One Year Ago...

We were on a cruise, floating in the Mediterranean. We were waiting for news. We were anxiously awaiting word from med school and we were nearing the end of our two years abroad. This cruise would be our last big trip together as a family, and it was FANTASTIC. Both girls still talk about it, mostly they talk about the pool and the food, but Ellie talks about Santorini, Greece, where we bought her favorite stuffed pink dolphin. We visited Athens, Olympia, Corfu, and Santorini Greece, Ephesus Turkey, Sicily, Croatia. It was a fantastic opportunity. On May 15th, while in port in Sicily, we got word that Chris had been accepted to medical school, it was one day before his birthday. It was a good day.

I have been feeling 'europe sick' this week. I have been missing my friends, missing life abroad, missing so many things. I even had a dream the other night that I was back in Naples, living in our Villa, with Vesuvius in our backyard. Of course I am really happy to be home, life here in Columbia is wonderful. We have a lovely home, the girls are thriving, Chris is excelling in med school, I am *slowly* finding my niche. We are living near family which has been nice, and Chris is happy to be able to spend time with two of his brothers.

Today though I have been wistful, hopeful that we would be able to go back to Italy someday and enjoy so many things that made our tour memorable. I miss the sound of the sea, the din of the traffic, the movement of the trees by my house in the evening. I miss mornings shopping at the markets, followed by a freshly made pizza in the afternoon. I miss excursions with the girls, and shopping trips. I miss planning trips and driving down the SS7. I miss the hospitality and warmth of the Italian people, who would welcome you into their home and lives without question. I want to go back and see the site where the Rome temple will be built, and hopefully attend a session there with the faithful members we know will live the rest of their lives in Italy. I miss cobblestone streets and cathedral bells. I miss Tuscan landscapes. Its amazing how much a place and time can stay with you and become a part of who you are. Someday. Someday we will go back.