioned pretzels. :)
How many states have you lived in? Two, Pennsylvania and New York
Ever go to college? I did.
Do you dye your hair? Never have.
Biggest annoyance in your life right now? Annoyance? Hmmm...the fact that Georgia Kate thinks she runs the house. Yeah...that gets real old real fast.
Last song listened to? King of Glory by Third Day
Can you say the alphabet backwards? Yes, and I can even sing it in a little Sunday school song too!
Favorite pair of shoes you wear all the time? My crocs! How did I ever live without these????
Are you jealous of anyone? I don't think so...
Is anyone jealous of you? Doubt it.
Do you love anyone? That would be a long list...
Do any of your friends have children? Yes.
What do you usually do during the day? Study Arabic, teach English, surf SS, scrapbook, read...oh, yeah...and all the mundane, daily stuff like cook, clean, wash clothes, wash dishes, give baths/showers, hang laundry...
Do you hate anyone that you know right now? No...
Do you use the word 'hello' daily? Yep.
What color is your car? White Nissan MPD.
Do you like cats? Yep. We have two, Jesse and Dora.
Have you ever been to Six Flags? Yes, Six Flags Texas and Six Flags in Jersey.
How did you get your worst scar? When I fell off the back porch. Dad has just taken the railing off to replace it or fix it...I can't remember why. I slipped on water, fell to the cement and hit my elbow. The kids just asked me about that scar the other day. Yeah. I've got some battle scars from my hard life! :)
This was fun! And silly! Go ahead...steal it! :) But if you do, let me know, so I can read it!
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Monday, June 23, 2008
Summer Camp!
Summer camp...a rite of passage? Here, summer camps are very popular! We help run camps throughout the West Bank during the summer, teaching English and art classes, etc. Just today we spent our morning at our ministry center in the northern West Bank giving some special English lessons to children.In Jerusalem, nearly every elementary school offers a summer camp program. We thought it'd be a good idea to have Scoty go to the Frere summer cam
p so he could meet some kids he might be in class with in the coming year and begin using and hearing Arabic daily in a fun environment without the pressures of school. After his first day, it looks like we made the right decision! He was so happy when I found him at the end of the day! Maggie and Thomas are signed up for camp as well, and they had a great time too! It's an answer to prayer to see our kids so happy in the school setting! If you are so inclined, would you keep Scoty in your prayers over these next few months? He's got a lot of adjusting to do. We want to see him happy and successful in school!

But enough thinking about tomorrow. For today the kids are happy! And that's always a good thing!
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Can I brag just a minute?
Even if you say no, I'm going to anyway! :) Our kids finished school a few weeks ago, and we just got Thomas' report card. I'm so proud of him, I'm nearly bursting at the seams! He received honors for second grade!
Now, I'd be a proud Mama no matter what, but what makes me extra proud? He studies in Arabic! He takes all of his courses in an Arab school with Palestinian kids. He is the only child who isn't Palestinian in his class. It amazes me that he can learn so much in his second language! Here is a picture of his report card for the year! I just had to share! You'll just have to trust me that it does, in fact, belong to Thomas! His name is written right at the top in Arabic! :)
I love to hear my kids speaking Arabic. They speak it without a foreign accent. They speak it so effortlessly that it makes me jealous. It has truly become their second language. And sometimes their first. You should hear my older two arguing in Arabic!

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I count this as a blessing from God. Not only does it make our lives here easier since my kids have acclimated to the society, but it just makes my heart soar to know that this second language is something that will benefit them for the rest of their lives!
And something that is really funny? Though the school they attend does have some French teachers who are actually from France, most are Palestinian. Thomas speaks French with an Arab accent! How funny is that?
Now, I'd be a proud Mama no matter what, but what makes me extra proud? He studies in Arabic! He takes all of his courses in an Arab school with Palestinian kids. He is the only child who isn't Palestinian in his class. It amazes me that he can learn so much in his second language! Here is a picture of his report card for the year! I just had to share! You'll just have to trust me that it does, in fact, belong to Thomas! His name is written right at the top in Arabic! :)
I love to hear my kids speaking Arabic. They speak it without a foreign accent. They speak it so effortlessly that it makes me jealous. It has truly become their second language. And sometimes their first. You should hear my older two arguing in Arabic!

