Lucky...blessed...whatever you wanna call it...

We had our inspection on Friday, and we passed! The FIRST time!!  This is a super rarity here in Italy.  It's all a big scheme to make lots of money...if the inspector fails your house then he gets to come back for a second (read: get paid for a second) inspection.  I have never heard of anyone passing inspection on their first shot...and I've heard of one or two people whose home failed inspection so many times that they had to find another house! 

It started out bad...the weather has been super gross (I thought we'd left all the snowy crap behind in Chicago...it doesn't SNOW in Southern Italy...well, at least is doesn't very often...Mother Nature loves us) and it was cold and rainy on Friday.  Nathan got a call from the inspector asking if he could postpone the inspection...Nathan totally played the 'baby card' and laid out his best guilt trip and it worked!  The inspector met us at the house an hour later; he walked through and checked each room...and there were two things that should have caused the inspection to fail but he didn't fail us.  I honestly believe it's because we were present WITH Miles, the Italians love babies...and Miles is a ham and eats up all the attention...which the Italians also love. 

So our contract appointment will be the 13th and with any luck we'll get to move in the end of next week (!!!!)...the Navy usually sets the move-in date a week out, we're hoping we don't ahve to wait that long.  

Oh, and after our inspection we drove to the base to submit some housing paperwork...and we thought we'd just check and see if our Household Goods shipment was on track to arrive the 17th.  And we got a wonderful surprise: it's already here!!!  Can you believe it?!?  It only took SIX WEEKS to get to Italy!!!  Again, this is totally unheard of - we are blessed.  Or lucky.  Or both.  Whatever you call it, I'm so grateful!  Our move getting here was filled with rough patches and bumps in the road...but since we set foot in Italy it's been MUCH better...here's to hoping our luck continues!!

Dear Nathan,

We've seen quite a bit of road together, you and I.  Some of it has been rough and some of it smooth.  When we knelt across the alter that chilly Friday morning ten years ago I had no idea the grand adventure our life together would hold.   

We've hiked mountains,

packed boxes,

walked beaches,

shared our hearts with pets,

laughed until we peed,

road tripped,

survived blizzards,

been scared by a moose,

snuggled on the couch to watch movies, 

sailed seas,

owned a home,

frozen our butts off in the desert at night,

built campfires,

become parents, 

cried on each other's shoulders, 

& loved every minute 

I can't imagine anyone I'd rather have spent the last ten years with than you.  Here's to ten times ten more. 

I love you sweetie. 

Lucky #17

We are homeless no more!!  Yesterday (two weeks to the day that we arrived in Italy) we went out house hunting for the fifth? sixth? seventh? time...I didn't have high hopes but the first place we saw just felt right.  (It was the seventeenth house we looked at) It isn't in the town we had hoped to live in, but it is a beautiful home in a safe area with a wonderful landlord.  We have started the move-in process...it takes anywhere from 30-45 days (good ol' military runs at the speed of light!) until we get the keys and are able to move in BUT just knowing that we found it takes a huge weight off my shoulders.  

It is 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms (which means we'll have a guest room and I'll get a scrapbook room!!) with AWESOME views of the Mediterranean, the hillsides, the islands (Capri, Procida, Iscia) and the mountains on the way up towards Rome.  We have lots of windows and natural light...and a great sea breeze.

Pretty sweet view, eh?  And this pic doesn't do it justice...wanna see it in person?  COME VISIT!!!  We have a guest room!!!

See Miles' head in the bottom left of the pic??  He loves the view already. 

The house.  We'll live on the top floor. 

Fifth time's the charm... ?

So life hasn't been super exciting lately...except for the fact that we're now living in another country.  I have lots to share...food, church, flights, jetlag, etc. but it will have to wait.  

We're going house hunting tomorrow...again.  We've seen 13 so far...we're scheduled to see 5 more tomorrow.  I'm sending up all kinds of good vibes because I REALLY want to get this housing ball rolling.  Italy isn't known for it's swiftness...and when you add military into the mix it really gobs things up.  After we find our house there is a lengthy and infuriating process before we can move in...and it takes anywhere from 30-45 days.  Yep...that's AFTER we find the house.  Sheesh.  And since we're currently stashed into the spare bedroom of some (wonderful) friend's house...I'd like to get the process going.  

