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.