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I count this as a blessing from God. Not only does it make our lives here easier since my kids have acclimated to the society, but it just makes my heart soar to know that this second language is something that will benefit them for the rest of their lives!
And something that is really funny? Though the school they attend does have some French teachers who are actually from France, most are Palestinian. Thomas speaks French with an Arab accent! How funny is that?
Friday, June 13, 2008
Another Sunshine School Graduate!
It is hard for me to believe that Scoty is now a Sunshine School Alumnus! He graduated yesterday, after 3 years of attending the school! They always celebrate with caps and gowns, fun music, and an enjoy
able picnic. Scoty has been asking us every day for the last 3 weeks, "How many more days until I graduate?" He was so excited yesterday! And he did great!
He was featured on the cymbals for the song, "Monkeys Jumping on the Bed" and the rh
ythm sticks for a few other numbers. He looked so handsome in his cap and gown and his little suit and tie! I'm so proud of my boy!Maggie was asked to play the violin during the ceremony as well. I accompanied her on my flute. She did great! And this was my first public performance in about 4 years! It wa
s nice to get the instrument out again! I was a little rusty and my lip got tired awfully quickly, but it was still fun!The Sunshine School has been a wonderful blessing in our lives! It's been a safe place for our kids to grow and learn before heading off to the unknown world of school in a second language. We praise God for a Christian school where our children n
ot only have the opportunity to grow academically, but spiritually as well. Scoty is our 3rd Sunshine School graduate. Hard to believe how much time has passed since we left the US. Georgia Kate begins at the Sunshine School next year! We keep that place in business! :)
Sunday, June 8, 2008
What a movie!!!!
Prince Caspian. What a movie! We had the fun opportunity to take the older 3 kids to see Prince Caspian today! This is something that we've been looking forward to for months! We were not disappointed! Well, Scot was a wee bit disappointed. After all, the movie wasn't exactly like the book! But we were able to look past that to see the amazingly fun movie!

We made plans with another family to go see the 11:30am show today. Off we went: 4 adults, 6 kids (the littlest among us stayed behind and we all enjoyed the day just that much more because of that fact! :) We got there early enough and were pleased to find ou
t that they were showing 2 versions simultaneously: o ne in He brew and one in English. The Hebrew theater was packed with kids! Our theater was only hal f full and our kids were the youngest there.
I have to say, this was the first time that Maggie and Scoty have ever been to the movies! And Thomas was so small for his experience back in the US, that I seriously dou bt he remembers it...though he claims he does! The kids were wide-eyed the entire time! It was almost as much fun watching them watch the movie as it was watching the movie itself! Almost...
When we were waiting in line for our popcorn, Scoty t urned to Scot and asked, "Baba, where's the TV?" Imagine paying that kind of money to watch a movie on a television! He was in for a real treat when he saw the screen!
They were absolutely captivated! The movie, though no t exactly like the book (ahem...yes, thank you Scot!), ke pt to the book's original theme. The image of Jesus and t he crisis of faith was crystal clear throughout the film. At one point, in a scene 
where Aslan calls to the sea which roars into life in the shape of a man and defeats the enemy, I was so clearly reminded of the line from the worship song, Shout to the Lord: "Mountians bow down and the seas will roar at the sound of your name!" I had chills!
I caught the kids covering their eyes a few times. But they loved it! We all admitted we'd go back to see it in the theater again tomorrow if we could! What a movie! I'm so glad that my kids' first experience in the theater was for something so completely enjoyable! I can't wait to see it again!

We made plans with another family to go see the 11:30am show today. Off we went: 4 adults, 6 kids (the littlest among us stayed behind and we all enjoyed the day just that much more because of that fact! :) We got there early enough and were pleased to find ou


