rest in peace

My aunt died at 7:17 on Sunday night. Her four children, my mother, and her 2 best friends of 45 years were by her side as she breathed her last. I am so thankful that she was surrounded by people who loved her so very much.

I was so blessed to be able to go home for a couple weeks to see her. We laughed together as we remembered when she bet me $5 at dinner one night to order like Jim Carrey and at Christmas one year, she asked me to count all the Christmas lights I saw on the houses as I went light-looking with my cousins one evening. I think I was about 6 or 7 at the time and when I came back to her house that night, I told her I counted about 1,000. It sounded like a HUGE number to me and I was so proud I counted all of them for her.

The funeral will be in a couple of weeks and as hard as it is for me to be so far away from my mom and the rest of my cousins, I am at peace because my aunt's body is finally at peace. It has been a rough road for her in life and I am thankful she is seated gently in God's mighty hand.

Thank you for all of your prayers.

death

My aunt is dying of cancer.

It feels so strange to type those words. Everytime I think about it, my mind sees her laying in bed, with her weak body and bald head surrounded by her four children that are watching their mother die. Before future weddings. Before more grandchildren. My heart breaks to think of it, to picture her, to picture my cousins, to picture my already broken family, and to picture my own mom...and can't imagine having to go through the same thing with her.

So many feelings are racing through my already crowded heart. I fly home this Friday for two weeks to be with my mom and to spend time with my aunt. I don't know if there will be a funeral that I am going to have to attend while I am home; I am just praying/begging/hoping for some kind of unity/peace/reconciliation within my family during this time, through our grief and sorrow.

She is scared to die...and is just waiting for it to happen. What a lonely place to be in. I'm sitting here at my computer, crying, writing this blog in Italy, and feeling how extremely far away, physically, I am from her. I can only cry out and ask God to cover her, my cousins, and her brother and sisters with His tender touch and comfort.

Would you join me?

climbing mountains

Antonello, his best friend, Fabio and I, all went for a beautiful hike up Mount Vesuvius this past Saturday. It was absolutely spectacular...on so many levels. Here are some of the amazing sculptures we saw on our drive up to the hiking point.

Here is Antonello on the way up the mountain. The whole time I just kept thinking, this is an active volcano, not that I think it would erupt or anything, but just the fact of how much force and power it had and has. From my studies on Pompeii, which was the city that was buried under the 79 AD eruption of Mount Vesuvius, this area of Napoli is the most dangerous and most highly monitored area because of how active this mountain has been and how incredibly dense the population is here. It was awesome to look out on the Bay of Napoli and see where I live, right on the waterfront. :0)

The hike was pretty steep all the way to the top. And when I say 'top', I mean the outer rim of the volcano because after the eruption of 79 AD and another in 1948...the 'top' is a hole now.

Here I am standing in front of the "mouth" of the volcano...it was really special for me because only a couple months before, I was studying about Pompeii and about Mount Vesuvius and all the characteristics of the eruption and then to see the actual evidence left over...remarkable.

the "mouth"

aerial view of Mount Vesuvius - the outer rim is where we were able to walk around!

It was an incredible day. After we hiked up, I spent a little time just looking out over the bay and foggy mountain tops and felt quiet. Not only was it quiet up on the mountain, but also quiet in my soul. I love being outside and part of God's beautiful world.

My project now, besides studying for my online TEFL certification to teach english, is printing on these old tiles for some of the faithful servants who work at the Old Mill Camp (Vecchio Mulino) where Antonello volunteered this summer for an English camp. I love being able to use my artsy side! :0)

A+ day

Antonello, his family, and I all went to a beautiful beach last Friday, just south of Rome and had a wonderful day playing in the water, kicking around the soccer ball, eating delicious food and.....getting burned. Oh, that part. That definitely wasn't wonderful or is it wonderful to look at my cooked body even today...on Monday.

I know, I know. Didn't you wear sunscreen Sarah? You have such white, delicate skin!! And the answer is YES, I put on so so so much sunscreen but I'm telling you, the sun that day was cookin' everyone. Antonello's shoulders took a beating, and even his aunt and uncle who came along got burnt as well.

