We made it home!!

Isaiah 55: 8-13
 ⁸ “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, 
   neither are your ways my ways,” 
            declares the LORD. 
⁹ “As the heavens are higher than the earth, 
   so are my ways higher than your ways 
   and my thoughts than your thoughts. 
¹⁰ As the rain and the snow 
   come down from heaven, 
and do not return to it 
   without watering the earth 
and making it bud and flourish, 
   so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, 
¹¹ so is my word that goes out from my mouth: 
   It will not return to me empty, 
but will accomplish what I desire 
   and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. 
¹² You will go out in joy 
   and be led forth in peace; 
the mountains and hills 
   will burst into song before you, 
and all the trees of the field 
   will clap their hands. 
¹³ Instead of the thornbush will grow the juniper, 
   and instead of briers the myrtle will grow. 
This will be for the LORD’s renown, 
   for an everlasting sign, 
   that will endure forever.”

If you have time please read the whole chapter or Isaiah 55... so rich for my soul this morning!! 

Here are some pictures from  Tivoli and Florence: 

(We stopped at them on our way home from Rome)

The great Villa constructed by the Emperor Hadrian near Tivoli between A.D. 118 and the 130s is one of the most original monuments in the history of architecture and art. It consists of 250 acres and is decorated with over 30 buildings that were inspired from Hadrian’s travels to Egypt, Spain,  Greece, and other areas around the world. 

One of the Theaters in Villa Adriana (Hadrian's Villa) 

The Road leading into the Villa.

She has gotten so good at taking picutes!! 

I am pretty sure there were a thousand signs that say do NOT CLIMB ON THE RUINS!! but they are all in Italian. =0) 

He can make anything look good!! =0) 

This Villa was absolutely massive... and beautiful!

Our family!! 

Thank you Jesus for a Sunny Day!

FLORENCE

Tony told me I couldnt get the whole building in the shot cause we were so close... challenge accepted... oh wait and nailed  it!!

Statue of Neptune... I didnt realize he was naked until after I had asked Tony to take this picture... I wish I would have chosen a slightly different angle. 

Statue of : Cellini's Perseus

On the  Ponte Vecchio in Florence.

The more I get to know this man in the struggles of life, the triumphs, the stresses, the relaxing times, the on your knees in prayer times, the in Florence traffic times, the "I am so sore from running 13 miles when I haven't run in 4 months" times, the snuggle times.... I grow more and more and more in love with him! 

The Ponte Vecchio is right behind me...

The Ponte Vecchio ("Old Bridge) is a Medieval stone closed-spandrel segmental arch bridge over the Arno River, in Florence, Italy, noted for still having shops built along it, as was once common. Butchers initially occupied the shops; the present tenants are jewellers, art dealers and souvenir sellers.

This is a really cool restaurant in downtown Florence. 

The Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore (English: Basilica of Saint Mary of the Flower) is the cathedral church of Florence, Italy. The Duomo, as it is ordinarily called, was begun in 1296 in the Gothic style to the design of Arnolfo di Cambio and completed structurally in 1436 with the dome engineered by Filippo Brunelleschi. The exterior of the basilica is faced with polychrome marblepanels in various shades of green and pink bordered by white and has an elaborate 19th century Gothic Revival façade by Emilio De Fabris.

The statues that you see at the top of the church is Jesus in the middle and then the 12 disciples (6 on each side)... breath taking. 

Thankful list: 

101. Safe trip home 

102. For my dad who came to the airport 3 hours early because he didnt want to be late and miss us ... I love you so much Dad! 

103. That it hurt to leave Italy because in 3 months we had actually started to make some really good friendships. 

104. That my sister got home safely from her mission's trip to Uganda...cant wait to hear all about it. 

105. That we lived in Italy for 3 months and grew so much!

106. That our dog is outside of the crate and is happy to see her uncle Toby (my parents dog). 

107. For getting to hangout with Barbara before we left... such an amazing and beautiful woman. So thankful to have met you!!

