Tuesday, February 07, 2012

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!!

Wednesday, February 01, 2012

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.