a sneak peek

"Old Mill Camp 2009"

It has been WAY TOO LONG since my last post so here is a picture of what I have been up to this past week and a half and I promise an actual post will be coming soon!

edible art

I am continually amazed by Franco, Antonello's dad, when he uses his exceptional artist skills and creates these delicious pieces of edible art. I better watch next time! :)

buckets and food :o)

The first video was from yesterday as I was hanging my clothes out to dry. All of a sudden, a rope with a bucket tied on it flew down from nowhere (well, from a couple stories up) and landed on the street below to catch some much needed items. I caught the bucket just as it was heading home. :) What fun to live in Italy....

The second is a video that speaks for itself. I gotta get started if I want to cook like grammy!!!!

living

The best beginning to each of my days in Italy is to make myself a hot little cup of espresso. It was my first Sunday alone at my house today because I am usually with Antonello and his family for a busy day of church, a HUGE lunch and a soccer game. But on this day, on this glorious day, I was here by myself and loved each moment of the quiet streets and cool wind running across my balcony.

After waking up to no power and then having it restored at 9 a.m., I was able to get in 2 loads of laundry...there is nothing like clothes hung out to dry by the golden sun. If you take a close look, Antonello and I put up a yellow mosquito net to keep those little rascals out at night. I currently have 11 bites on my feet alone. Grrr....


After journaling and a little "soul searching" (much needed with being so far away from home, not working, and stress upon stress), I looked out towards the sea and found the most beautiful clouds that ended one of my most peaceful days I have had since I have been here. It was a pure gift from God.
This little photo, which wasn't exactly from today, is a photo taken from the most beautiful park overlooking Napoli. I included this pic because I am ending my day dreaming tonight...of being with a certain someone on a certain day wearing certain clothes with all of it happening at this certain park. We'll see...buona notte. (good-night)

Positano

Antonello, 4 visiting Americans, 3 Italian brothers and myself all took a trip down the Amalfi coast to visit one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen, Positano. Don't get me started on how dumb I am because I forgot my camera but we ended taking some pics on Antonello's phone which we haven't uploaded yet. We ended up catching the last bit of sun while walking through the narrow streets filled with little shops and restaurants; it was quite magical. By the time we reached the center of the little city which is located right on the sea, it was already dark outside so the picture above gives a very clear picture of what I saw that night.

I have to go back during the day...WITH my camera! :) Now, to figure out a way to start earning some money because I have walked past too many beautiful, Italian clothes that I can't quite get my hands on. Oh, and rent. :)

the gold chair

WAIT.

Why is this one little word so hard for me to swallow?

WAIT.

It is difficult to wait. It is difficult to not know what lies ahead in the next year, month, week, day, hour. God calls us to wait, especially when it involves His best for our lives.

I find myself waiting and it feels unfair, to be honest.

My mom loves to tell this story of when I was a little girl. Cheri (mom) and 4 year-old Sarah were in the grocery store together and happened to walk past the candy aisle...oh no. I guess little curly-haired Sarah Louise stopped and took a good look at all the precious bags of sugar and chose one she wanted, without permission. A yummy lookin' bag of M&M's. Cheri put her foot down, knowing her little girl didn't need a bag of candy and said....."NO". Well, that didn't sit right with sweet Sarah who wanted that candy and didn't want to WAIT. She wanted it NOW. Sarah didn't back down and ended up throwing the bag of M&M's on the floor and as the little pieces of goodness splattered all over the aisle, Cheri took Sarah out of the store as she began to throw a temper tantrum. They went home immediately and Sarah was placed in the dreaded gold "time-out" chair (which is currently a piece of furniture in the Yonich household).

WAITING. I didn't even want to do it as a little one. Who does? When we want something to happen, how much better would it feel if we could just have that hunger satisfied in the moment. Skip the waiting period.

There is wisdom and growth in learning how to wait. To wait for God. To wait for His best. It's not a matter of God being unfair to make us wait, it's a matter of Him loving us so much that waiting would be the best thing for us to do, however uncomfortable and aggravating it may seem.

I think God is telling me to go sit in the gold chair.

a little goes a long way

I am thankful for...

* the smell of the sea at night when I stand out on my balcony
* being able to (sometimes) understand at least 70% of an italian sentence
* seeing a friend that I met last year who works at a nearby shoe store
* being part of an italian family so if I am out of food, I can go shopping at their house
* it's not horribly humid outside...yet
* making american chocolate-chip cookies for Antonello's family, yummy!
* figured out how to watch the season finale of Grey's Anatomy on my laptop
* ear plugs (it has been so stinkin' loud at night lately)
* a mother who can change my black day into sunshine

Isn't it amazing what a little thankfulness can do to our spirit? I already feel a little lighter...