108. For getting to go on a walk with Heather and just pray together before we left. Such an amazing woman of God looking forward to keeping up with you. 

109. For Massimo and Erica... for their friendship, kindness and love towards us while when were in Italy... you are always welcome in our home.

110. For coffee with Alessandro.

111. For new beginnings

112. For so many answered prayers. 

113. For God's ways that are so much higher than our own. 

114. For letting go of bitterness with the Italian government and seeing God had a reason and a plan for it all. 

115. For Jocelyn who turned 6 yesterday... can't wait to see you! 

116. For toilets that you do not have to slide forward or back depending on the if you are going 1 or 2. 

117. For MOE'S!!! 

118. For a Chris already giving me hours... I will see you on Thursday Bodyshop peeps! 

119. For laughter watching my husband doped up on Dramamine getting lost on the plane. 

120. For my husband who teaches me more about genuine faith and love everyday. 

121. For a Savior who loves me for who I am and call's me to be His daughter. 

We are coming home!

James 1:2-4  Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds,  because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.  Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

                                      

God is so good all the time! These last three months have been amazing more so spiritually than anything else. We have had to wait on the Lord so much and we have had to develop a deeper level of patience. Each day I feel like Tony and I both learned something new about ourselves and each other. We have had to cling to the Lord and trust that even though we can not see it at this moment in time that the Lord knows what is best for us and His kingdom. 

We found out on the Thursday before Easter that there is no way we can receive our visa's for work purposes in 2012. The company that hired Tony thought it would be a lot easier for us to come without them and get them while we were here and until this year that was the case. But in January 2012 Italy shut their boarders for subordinate work visa's to help their unemployment rate. Unfortunately not all the government was aware of the new laws so it was a slow painful process to get full understanding that there is no way we can stay. 

We wanted to wait until the final meeting with the company to tell everyone... We are coming back to the States. Which I am so thankful for this time... I do not believe we came for no reason, I don't feel like we failed. I don't feel like we made a mistake in taking this risk either.  If one life was touched, if God used us to plant one seed, or water ones already planted then it was all worth it. And I would do it again.

We are going home Monday April 23rd.... we left our jobs to move here, rented our house, sold are car.... but I am OVERWHELMED WITH JOY! Because I know that the Lord is using all of this to make us more like himself. And to teach us and build our character and faith. So it is .... ALL GOOD! =0) 

Here are a ton of pictures from Milan, Assisi, and Rome: 

We rented a car for our last 11 days!

Milano Centrale: This is the train station. I took a train to go pick up our rental car .

Milan

Right in front of a huge shopping center... near the Duomo.

This is inside the shopping center its beautiful!

I really do not know how this came about but it was wild. 

Feeding the pigeon's infront of Milano's Duomo

It is absolutely Gorgeous!

This is just a glimpse of the detailing of the Duomo

I dont know if anything is more attractive then watching your husband change a tire!! God is so good . I drove all the way back from Milan with a slow leak in my tire... and in never burst. And yes I stopped and tried to get someone to check it.. We were suppose to me heading to Rome right then.  

Welcome to Assisi. We stopped here on our way into Rome. 

This is a beautiful city carved into the mountain. 

The Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi is behind us. 

There is an active convent and monastery also in Assisi. 

The detail and the carvings are beautiful. 

Assisi is the Town that Tony fell in love with and planted the desire to one day move to Italy.

Just a couple of the views here in Assisi! Absolutely beautiful!

 So thankful for this amazing man. I have learned so much for him... how to show kindness, how to be patient, how to wait on God with out being a nut job. 

I love the streets here!

We finally made it to see ROME!! YAY!! It poured the whole time but I  still enjoyed every minute of it! Infront of the Colosseum. 

Arch of Constantine the first Christian Caesar. This triumphal arch was contstructed in 315AD as a commemoration of the victory of Constantine I over Maxentius at Milivian Bridge three years earlier. 