I caught the kids covering their eyes a few times. But they loved it! We all admitted we'd go back to see it in the theater again tomorrow if we could! What a movie! I'm so glad that my kids' first experience in the theater was for something so completely enjoyable! I can't wait to see it again!
Thursday, June 5, 2008
SS Blog Challenge #20, Part 1
Brought to us by Brynn! Love it, Brynn!
If you were able to go on a vacation for 1 week, anywhere you wanted, & with anyone you choose, where would you go, who would you take & why would you choose that location.
I didn't even have to think about this one. I would go to Italy with Scot! I'd see Rome and Florence and Venice and anything else we could cram in! I have always dreamed of going to Italy. One day...one day! There is something romantic in my dreams about Italy.
And I say I would go with Scot. Not the kids. I hope that doesn't sound bad. I love my kids, I do! It's just hard to enjoy touring with 4 small kids. Of course, I'd likely leave them behind for my dream vacation, even if they were older! :)
Second runner up for a week's vacation? An Alaskan cruise. DREAM! Love colder weather. Want to hit all 50 states in my lifetime. Would love to see the Pacific. Of course, I wouldn't mind a week in Hawaii either!
Third runner up? Another week in England! This time I would spend more time outside of London. I would definitely do a few nights in Bath. We were there for a few hours on a bus tour! A few hours! We saw next to nothing...just enough to make me wish I had more time!
I love to travel. Honestly, I'd go just about anywhere given the opportunity. I've been blessed to have been to so many places in my lifetime. And I know we'll have the chance to see many more!
Part 2 still to come...
If you were able to go on a vacation for 1 week, anywhere you wanted, & with anyone you choose, where would you go, who would you take & why would you choose that location.
I didn't even have to think about this one. I would go to Italy with Scot! I'd see Rome and Florence and Venice and anything else we could cram in! I have always dreamed of going to Italy. One day...one day! There is something romantic in my dreams about Italy.
And I say I would go with Scot. Not the kids. I hope that doesn't sound bad. I love my kids, I do! It's just hard to enjoy touring with 4 small kids. Of course, I'd likely leave them behind for my dream vacation, even if they were older! :)
Second runner up for a week's vacation? An Alaskan cruise. DREAM! Love colder weather. Want to hit all 50 states in my lifetime. Would love to see the Pacific. Of course, I wouldn't mind a week in Hawaii either!
Third runner up? Another week in England! This time I would spend more time outside of London. I would definitely do a few nights in Bath. We were there for a few hours on a bus tour! A few hours! We saw next to nothing...just enough to make me wish I had more time!
I love to travel. Honestly, I'd go just about anywhere given the opportunity. I've been blessed to have been to so many places in my lifetime. And I know we'll have the chance to see many more!
Part 2 still to come...
Saturday, May 31, 2008
SS Blog Challenge #19
This challenge is brought to us by Beth! It was a challenge for me, but I guess that's redundant!
If you had to make your ultimate MIX TAPE (er, mix CD) what would be the top 10 songs on it, and why would you choose those songs?
Mine would be a revolving mix tape. It would definitely change from day to day. Oh, there are a few songs that would likely be on the list every single time. Others? They would rotate off and on depending on my mood. 10 songs is hard to narrow down to, but here goes!
1. Be Thou My Vision. A favorite hymn that speaks volumes to me every single time I sing it. It expresses my desire.
2. I'd Rather Have Jesus. It is my heart's desire.
4. Piano Man by Billy Joel. I've gotta have me some Billy Joel on my ultimate mix tape. This song would change frequently based on my mood and the day.
5. I'll Be There for You by Bon Jovi. Hard to pick one cheesy Bon Jovi love song. And while I'm currently obsessed with Make a Memory, ultimately, I'll Be There for You takes me back to a different time. When I hear the very first notes of that song, I'm snagged!
6. American Tune by Simon and Garfunkel. Love the lyrics
7. American Pie by Don McLean. How can one live without this song? And it's long, for a more extended listening experience!
8. Penny Lane by the Beatles because you can't be somewhere without any Beatles!
9. She by Harry Connick, Jr. because it's cool, jazz funk and fun to dance to!
10. Nessum Dorma by Paul Potts. Not only is the song beautiful, but I love the story behind this man singing this song. It was such an amazing performance and my heart soars when I hear it!
Okay...can't I just take my Touch along with me and call it good? It's smaller than a CD!
Well, that's my list for the moment. Ask me again tomorrow and it just might change!
If you had to make your ultimate MIX TAPE (er, mix CD) what would be the top 10 songs on it, and why would you choose those songs?
Mine would be a revolving mix tape. It would definitely change from day to day. Oh, there are a few songs that would likely be on the list every single time. Others? They would rotate off and on depending on my mood. 10 songs is hard to narrow down to, but here goes!
1. Be Thou My Vision. A favorite hymn that speaks volumes to me every single time I sing it. It expresses my desire.
2. I'd Rather Have Jesus. It is my heart's desire.
- I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold;
I’d rather be His than have riches untold;
I’d rather have Jesus than houses or lands;
I’d rather be led by His nail-pierced hand- Refrain:
Than to be the king of a vast domain,
Or be held in sin’s dread sway;
I’d rather have Jesus than anything
This world affords today.
- Refrain:
- I’d rather have Jesus than men’s applause;
I’d rather be faithful to His dear cause;
I’d rather have Jesus than worldwide fame;
