Currently Reading Brunelleschi's Dome: How a Renaissance Genius Reinvented Architecture By Ross King see related

                                Thirty Flirty and Thriving!!!

On July 18th I turned 30!  It's hard to believe.  To be honest it was kind of anti-climactic.  Nothing felt different.  I had no emotional breakdowns over it.  I'm actually a little excited about being thirty.  I know myself better, and love God and my family more. 

I had a great birthday.  In the morning I had language class, which wasn't so exciting, but after language class Jason and I went on a birthday tour through the city and had virtual birthday party.  Afew months earlier Jason had e-mailed many of my friends about my upcoming birthday (He apologizes for anyone he may have missed).  A couple weeks later cards and packages began arriving!  So on the day we took them all and opened them at some of my favorite parts of the city.  It was so much fun and after we went to one of my new favorite restaurants (I had cheese ravioli in pear sauce.  It was fabulous). 

There were a couple cards that came shortly after the day and allowed the celebration to continue.  Thank you Bethers, Angie and Beth Ann!!!

It was a very special day for me.  Thank you for making me feel loved, and making me miss you more!!   I love you!!

in front of the Duomo, Florence's most famous landmark

in front of  The Uffizi, one of the greatest museums in the world, and also the one that holds my favorite painting.

The Ponte Vecchio (Old Bridge).  It's the only bridge that survived WWII.  Now it is lined with jewelry stores.  Shopping anyone??

My favorite piazza.  It's right next to the river, down an alley.  It's not famous, but it's peaceful and sweet.

Currently Watching Walk the Line (Widescreen Edition) see related

Born in the USA . . . and back for a visit.

Here I am in the US for three weeks.  I survived a trans-Atlantic trip with a toddler.  Thank you Jesus!!!  Everett was actually very good.  We didn't buy a ticker for Everett, so we were praying for an empty seat on the long flight.  (not too likely this time of year).  But when I got on the plane there next to my seat was an empty seat, one of the few.  On my other side was a couple coming back from a year of doing ministry in Africa!  Thank you Jesus!!  I had a great time chatting with them and they really liked Everett. 

In most ways it feels like I never left.  Already I'm wondering if seeing people will be worth having to say good-bye again.  I'll let you know.

Jason is still in Italy.  He'll join us for the last four days of our trip for his best friend's wedding.  I miss him

It's fun to see my family with Everett.  He follows my Dad around everywhere and my brother constantly wrestles with him.  Family is very good.

Ciao from Tuscany!

Well, we've been in Italy for three and a half months now.  It has been . . . an adjustment.  Life here is very different and some days I love it and some days I'm ready to get on the next plane to America.  To be honest, most of the unappealing cultural things aren't that bad; stupid TV shows, bureaucracy, dog poop all over the sidewalk, no carpeting, no cheddar cheese and a lack of good cereals.  The thing that makes me want to hop that plane is missing my friends and family, sometimes so much it hurts

But, there are lots of things I love about Italy (a very good thing).  I love the landscape, especially here in Tuscany.  It renders me silent.  What an awesome Creator we have!  I love the people.  They are so friendly and so patient as I try to speak Italian to them.  They stop to talk and to listen.  The culture in general is more laid back, slower. Stores close for a few hours every day for a reposto (rest).  They average 7 weeks of vacation a year plus holidays.  Living is valued more than production.  The food and wine is wonderful  Every Saturday we go to the market to buy fresh fruits, vegetables and meat for the week.  We have a specific vendor we always go to.  They give us the freshest stuff and usually an extra apple or banana for Everett to eat.  Everything tastes so good!  I'm having a lot of fun cooking.

I have a love/hate relationship with the language.  When I'm understanding it,  I love it.  When I'm not understanding it, I hate it.

The pictures below are of San Gimignano, one of my favorite towns in Tuscany.  It is a medieval village that at one point had over sixty towers, built by the rich aristocrats of the town.  Now there are only ten or so.  You can walk from one end of it to the other in twenty minutes.  It is so quaint and I always find great shopping.

Currently Listening Il Divo By Il Divo see related

I know that my blogging has been far from consistent, but I'm back!    I spent the summer in Colorado going through X-Track.  It was the best training I've ever had.  Now we're ready to head to Rome . . . as soon as we sell our house . . . and raise ALOT of support.  We are hoping to leave at the end of November.  With our departure nearing I've begun a leaving notebook.  It has lists what needs to be done, what I have to do, and what things I would like to do before we leave.  So here is my top ten list of fun things I'd like to do before we leave.  Let me know if you think of anything else I should do.

10.  eat lots of cheddar cheese.  (not available in Italy)

9.  go to the drive-in.

8. enjoy my great house.

7.  get my Christmas gifts bought and wrapped.  (yes this is fun)

6.  enjoy the fall. (play in the leaves, bake apple and pumpkin desserts, pick  

     apples and drink cider.)

5.  go to one last CRU meeting.

4.  finish my STINT scrapbook.

3.  drink Dr.Pepper. (also not available in Italy)

2.  watch through Alias seasons 2-4.

1.  spend lots and lots of time with my friends and family.

Staff really is a weird job.  Don't get me wrong I love it.  There's nothing else I'd rather do (except maybe be an angry chick singer).  I've been on staff now for 7 years, and my parents still don't understand what I do.  Last spring my Mom asked me "when people ask you what you do what do you tell them?"  My poor family.  There are Christians who have a hard time understanding what we do.  My parents aren't Christians and must be completly baffeled.

Recently I've been thinking about all the stereotypes that people have of staff.  While it's true that we are a sub-culture and have our own lingo, that's true in a lot of professions. Personality-wise I think that there is a lot of diversity.  One of my goals is to de-bunk misconceptions about staff, especially with my students.  I want them to see that staff life is exciting, faith stretching and worthwhile.  I would never want someone to think they could never be on staff because they wouldn't fit in, or because it isn't any fun, or (horror of horrors) because raising support is too hard.

On another note I recently found out that there is now an age limit for American Idol.  It's 29.  Guess who will be 29 soon?  Yep, my dream of trying out for A.I. has been squashed  You may be chuckeling at this, but seriously I almost cried.  I'm devastated.