just what I needed...

Two of my friends, Clint & JT, stopped by Napoli on their journey around Italy and we were able to hang out for the past couple days. It has been EXACTLY what my heart needed; to see familiar faces, to laugh and reminisce, to catch up on life, and to just have a piece of home with me. I only have a little over 20 days left before I leave to come home for Christmas, but this visit from the two of them has given my heart a little lift.

Antonello really enjoyed getting to know them and we were all so impressed and wowed by how far he has come with his English. Bravo amore mio! Now...if my Italian was as good... :) AND, as we were walking around the "old" part of Napoli, since JT is so artsy, he took some pictures of Antonello and I, which was so fun! Enjoy!

addicted....

I LOVE FACEBOOK!

Bowling!

I went bowling! I haven't been bowling in FOREVER and it's sort of awkward when you throw the ball for the first time but eventually you get the hang of it. Fun time with friends and each other....when Sarah is not being overly competitive! :)

tagged!

I got tagged by two of my friends recently, Heather Bragg and Emily McCutchen, and if it's okay with them, I am going to change the rules and combine the two. One of them is to post 6 random things about yourself and the other is to post 8 different things with different categories.

So, I am going to post 8 random things about myself, 8 things I have bought since I have been in Italy and 8 things I'm looking forward to.

8 randoms:

1. I couldn't ride a bike or run very well until I was like 10 years old
2. my first tape I bought was the soundtrack from 'Cocktail' with Tom Cruise
3. my favorite movie is 'The Neverending Story'
4. I wanted my name to be 'Misty' instead of Sarah when I was younger
5. I went to 4 different elementary schools
6. I love the smell of gas
7. when I was little, I made mayonnaise and ketchup sandwiches for myself
8. I used to break-dance when I was younger and my nickname was BabySmooth

8 purchased goodies:

1. a cool new pair of boots
2. 2 colorful sweaters
3. a black winter coat
4. calling cards
5. french manicure kit
6. lots of packs of gummy bears
7. a ticket home
8. presents for mom and friends

8 looking forward to's:

1. seeing my mom and friends when I come home
2. traveling with Antonello on the long flight to the U.S.
3. breathing Seattle air
4. being able to drive again (I hope I didn't forget!)
5. visiting Kristin's new house, my best friend from home
6. using grammy's recipe's to cook for my mom...and myself :)
7. my mom's fudge
8. going to the movies!

...so blessed

Guess what?

I had the best two days in a row! Yesterday, I made my mom's homemade mac n' cheese for the whole family and they loved it and today I spent the whole day with the high school ministry from Antonello's church and I actually felt like ME! I spoke Italian (well, broken Italian) almost the whole day and 'comfortable' was my middle name. :)

We never know what a day will bring but we always have a choice and a new beginning within every single one.

Thank you to all of you who are praying for me and thinking of me during this, oftentimes difficult but always beautiful, time in my life.

ME being redefined

Have you ever been in a situation where you feel like you are looking at life from the outside? I feel as though I am watching people talk and walk and live their lives here in Naples but am not fully connected. I feel like a "foreigner" in the truest sense of the word. There have definitely been times of feeling like the missing puzzle piece in Antonello's life, but never in this city.

I know that some of you who read my blog have commented on the fact that, lately, it has been full of "tension" or that it has had an underlying layer of loneliness with a desire to get back "home". I would be lying if I said that this journey I have been on for four months has come with a joyful heart. It comes with more of a uncomfortable one.

I know that I need to cherish being in the present and to enjoy every day I have here in Italy but there is this tug in my soul to be done with this chapter in my life. I am so extremely thankful for the beautiful, patient man in my life but how do I survive if I feel like I am an outsider? How do I survive when I don't feel comfortable being "ME" here?

ME is in the states, ME is in my own place, ME has time with my mom and with friends, ME is not being watched every time I clean or wash the dishes, ME is not feeling anxious when I have to speak, ME is not having to look perfect and put-together the way Italians do daily, ME is being able to go for a walk and get out of the house without having to take a horrible, packed bus to various places, ME is being lazy sometimes without feeling guilty for it, ME is independent and I can't be ME here.

With that, I know God comes first; I know God is my center; I know God is using this difficult time for good in my future; I know God is here and I truly am trying to focus on those truths but He just seems so invisible right now.

I don't know...maybe ME is being redefined.

a thankful countdown

I have 50 more days here in Napoli before I step on an airplane on the 12th of December and fly to the one place I desperately want to see: Seattle, WA where my beautiful mom is. No matter what the weather brings, I just want to hug my mom, be in my house, drink a big cup of American coffee and breathe the fresh air in Seattle while taking a walk in my neighborhood.

I am so thankful for my city, my culture and the way I was raised. I am thankful for my amazing mom and that I will see her soon. She has been nothing but 100% supportive of the woman I am and the choices that I have made and are making. I pray to be even 1/2 the mother she is one day. She inspires me daily.

*a note for my beautiful whoosy-whatsit gotsum wi-ery: I love you so much and I want you to know how important and special you are to my life. Thank you for all your support you have given me on this journey that I have been on and for all your wisdom and advice.

One more thing, is it illegal for me to start listening to Christmas songs after Halloween? :)