I’d rather be true to His holy name - He’s fairer than lilies of rarest bloom;
He’s sweeter than honey from out the comb;
He’s all that my hungering spirit needs;
I’d rather have Jesus and let Him lead
4. Piano Man by Billy Joel. I've gotta have me some Billy Joel on my ultimate mix tape. This song would change frequently based on my mood and the day.
5. I'll Be There for You by Bon Jovi. Hard to pick one cheesy Bon Jovi love song. And while I'm currently obsessed with Make a Memory, ultimately, I'll Be There for You takes me back to a different time. When I hear the very first notes of that song, I'm snagged!
6. American Tune by Simon and Garfunkel. Love the lyrics
7. American Pie by Don McLean. How can one live without this song? And it's long, for a more extended listening experience!
8. Penny Lane by the Beatles because you can't be somewhere without any Beatles!
9. She by Harry Connick, Jr. because it's cool, jazz funk and fun to dance to!
10. Nessum Dorma by Paul Potts. Not only is the song beautiful, but I love the story behind this man singing this song. It was such an amazing performance and my heart soars when I hear it!
Okay...can't I just take my Touch along with me and call it good? It's smaller than a CD!
Well, that's my list for the moment. Ask me again tomorrow and it just might change!
Monday, May 26, 2008
SS Blog Challenge #18: Change the World!
This challenge was brought to us by MandaPanda!
With all the issues going on in the world today, earthquakes, tornados, tsunamis, etc., I thought it would be nice to take some time to take a look at the bigger picture. This weeks challenge? Blog a list of 30 things you can do in 30 seconds each to change the world.
Here are my 30 things, thought of on the spot and in no particular order:
1. Pray
2. Hug and kiss my kids and Scot!
3. Listen
4. Hug a friend
5. Send a one sentence e-mail to tell someone I'm thinking of them
6. Call my Na-na (the conversation won't last for just 30 seconds, but making the call takes just a few!)
7. Compliment someone
8. Hug a child in the West Bank
9. STOP myself from losing my temper
10. Smile at a stranger
11. Greet a store clerk and tell them thank you
12. Leave a big tip to a kind waiter/waitress
13. Give food and water to the person who comes to my door
14. Hug that child in Sunday school that drives me MAD!
15. Tell someone that they are good mother in spite of how they feel
16. Compliment my children...OFTEN!
17. Sing at the top of my lungs with my kids
18. Begin singing a praise song. It lifts my spirits and always lightens my burdens
19. Let someone else take his or her right-away at an intersection, even when it was clearly my turn.
20. Let the kids eat candy before supper!
21. Pick up some trash on the road on my way to pick up the kids from school.
22. Talk to my kids about why we don't litter~because this is God's world that he created for us to care for an enjoy.
23. Encourage my children to teach their friends the same lesson.
24. Say YES! when my kids ask me to join them on the Gamecube. And then take the time to do it!
25. Laugh out loud
26. Purposefully determine to forgive
27. Put some shekels in our Disney fund bucket
28. Look up at the sky and thank God for his love and blessings in my life
29. Pet my cats
30. Thank Jesus for the work he's done in my life and for his sacrifice that allows me to stand perfect in God's eyes.
With all the issues going on in the world today, earthquakes, tornados, tsunamis, etc., I thought it would be nice to take some time to take a look at the bigger picture. This weeks challenge? Blog a list of 30 things you can do in 30 seconds each to change the world.
Here are my 30 things, thought of on the spot and in no particular order:
1. Pray
2. Hug and kiss my kids and Scot!
3. Listen
4. Hug a friend
5. Send a one sentence e-mail to tell someone I'm thinking of them
6. Call my Na-na (the conversation won't last for just 30 seconds, but making the call takes just a few!)
7. Compliment someone
8. Hug a child in the West Bank
9. STOP myself from losing my temper
10. Smile at a stranger
11. Greet a store clerk and tell them thank you
12. Leave a big tip to a kind waiter/waitress
13. Give food and water to the person who comes to my door
14. Hug that child in Sunday school that drives me MAD!
15. Tell someone that they are good mother in spite of how they feel
16. Compliment my children...OFTEN!
17. Sing at the top of my lungs with my kids
18. Begin singing a praise song. It lifts my spirits and always lightens my burdens
19. Let someone else take his or her right-away at an intersection, even when it was clearly my turn.
20. Let the kids eat candy before supper!
21. Pick up some trash on the road on my way to pick up the kids from school.
22. Talk to my kids about why we don't litter~because this is God's world that he created for us to care for an enjoy.
23. Encourage my children to teach their friends the same lesson.
24. Say YES! when my kids ask me to join them on the Gamecube. And then take the time to do it!
25. Laugh out loud
26. Purposefully determine to forgive
27. Put some shekels in our Disney fund bucket
28. Look up at the sky and thank God for his love and blessings in my life
29. Pet my cats
30. Thank Jesus for the work he's done in my life and for his sacrifice that allows me to stand perfect in God's eyes.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Wildlife around here
I need to learn not to be too surprised when Scot walks through the door. He is often carrying something strange...and often something living! This weekend was no exception. He called from the front door, "Look what I found!" Sometimes I want to run in the opposite direction. But I'm too nosey to do that. Instead, I ran to see what he had with him this time. I should know better! Meet UB. Don't worry...he was returned to his natural habitat after he was put on display for the Dressler kids! Scot keeps talking about how he wishes he could've kept him. Me? Not so much...though he was kind of cute!


