Okay, I am really terrible at blog writing, which is strange since I love the internet, and am on here through out the day. So, here goes, quick recap of our whirlwind summer!
WE HAVE MOVED! We left our beloved Bella Napoli for the Eastern Coast of the US. We are now in Columbia Maryland, and we really love it! Chris is attending medical school at USUHS. He is really busy, as busy as he was in the fleet, and sleeping less! He is enjoying learning new things, and has just started his lab section where he has the opportunity to disect human bodies. Ewww! But seriously, here we are.
June was our last full month in Naples. Chris and I took a day trip to Capri without the kids, and it was a wonderful day, well deserved rest prior to our long voyage home. The kids and I hopped on a plane in Rome on July 2nd, headed to LAX. We spent a week in Disneyland with my parents, and my brother and his wife. It was a great way to get back into the groove by spending time at the Happiest Place on Earth! The girls LOVED Disneyland, and I loved being home. The next two weeks were spent trying to purchase a home in Columbia while I was in California, and Chris was still in Naples! It was a disaster. We finally decided on the home we are living in now, and are very pleased with our purchase.
After our two week stint in California the girls and I met up with Chris in Kent, WA for a Cochran family reunion. It was quite a week! We really enjoyed spending time with everyone, and really had fun at the Luau that Charlene and Deford put together for the family, complete with roasted pig! While in Washington we were putting the final paperwork together to be in our home once we arrived in Maryland. Unfortunately, we were not able to immediately move in once we arrived. By the time we signed the paperwork for our house on August 31st, we had stayed in 9 different places!! I was definitely ready to be in our house with or without furniture!! Our stuff arrived from Italy on September 8th, and the weekend prior we painted the inside of the house. It is now the 21st of the month, we have made great progress in getting through boxes and organizing the house. I am beginning to feel like this is my home. The girls are really loving their room, and our huge back yard. I just feel so blessed to be in a house again. So happy we are all safe, healthy and moving forward in this new path.
Some days I really miss Naples, and my friends. I just want to look out my window and see the Mediterranean Coast or taste some delicious Mozzarella di Buffala, or take a shopping trip to the local markets, pottery shopping on the coast, or planning our next trip around Europe. I know that the friends we made in Naples will be ours for life. The dream of living in Naples was one that came with highs and lows, but the overall experience was incredible. I would do it again. I hope we can spend another tour over seas somewhere. Europe is a fantastic place to live. Italy is an incredible place, truly a 'dream that will follow me throughout my life'. One that I hope to return to again, and again.
