Comforting Voices

So today was a rather uneventful day so I am going to start with other things first.

First, I want to talk about how good God is and how he continually reveals to me that I am on the right career path in life. So the sweet little girl (granddaughter/niece) Matilde, who is 17 months, loves to play with me now. She doesn't see me every day and the first few days that I did see her, they didn't really encourage our interaction. However, earlier this week she was here and we played a little bit and now every time I see her she wants to play with me. She comes and takes me by the hand and pulls me to wherever it is she wants me to go!! It is so precious...today we played peek-a-boo and she just laughed so hard. We played up and down the hallway and it was just the most exciting thing for me because even though there is a language barrier, yes even with a 17 month old (ill explain more in a minute), we can play and she comes running when she hears my door open (which they close so that she wont come in here...though I dont mind her coming in here). So the language barrier comes from not knowing exactly what to say to her. I can't talk to her like I talk to our babies because they dont use the same phrases and/or I dont know how to say certain things. However, Matilde and I dont really need that...we have just been able to use the universal languages of play, smiling, laughing, and having fun!! It truly is such a beautiful thing and it just gave me this peaceful feeling of knowing that working with children is what I am meant to do. I think for so long I chased other things...and had SOOO much fun doing it and wouldn't have had it any other way, but this is something I was meant to do. I just felt like Matilde really confirmed this for me...again, without language and without really knowing each other, we can play and she wants to sit in my lap and she wants me to pick her up...and it just makes my heart smile!!! :)

The other thing about today that is just above and beyond is that through skype I have been able to talk to SO many of my loves. This afternoon I spent almost 2 hours on video chat with my momma and daddy!! It was so great to see their faces and tell them so much! It was more like being there with them than just talking on the phone...it made me excited for a few weeks from now when I can show them all of my pictures and tell them all about Italy in person. It was also great to see my Chili Pup, Bella puppy, Wicked Kitty, Litta Girl, and my Coopy!!!! It's weird to see them through a webcam, but I'll take what I can get! :)

Theeeeeeennnnn....tonight I decided to do the skype call credits that Neal talked about last week and I was able to put $10 on my skype account and at 2 cents a minute I can call people's phones/cell phones. I WAS SO FREAKING EXCITED I COULD HARDLY STAND MY SELF!!! My first call was to Dr. Hernandez-Reif whom I was ddyyyyyyiing to talk to...it was such a great hour...I was so excited to hear her voice and tell her about Italy!! I'm so grateful that she took so much time out of her day to talk to me; it really meant the world to me!!

Then I was able to call Kelly!! YAY!!!!!! So excited...**Gracie and Sarah Mason...we WILL have a skype date next week...I promise!!! Tonight we ate soo late and I was trying to make sure I had everything for Rome!! I love you both so much and can't wait to hear your voices!!!** I was so excited to talk to Kelly and I was so grateful that she was in her office when I called!!! :) I think about Kelly and her girls every day...I always wonder if they have seen whatever it is I am seeing!! :) I cannot wait to see them in December!!

Theeeennnn...I was able to talk to April!!! I LOVE talking to people I love!!! April keeps saying she is going to join me...well, I'm starting NOT to believe her!! ;) You only have two weeks left to get your butt here!!!! :) I so wish you were here....However, we'll just have to have our potluck Italian dish/wine night with everyone in Tuscaloosa! ;)

It was such a great afternoon/evening talking to some of my loves!!!!

Okay, so now going backwards in the day. This morning was the usual, got up, got dressed and THANKFULLY had yogurt for breakfast and one of my cranberry granola bars!! This was such a relief...at least fewer heavy carbs!! I left for school and the walk there was really nothing too special!! It was a little colder this morning...but the sun was out so it was BEAUTIFUL!!