In other animal news, while traveling home from a meeting in the Negev the other day, we encountered this on the road. Not something you see everyday back in central PA!

Living here certainly is an adventure!


In other animal news, while traveling home from a meeting in the Negev the other day, we encountered this on the road. Not something you see everyday back in central PA!


Living here certainly is an adventure!
Monday, May 19, 2008
SS Blog Challenge #17: Something small I cherish
We all cherish our families and our homes and many of the bigger things in our lives. . .but what about something small? What is your most prized possession? Is it a picture? Is it a your great great Aunts tea set? Is it a family recipe? Is it something silly or sentimental? Tell us about it and why you value it and what makes it special to you. Please post a picture of the item if you can!
I didn't even hesitate when I read this blog challenge! I knew immediately what I wanted to blog about. A quilt, but not just any quilt. A quilt my Na-na made. I have several of Na-na's quilts. This fact led to an interesting discussion with my younger sister, Reg. She asked how I ended up with so many of Na-na's quilts. I honestly can't remember, but I'm not giving any of them back!

I cherish them all. But this one, in particular, is one of my most prized possessions. Na-na pieced this together when she was pregnant with my mother sometime in late 1951 or early 1952. She never quilted it. She found it again in her attic in the mid-90s and decided it was time to quilt it. Upon finishing it, she offered it to me. Little did I know how precious this quilt would become. I displayed it in my dorm room and in our home after Scot and I got married. I loved it because it was lovingly pieced together by my Na-na. I loved it because of the story it told. And because Na-na's stitches aren't perfect and I can see part of her in every stitch.
We found out we were coming to live here at the end of 2003. Jerusalem. The quilt had a special place in our first apartment in our new home, once again on display. That was when it hit me. The name of the pattern of this quilt? The Road Around Jerusalem! And here was Na-na's quilt, on display in Jerusalem! This quilt truly is a family treasure!
I didn't even hesitate when I read this blog challenge! I knew immediately what I wanted to blog about. A quilt, but not just any quilt. A quilt my Na-na made. I have several of Na-na's quilts. This fact led to an interesting discussion with my younger sister, Reg. She asked how I ended up with so many of Na-na's quilts. I honestly can't remember, but I'm not giving any of them back!

I cherish them all. But this one, in particular, is one of my most prized possessions. Na-na pieced this together when she was pregnant with my mother sometime in late 1951 or early 1952. She never quilted it. She found it again in her attic in the mid-90s and decided it was time to quilt it. Upon finishing it, she offered it to me. Little did I know how precious this quilt would become. I displayed it in my dorm room and in our home after Scot and I got married. I loved it because it was lovingly pieced together by my Na-na. I loved it because of the story it told. And because Na-na's stitches aren't perfect and I can see part of her in every stitch.
We found out we were coming to live here at the end of 2003. Jerusalem. The quilt had a special place in our first apartment in our new home, once again on display. That was when it hit me. The name of the pattern of this quilt? The Road Around Jerusalem! And here was Na-na's quilt, on display in Jerusalem! This quilt truly is a family treasure!
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