Our new home as of today...9 Garnet Drive, Franklin, Mass.

Did you know that my husband bought this house for me? I have never seen it in person, I have not had to make one stressful transaction. He, my husband, handled it all. And on Sunday, May 9th, Mother's Day to be exact, I, and the kids, will see it for the first time...with keys in hand.

It reminds me in a little way about the scripture, "I go to prepare a place for you...". Jesus is preparing the most beautiful of eternal homes for us. He is simply asking us to trust Him, walk by faith, and honor Him with our lives. That day will be like no other.

But, for now, I'm still a little overwhelmed that this beautiful house is our home.

Thank you Aaron.

Thank you Jesus.

p.s. the lawn is growing as we speak:)

Saying goodbye and things...

Stealing a kiss in the back yard.
The force is strong with this one.
Abbi & Abby..."birds of a feather" on a typical Sunday afternoon.

Last Sunday..covered in love.

This Week....soaking up Pine Street.

This Sunday...finish the race.

Next Monday...watch my memories be packed away.

Next Week...cling to family.

Next Saturday...say goodbye.

Mother's Day...saying hello to our new home.

"I'm not complaining..."

"I'm not complaining or anything, but don't you think life would be a lot easier if we all just ate with our hands?"

~Abby Sue, while unloading the dishwasher yesterday.

"There is so much suffering, so much hatred, so much misery, and we with our prayer, with our sacrifice are beginning at home. Love begins at home, and it is not how much we do, but how much love we put in the action that we do. It is to God Almighty - how much we do it does not matter, because He is infinite, but how much love we put in that action. How much we do to Him in the person that we are serving." ~Mother Theresa

Parting Shots

City views from the Spanish Steps

I had to take pictures for Ben of the Ferrari Store!
My grandma makes the best meringues...but I've never seen a window full of them!

Now We Can Laugh About It....

http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2010/04/19/2273797.aspx

We should still be there....I cannot believe we made it home today. It was like being stuck in a very bad dream, unable to wake yourself up. There are still so many families stranded far from home. My heart goes out to them.

God made a way for us. We were up all night searching for ways to get out of Rome and back to the states. It literally took Aaron hours upon hours to find us a flight.

Truly the Lord made a way for us. Just after our separate flights left the city, the airport in Rome shut down completely.

It was an amazing trip. We were very blessed. But I cannot wait hold our kids.

Can you believe we made the world news! (see link above) I just happened to approach a woman who I noticed was crying on the Spanish Steps. I could tell she was stranded and I was hoping to co-misserate with her. She turned out to be a reporter for msnbc....so Aaron and I shared with her our situation. I hope that she and her sister make it home soon.

For us it turned out to be a happy ending.

Campo de' Fiori & Togetherness

Campo de' Fiori is a street market here. Everything about it is a photographers dream...I was wishing for a better lens. I hope that these photos give it justice. The colors were incredible.

It has been wonderful to spend some quality time together. I just can't shake this nagging feeling that we are going to be stuck here because some Icelandic volcano is spewing ash into the air that we need to fly through to get home. Please pray for peace and clear skies. I miss my babies more than words can say...even now my eyes are filling up with tears.

The Colosseum, Forum, & Roman Kitties

Can you find the Colosseum kitty?
I love the ruins everywhere!
A Roman kitty & the Arch of Titus
The under-workings of the Colosseum

We loved walking around ancient Rome. It was easy to imagine what life was like for the early Christians. When we got back to our hotel I read the last chapter of Acts and the first of Romans. After being saturated in Roman culture throughout this week it gave me a a deeper conviction that the Word is as applicable today as it was then, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith." Romans 1:16 & 17

Vatican City Sights, The Pantheon, & Artichokes

I love the artichokes!

Our Hotel...S. Anna.

This beautiful hotel was a welcome sight after staying the first part of the week in the more industrial, E.U.R., part of town. No more work...just time for fun!

The National Museum of Rome, Baths of Diocletian, & Villa Borghese

Aaron is working so hard. It's hard not to feel guilty sleeping in and exploring the city. It would be so much more fun with him, but thankfully he is finished teaching after tomorrow so we will finally have the chance to see the beautiful sights together. I haven't visited the Colosseum, Vatican City, or walked the Appian Way yet...these things I'm saving for our 3 free days together.