The Colosseum, also known as the Flavian Amphitheatre, is probably the world’s best known amphitheatre from the Roman times. Commissioned by Vespasian, it was officially inaugurated by Titus in 80 AD and extended in the following decades.

I love my husband he had been in the Colosseum before so he stood out in the rain for 20 minutes holding Kylie so I could go inside.   

Inside the Colosseum. Amazing all the history... and blood that was shed here.

This is beneath the floor looking into all the corridors that held Gladiator's, beasts, victims, armor,  ect. 

This is part of the Roman Forum

The Roman Capital.

The Trevi Fountain... I promise I have a lot of things stuffed in my jacket... I am not pregnant. 

The Fontana di Trevi is often mentioned as being the most beautiful of the large collection of city fountains to be found in the Italian capital. The elegant fountain is incorporated in the final part of Aqua Virgo, an aqueduct built in 19 BC to transport water from the Salone Springs, located 20 kilometres from the city. Thus, it was responsible for supplying water to the very centre of old Rome. The Fontana di Trevi is entirely a Baroque structure, designed in 1735 by Salvi upon the order of Clement XII. It was decorated by a team of artists from Bernini’s school.

This is infront of St. Peters Basilica in Rome

Set in the heart of Vatican, the basilica of Saint Peter is considered one the holiest sites for the adherents of Christianity and the greatest of all Catholic churches. The legend has it that the basilica was built on the burial site of Saint Peter, one of the twelve apostles of Jesus and the first Bishop of Rome. In 324 AD Constantine commissioned a basilica to be built over Peter's tomb.

Ponte Sant' Angelo is the bridge that leads to the Castle of Sant' Angelo. There are 10 angels that line the bridge each carries an item that represents something in the crucifixion  of Christ Jesus. 

The Mausoleum of Hadrian, usually known as the Castel Sant'Angelo (English: Castle of the Holy Angel), is a towering cylindrical building in Parco Adriano, Rome, Italy. It was initially commissioned by the Roman Emperor Hadrian as a mausoleumfor himself and his family. The building was later used by the popes as a fortress and castle, and is now a museum.

The Pantheon is one of the best preserved pieces of architecture from the ancient Roman times. The original temple on the site was erected by Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, the son-in-law of the first Roman Emperor, Augustus. The magnificent temple, whose task, according to its name, was to celebrate all gods, was completed by 25 BC.

More Pictures to come....

Thankful List: 

79. For our Landlord who was so understanding and gracious... she didnt make us pay the 3 months of rent to of cancelling our agreement early and she also gave us back our security deposit. THANK YOU SO MUCH LIVIA... you are truly a blessing! 

80. For Test of Faith

81. For a weekend get-a-way with my HUSBAND!!

82. That I made it back to Asolo and didnt get a flat tire on the way and a husband that can change a tire. 

83. For Alvise taking me to the train station early in the morning.

84. For a Husband who is more patient and calmer then me. 

85. For Selle Italia moving our stuff back to the USA and helping reimburse us for moving over... THANK YOU JESUS!!

86. For getting to pray with Mary Sneibe before we left for Rome.

87. For Your Plans God... they are so much higher and better than our own. 

88. For a Boss that will take me back. 

89. For my bodyshop girls... the gift that you gave Tony and I was the reason we got to go to Rome thank you so much!! 

90. For God giving us Peace in the midst of this storm.

91. For kindhearted people

92. For an amazing opportunity to experience a new culture, food, people, and beauty.

93. For the unknown that lays ahead and open hands and no plans.. just ready and waiting.

94. For a sister who is serving the Lord in Uganda right now

95. For a place to stay when we return to the states

96. For my dad's willingness to pick us up from the airport. 

97. For dinner with Mark, Renata, Bob, Luca, and Mateo. 

98. For words of encouragement and prayer from friends and family

99. For hero's of the faith... like Elizabeth Elliot, Katie Davis, Brother Yun, and many more that I have had the opportunity to read of their lives and love for our Lord. 

100. For this amazing 3 month Sabbath of just drawing close to the Lord and resting in who HE is and who He has created me to me.