So here's to hoping house hunting day #5 is successful!! 

Why hello Naples!

I got my gelato and my view of the water...I'm good.  

More to come...

Resolved: 2012

I feel like this year is a great year for me to make some hefty resolutions.  We are in the middle of a massive life change so I figure it's a good time to shake things up even more.  Also - it's our 10 year anniversary...and the first time I've had my job as a mother to consider.  

I've given these resolutions a LOT of thought.  I have really focused these goals on helping me become the type of mother, wife, sister, daughter, friend I want to be...and how I can be the best version of her that I can.

By the end of 2012 I want to:

- Be well on my way to becoming fluent in Italian.  
This one should be easy...since we'll be living in an Italian town and will need to know the language just to get around.  In southern Italy not as many people speak English as in Northern Italy...they are VERY proud to be Italians. 

- Get my photography business up and going
I got some sweet new photography toys for Christmas - new bag, new lens as well as reflector/diffuser panels.  Plus I've already found a photog buddy there and we're going to take some classes together.

- Have our home more Christ centered: family prayers, scripture study, FHE, etc.
I've found when we focus on what's really important, life just goes a little smoother. 

- Never say no to Miles when he asks me to read to him 
I realize he won't be talking a whole lot this year...but he's starting to pick up signing...and if he asks to read, no matter how busy I am I will read to him.


-Make healthy choices: eating, exercising, etc.
This will just be a continuaton of what we've tried to do this year.  It will be fun to try out all the new fruits and veggies in Italy...and eating healthier should be easier because the town we're looking at living in doesn't have McDonalds, Taco Bell, Wendy's, etc...but they have TONS of fresh markets.
 

- Remember birthdays
I keep resolving to do this...and one of these years I'm actually going to do it.  

- Once a month send a letter (as in paper and pen) to someone 
I love getting things in the mail.  It doesn't have to be anything fancy...but a card, postcard, thank you note, etc is just such a great surprise and I figure if I like it then someone else will to! 


So what about you?  Any resolutions?  Goals?  Tips for me as I undertake this list? 

Looking back: 2011

I did this last year...it helps hold me accountable for the goals I've set for myself.  A lot changed for us in 2011.  Some of our highest highs and definitely our lowest lows.  So although I didn't do everything I resolved to do I am happy with the path my life is on...and the things we accomplished that were not on my list. 

Let's remind us what I wanted to change: 

Be better with birthdays
Lose weight
Read in the scriptures everyday
Find a new job
Do one random act of kindness for a stranger, once a month

And now for the Report Card: 

C: Be better with birthdays - Still not as good as I want to do...I am hoping that this new organization/planning idea I found in Pinterest will help me.  I love it when other people remember my birthday and I would love to be better at doing that for others.  

D: Lose weight  - Fail.  100%.  The truth is, losing weight is hard for me (damn PCOS).  We made some pretty big changes this year to our lifestyle  - we got (and used!) a gym membership (until we got Miles) cut out Diet Coke (seriously...and I'm still alive.  Amazing, yes?)...even after we got Miles I exercised (walking everyday with him) but still no weight loss.  It's frustrating to put in the effort in diet and exercise and see NO results.  I am going to have to learn to just be happy with the number on the tags in my clothes...and focus instead on staying healthy.  

C: Read in the scriptures everyday - I go through streaks where I will do awesome...and then not so awesome.  Once Miles came along we started reading to him from the children's versions of the scriptures every night...so that's a start. 

A+: Find a new job - I did.  I quit my horrible job in February and then in May I got hired by the best. boss. ever.  I don't even mind it when he throws up on me...that's how awesome he is.

B: Do one random act of kindness for a stranger, once a month - I missed a couple months...but then other months I did more than one.  I liked searching for opportunities for random kindness, especially when I was having a bad day.  Nothing like anonymous service to lift the spirits.  

Twelve words for 2011

january: settling

february: snowy

march: hopeful

april: heartbroken

may: miracle

june: blissful

july: unexpected

august: family

september: official

october: eternal

november: thankful

december: farewell-ing