Avery got to play with her BFF cousin, Kylee, on Skype tonight. With today's technology, even oceans can't separate us from our loved ones completely. The two showed each other all the LPS (Littlest Pet Shop) figures they have and got some time to play with them before Kylee headed off to the beach (lucky girl lives in San Diego).
January 26, 2015
We are still just busy trying to choose a home and getting the car technicalities worked out. We have 30 days from the time we picked up the car to get it inspected so Casey is working on that. I am taking the driving course this week, and maybe take the test the next morning. Then I won't have to walk with Jacob almost the full length of the base between the hotel and the housing office. There are buses to get us around the city, but none to get around base. It is small, so walking isn't that long, but it gets old with a 4-year-old. Appointments have to be made in person at the housing office to see houses. We can only set 2 appointments per day. So it is a very slow process. If you are particular about location, you have to ask for a special printout that has the address of the particular listing you are curious about. Then get on the computer to look up the address on a map. Then, if it is not in the location you want you have wasted your time. When I finally narrowed it down today and chose two to book to see tomorrow, one of the phone numbers went unanswered. So I chose another. They called, and it was already rented. Back to the drawing board. Print more addresses, decide which ones to see, then ask the nice Italian ladies to call and book the house I chose. Jacob and I spent a total of 4 1/2 hours there today, but had to leave half-way through because they close for lunch. So we went and got lunch then walked back. Got 2 houses booked for tomorrow then had to walk back to the hotel to get the kids off the school bus.
You just have to make yourself slow down and not worry about getting things done fast. The favorite word for Italians is "Domani, domani." = "Tomorrow, tomorrow." Lunch breaks, closing for hours in the afternoon for rest time, it is just a more laid back way of life. Add that to the way any government process runs and you have to just completely change your expectations if you are a "Git 'er done" kind of person.
January 30, 2015
Our first Sunday at church here, the members were asked to have a special fast on the following Sunday for the construction of the temple to move forward. When we fast, we go without food and water for 24 hours, or 2 meals, and pray for specific blessings or inspiration in our lives. We were not told why, but for the church leadership in Italy to make this request, an extra fast that would not take place on the usual first Sunday of the month, we knew it was important. We participated, and for several days following, even our kids' prayers included a mention of the temple construction. The week following the fast, the church announced that construction progress had been slowed down in recent months because of problems the contractor had unrelated to the temple project. But, days after the fast, a new one had been found and there would be no delay in construction. What a blessing for the Italian people! I am humbled to be a small part of this great work. Here is a link to the article from Deseret News released after the fast.
See this short video about the Rome Italy Temple. I bet you can't watch it without emotion!
January 31, 2015
I am the proud wife of an airman, newly promoted Technical Sergeant Casey S Fletcher!
We just met his flight commander pictured here right before this promotion ceremony (he has been on paternity leave - his wife was having the baby when our flight arrived). He told Casey that his reputation preceded him and everyone he spoke to about Sgt. Fletcher coming here said,"Oh man, you are getting a phenomenal airman." When we left Altus his flight commander said that replacing him was going to require getting three more airmen with all the things he did there. I love you Casey! We are so proud of you.
Today, we had a do-over for sight-seeing in Vicenza. We got a much earlier start, so we had daylight, and we knew better how to get to the piazza (square) because of our getting lost the first time.
The
kids were on a scavenger hunt to find a
cathedral door.
Casey loaded two pictures on their phone of different doors before our trip to
see if they could find the right one. When we told them we were going downtown, their response was an emphatic, "Nooooo!!!!!" So, we decided to turn it into a game. It was very effective. They enjoyed the hunt.
This cathedral is near the piazza in Vicenza. I thought the kids would go crazy and be loud and irreverent inside, but they were quite taken with the artwork and learning about the Catholic traditions. They were quiet and extremely well behaved. When
Jacob saw Jesus and the nails ripping through his feet, he just fell down on his knees and asked, "Mommy, why did they do that to Jesus?"
What a precious moment to share with him about the mission of the
Savior and His deep love for us.
One of Casey's dreams is to play one of these cathedral organs. The architecture, with the domes, allows the sound to travel and really be amplified. You can literally hear a pin drop from anywhere in the church. Centuries ago, before electricity and microphones, anyone could hear mass from any seat.
Moving on to the Piazza Dei Signori
We arrived at the piazza just after a wedding, so there was confetti everywhere on the ground. Jacob could not resist. You would have thought it was candy. He had the whole place cleaned up of the streamers in ten minutes.
What do you think of when you picture Italy? For me, it is sculptures and columns. I had not, however, pictured sculptures ON TOP of columns. I am determined to find out the significance of this beautiful creature.
Are you as awestruck as we are that we are here? Somebody pinch me. I must be dreaming.