Class was...better...the first part was good because the first 50 minutes was Fiona and Maria talking and me following what they were saying (as someone told me tonight...understanding is half the battle! ;) )...well the battle is won...but NOT the war! :( Then it was, unfortunately, my turn to talk...I did okay...still, the vocabulary...no matter how hard I try I just can't seem to catch up in the vocabulary department...I suppose I'm not trying hard enough! :( So then it was time for our break...I decided to try the cappuccino today because Fiona was going to get coffee. It was MUCH better than the caffe' (I dont have accents on here...). We had a good 15 minute break...we talked about education (she is a high school teacher in London...about to do their equivalent of "Teach for America"). We talked about what they get paid in London and about Alabama education...it was an interesting conversation. OOoh this morning after listening to her talk about what they (her and Natalie, her roommate) did last night...I was sure that we aren't really meant to be friends...it's just not me...and Fiona has a trip with the British Institute (where she also takes class), so she wouldn't have been able to go to Rome anyway.

The second part of class was rather frustrating. We are only learning things that I learned at UA, but again, so much harder to "learn/review" things when she is explaining in Italian and I don't understand what she is saying. I kind of wish I had one more month because I feel like in two weeks I have somewhat caught up to understanding what is being said and now I have two weeks to gain more confidence/vocabulary and start speaking...but then...if I am able to do that...at the end of those two weeks I return to Alabama where NO ONE (except Barbara and Maurizio) speak Italian! I suppose I'll have to have daily phone conversations with Fran and Nonna!! I don't want to lose what I've been struggling to learn!

So when that was over I left school. I skipped the art history...I just couldn't today!! I am glad I left...i used my time much more wisely that doodling. I went to mercato centrale and got some of the really good dried fruit to take with me tomorrow and I got a sandwich for lunch (though I ended up only eating the meat and like 1/4 of the bread! The sandwich was JUST roast beef and bread...come on people...at least give me some lettuce or cheese...I was very disappointed. I ate it when i got back to the apartment with an apple!! Then that's when I got on skype!!! :)

After I hung up with my momma and daddy I packed my stuff for Rome! I was able to downsize some things and ONLY pack the essentials!! SO, I only have my backpack and purse! :) I was pretty impressed with my packing skills!! So...I am ALLLLLL ready to go!! I've talked to multiple loves (today and in the past few days) and I'm all packed...so nooooowww I have to go take a shower and GET TO BED....I have to get up around 5:20 so that I can get to the train station around 6:30 and get my ticket for the 7 am train!! Tomorrow is goiing to be exhausting!!

OOOooohh I cannot believe I forgot about dinner. It was just Signora Gabriella and I for dinner again tonight. Guenda isn't going to the party because she doesn't feel well. Dinner was good though...spaghetti with olive oil and parmesean cheese to start with (I tried not to eat too much of it) and then turkey (it wasn't too dry so I ate it) and the most amazing broccoli! I LOVE BROCCOLI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So, it was good! At first Signora Gabriella seemed angry about something, but then we were able to talk some!! She really is sweet!! She told me NOT to go out in Rome at night by myself...I told her that as soon as I ate dinner tomorrow night I was going to be in the hotel room!! I was proud of myself for talking with her...and even initiating conversation!! :) yay for progress!!!

So that was good..I think I need to stop eating so much...I feel HEAVY!! Bleh..I HATE HATE HATE this feeling!!!

Okay...now to take a shower and go to bed!!! Goodnight my loves...I am not taking my computer with me to Rome...so I will not be updating my blog until Sunday night...so the blog will be a "weekend" blog instead of a day by day blog. I have a feeling that it is going to be my most exciting blog yet...with LOTS AND LOTS of pictures.... ahhh!! ROME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Sorry, this blog is all over the place...
Random, but today there was a cleaning lady here. I walked out of my room and there was someone cleaning the bathroom...and then she was like heavy duty cleaning the kitchen.

After I finished this earlier I got to talk to Mrs. Malissa right before I went to sleep!!!!! YAY!!! I am so so so so so excited that I got to talk to so many people today!! It completely made my day to talk to Mrs. Malissa too!!! yay yay yay yay!!! Soooo many loves...next week i will call more people!!! :)

Off to Rome in the morning!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!