December 6│day 67

Heather and I spent a weekend visiting my family in Vezzolacca, a lovely little town in northern Italy! It was so nice to get away from the Uni for the weekend and relax, eat, meet people, eat, hear stories about my family, and eat some more.

Me and my cousin Marika!
The view from Marika's porch... notice the SNOW! My great-grandmother was baptized in the church there at the top of the hill.

Cappuccino and breakfast waiting for us every morning :-) Marika, me, and Cousin IreneAn old churchWalking up to the Castell ArquatoThe house my great-grandmother was born inDarling outdoor kitchen
On the steps of my great-grandmother's homeLater that evening, we visited my grandmother's cousin Anna and she told us the story of Vezzo.While we were there, we took a day trip to Florence!Gelato :-)Waiting to get into the Uffizi Gallery

The David! The real one is the most incredible piece of artwork I've ever seen! We were too afraid to sneak pictures, though...

Brunelleschi's Duomo

november 29│day 59

Seeing as how me and Heath couldn't be in America for Thanksgiving... We brought Thanksgiving to Europe! On Sunday, we put together our favorite Thanksgiving dishes for all our European/Latin American friends!

The girls

Maite and Pauline

Vanessa!Heather made some A-MaZiNg apple pieAnd the guys did the dishes... good job, boys!Elia and Matheus

Adri and me :-)
(We were trying to see what I'd look like with long hair... ha!)

Alexandra, Heather, and Pauline

Melissa, Vanessa, Maite, and me

Me and Alexandra

:-)

Adri, Heath, Vanessa, Pauline, and Melissita

Adri and Heath

But of course, you can't have Thanksgiving without football!! REAL football :-) So we taught some of the girls how to play. And let me tell you, they are naturals!

Heather, Vanessa, Melissa, and Me

And Matheus came too, who I think had more fun laughing at us girls getting so into the game than actually playing"Don't let them gain another yard! You blitz all night!"

It was a great, American day :-)

Stay tuned for another post from Italia!!

november 28│day 58

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, TRESE!!

So, late is better than never, right?  And besides, I'm so happy you were born!  I'm really not sure how I would have survived high school or college without you.  Thank you for being crazy enough to be my friend through it all. A few one liners to remind you of all that we've been through...

"Uh, I need to talk to you about something..." - 316, 2005

"Next time somebody offers you help, say 'yes'.  Don't fall down three rows of bleachers." - 2006

"So, Teresa left her phone in the other room..." pauses to run hands through greasy hair, "and I thought I'd bring it back." - NA

"Oh, my gosh, you and Tim are perfect for each other. I can't believe you're together!!"- ODU, 2006

"Is it bad when you start to relate your life to Kelly Clarkson songs?" - 2007

"I feel like I need to carry mace at church..."
"Not mace, dear, shark repellant." - 2008

"I talked to my professor this morning, and then I looked around my room for things to hang myself with." - Last Week

"Cake is fine, just not..." - Yesterday

Teresa, thank you for being such an amazing friend and especially, for being such an example of compassion and humility to me.  I love the way that you care for people. You seek apply both discernment and compassion to the situation, making it easy for people to come to you for advice and comfort.  Thank you for being such a good friend to so many and for exemplifying the gospel in your conduct toward others.  Happy Birthday, Teresa!!