On Saturday, I spent all day in bed with a 101 degree temperature feeling like fried chicken...horrible. The good news is that even though I can still see/feel the effects of that hot Friday, I am feeling so much better. I even slept for 6 hours straight last night without having to get up, get some ice, go to the bathroom, drink some water, & pray over my aloe vera bottle.

Today has been quite joyful to say the least. I did both loads of laundry I needed to get done, hung all my clothes out to dry, went to the grocery store and bought some yummy fruit, eggs and stuff to make home-made pasta sauce, made a delicious lunch with penne pasta and marinara with fresh basil and parm cheese, studied for my online TEFL (Teach English as a Foreign Language) certificate, am now updating my blog and later, after my afternoon caffe', study this beautiful language I am surrounded by daily.

Grade for the day: A+

no words

Antonello and I the night before camp ended :(

Antonello and the "American" boys!


Antonello and I with our new friends, Sarah and David


Sarah, Leanne and I

my beautiful Italian loves

I just got back from a week of being a leader for an Italian/American camp with 12 Americans from California and over 50 campers from 3 different churches here in Naples.

Crazy? Yes. Loud? Very. Fun? Of course. Memories to Last a Lifetime? Many.

Are there words? Are there words to describe when God literally picks you up and shakes the chains loose? I was actually dreading this camp; I was dreading trying to survive and spend any more time in Italy with my broken Italian...and on top of still not being able to fully communicate, I was just hoping that Antonello and I would make it out....together.

I am literally staring at my computer screen, shaking my head and feeling so THANKFUL. I wish I could put into words what happened at the Old Mill Camp; I feel so much of it is just something that lives within me now and is a part of how I operate and see the world.

I not only survived, but lived the experience. 12 Americans flew over from Los Altos, California and were critical in leading the program part of camp. From the moment I found out I would be able to spend a week with fellow english speakers, my heart did a little leap...what I didn't expect was the kind of relationships that would be formed during that time as well. It was an absolute joy and answer to prayer to spend day after day with such talented and gifted leaders. We prayed together, ate the most delicious food (every day :)), watched kids make beautiful choices for their lives, played in the hot Italian sun and did it all for God. Nothing is more powerful than that.

A definite blessing my new American friends were to me during camp, but the way I connected with my new culture as well left me floored. My Italian grew in leaps and bounds and the love and appreciation I have for this country and for these beautiful campers/students/friends is overflowing. Antonello and I were able to spend time with about 20 of them last night for a little reunion, and you could feel the growth between us all; what a gift.

As for Antonello and I...well...I have never felt such respect, appreciation, admiration and love for another man. I saw him become this amazing leader, not only with the campers but with the staff as well. I have always been a little worried in the back of my mind if Antonello would fit in America, if we move over there. The answer I got was loud and clear; ABSOLUTELY. It was such a joy to watch him laugh and grow and be able to share this experience together.

At one point during the week, one of the American leaders, Sarah, ran outside to find me because she had to show me something. Antonello and Sarah were on the same team together and their group was in charge of cleaning the kitchen that night. Sarah grabbed my hand and led me to the kitchen where I poked my head in and saw Antonello's whole team dancing to the radio while doing the dishes. Antonello had his back to me and was in his own world, shaking his little booty while drying the silverware. Of course, I joined in the dancing and will always have that beautiful smile on Antonello's face in my mind.

As Antonello and I got home last Saturday, we had 3 bags of laundry (which took 2 days to do!) and tears in our eyes. It was incredible.

Not only do I get to live with camp in my heart, I had an interview with an English language school yesterday and am now a registered teacher there. I will be able to give individual lessons as well as travel to different schools throughout Naples to prepare students for exams or even to provide english teaching to people in the business world. There is no set schedule as of yet and there are other teachers that have first priority, seeing that they have worked there longer, but I am not going to let that discourage me. I trust in God and I know opportunities will open for me just the same. For the rest of the summer, I enrolled in an online course to be certified to teach English as a second language so that will keep me busy until September rolls around to begin! :)

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! :)