Today I was daring enough to figure out the subway (metro) system on my own. (It isn't anywhere near as confusing as NYC or Boston). It was another beautiful day...not too hot or cold. I really have not run into a lot of crowds or long lines at all, which has been a pleasant surprise, after hearing many stories of how chaotic it can get here.

The National Museum of Rome is incredible. Full to the brim of artifacts, sculptures, mosaics, jewelry, etc. I only wish that I had made the time to eat something...low blood sugar and a piercing headache followed me for the two hours that I was there. It was well worth it though. Some of my favorite things here were The Boxer sculpture, beautiful Roman mosaics, coins and jewelry.

Across from the museum is the impressive Church of Santa Maria degli Angeli. Built on and all around the Baths of Diocletian you can tour the church and ruins for free. This entire area was once the largest of baths in all of Rome. It was fun imagining what it must have looked like...tons of naked people walking around...weird.

The Villa Borghese are the gardens near the famous Borghese Gallery. I finally found out where all the kids are. This is a beautiful park full of cypress trees, trails, and a small children's museum (which had an exhibit of the artist who painted the pictures in one of the kids favorite books..The B.F.G.) It was so refreshing to walk around the gardens after being surrounded by city for the past few days.

The Campidoglio, Tabularium, and Temple of Jupiter

Yesterday I was on my own because Aaron had to work, so I decided to to explore the museums on Rome's Capitol Hill and visit the many ruins and churches in between. It was amazing to stand face to face, looking into the empty of eyes of sculptures over 2000 years old.

Piazza Navona & Gelato

After a (very) long day of traveling apart from one another, we mustered up enough energy to hop on a taxi, (an adventure in itself!), eat the most amazing pizza of our lives, and meander around the Piazza Navona, (an oblong square that was originally a racetrack built by the Roman emperor Domitian).

I also learned that the translation for Gelato is: "I could beat ice cream in an arm wrestling match any day of the week." (Daddy told me that if Abby Sue were with him they would've gone back for seconds).

We don't even remember falling asleep...full tummies and thankful hearts.

p.s. Benji: I thought you would like to see this fountain sculpture of a river god wrestling an octopus. It was hand carved in 1650 by a very famous artist, Gian Lorenzo Bernini, in what is called the Baroque style.

Side-note...#1 travel tip

Lock the bathroom door. Double check it.

sheesh...not my proudest moment:)

The Adventures of Captain America & Indiana Jenn

To my Little Loves & their Amazing Grandparents~

(Just for future reference, Daddy is Captain America...which is one of the nicknames Mommy gave him long ago because he is really nice, heroic, handsome, good at just about everything, and flies a lot.)

So, the adventure begins....

When you are the wife of a super-hero you get special treatment. Today, Mommy and Daddy are flying on separate planes. Daddy left first, so Captain America gave me a magical golden ticket. He said that I could use it to get into a secret room found here in the airport! Looking around me now, I can tell that it is used by special agents and people who look really important. Good thing I put my Indiana Jenn scarf on before I left...I really blend in, (they would never guess that I was just sweeping the kitchen floor & cleaning out the litter box this morning.)

In just a little while I will be boarding the plane to Chicago, then from Chicago to London, and finally London to Rome. I will be sure to take a picture of the "capsule-bed" that I get to sleep in tonight. I have no doubt that there will be much more to tell you after this day....I have a feeling it is going to be a very adventurous one!

Love you incredibly,

Inidana Jenn/Mommy

p.s. be good.

Running to Rome

In the middle of all this craziness, Aaron will be working in Rome all next week, and I keep forgetting that I get to go too! Let's just say I'm over the top excited...already anxiously missing my babies...grateful for loving grandparents....and still running my rear off. By the end of this week I need to fit in a 20 mile run (the marathon is May 2nd, the day before the movers come.) If you are reading this right now, please don't be impressed, or, on the other hand, think I'm nuts! In all honesty, "my flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever!" I have failed and I have wanted to just stop, but for some reason I just keep running....kinda like Forrest Gump. Hey, maybe I'll try to post some crazy picture of me running around the Colosseum sporting a headband and some short shorts!

CoffeeShop Free PS/PSE Actions!

CoffeeShop Free PS/PSE Actions!
I'm just posting this for future reference...when I actually have the time to read it and give it a try.

p.s. thanks so much Kim!