Sweet lady

This morning I woke up before my alarm, ate breakfast, worked on blogs, and then got ready for church.

Church was great!  I still cannot get over worshiping in a different language!  It is just a beautiful thing to me!  I love the songs, etc.  One really cool moment was when Francisco's grandmother, who is visiting from Argentina, was giving her testimony.  Now, she was not allowing Francisco to translate after she spoke, so I could not even catch the Italian because it was being spoken OVER the Spanish, but then at the end she got out her Bible.  She started reading it in Spanish.  Then Francisco read from the Italian version, and I was following along in both my Italian Bible and English Bible.  What an awesome moment to hear God's word read in 3 different languages.  Such a reminder once again that we all worship the same God, believe in His same word, but speak different languages, and though we do not understand each other now, I have faith that in Heaven all things will be understood! 

 

One thing that I was thinking about while listening to Francisco's grandmother, who still lives in Argentina, but has come to visit for 3 months, was that her family has been called halfway across the world.  It must be so difficult to be called by the Lord to live on the other side of the planet from your family.  Thus, if I will be 10 hours by car, and a short flight away from everyone, then I am incredibly blessed all the same.  At least I will be able to pick up a cell phone/regular phone/skype phone, etc. and talk to them regularly and not have to calculate time difference, money, etc. Not to mention, I live halfway across the world now; granted I KNOW/KNEW it would be temporary, but I think this next adventure will be equally as fun and exciting!  Who knows where it will take me, but I have faith that God's plan is far greater than anything I could dream up for myself! 

When I came home I had Francisco drop me at the grocery store so that I could get a few things.  Then I came home to eat and talk to Nick, but Nick wasn't there.  So, I made strawberry pancakes for lunch, and they were DELICIOUS!!

 

 

 

Holy cow! Then I spent a lot of the afternoon cleaning the apartment.  I swept, mopped, washed trashcans, washed clothes, cleaned surfaces, the toilet, etc. etc.  So, the apartment is almost ready for visitors!! 

I was able to talk to Nick for a bit before I went out for a walk.  I stopped to get a cappuccino, and then went to the river for a bit.  On the way I saw a weird, and badly translated (?) sale sign in a shop window!

I stood there for a while because I never tire of that view on a sunny day!

 

 I chose a weird route back to my apartment, one I've never taken, and it was well worth the venture off the beaten path.  I stopped in a park and saw some groups of sweet old men playing cards in the park, and my favorite part is that they are so into it.  They were so adorable, and I just wish I could have understood their conversation, but I am pretty sure that the majority of it was in dialect. 

 

 

 

Then I kept walking back.  I was getting really annoyed with all of the men honking and slowing down to look at me...this makes me feel gross and I am NOT a piece of meat for you to look and gawk at, especially since I am dressed rather modestly and it is clear that I am not walking around seeking out your nasty attention. 

I saw some graffiti that I finally understand because my students taught me some of the slang (x = per, which means for because in Italian math they use "x" for times, like multiplication and they say "per"). 

 

Then I stopped to watch these boys playing a pick up soccer game on concrete...I kept waiting on one of them to bust it, and I was going to cry for them I think.  However, it was fun to watch them get so into the game!  They never even noticed me and the little boy that was also watching them.  Then I kept walking and sat in Piazza Loreto, which is the piazza near my apartment.  I sat there and enjoyed the beautiful afternoon sun! These two girls approached me about whatever was happening in the piazza, or was about to happen.  They could tell that I spoke English, and they tried to, but it was a very broken conversation.  They were doing some sort of Christian festival, but I never fully understood the idea behind it.  They are doing something every Sunday about a different religious topic. 

When I went back to the apartment, this sweet little lady was sort of holding the door for me to come in, and also staring at me like I was from outer space.  Then she started asking me where I was from, and why was I here.  She could barely hear me so I felt like I was shouting at her the whole time.  Then she was asking what floor I lived on,etc.  She told me that her daughter was currently in London, and she almost started crying.  She was so sweet.  I started helping her get up the stairs, and then she tried to get on the elevator, but when I told her I would have to leave her there because I do not like elevators, she informed me that she does not take them alone.  Therefore, I helped her up the stairs!  She was so sweet!  Then she invited me in, but I HAD to go shower and get on the computer because I could NOT miss another skype date with my Britt.  I am sure it would have been a unique experience, but we were having A LOT of difficulty communicating as it was because of the language barrier, plus hearing difficulties!  Sweet little lady! So, I planned to go buy her some sort of sweet or treat this week and take it to her. 

I turned on my computer, ran to take a shower, and could hear her calling as I was getting out of the shower.  I ran to answer and then get dressed.  I was able to talk to Britt for a while and catch up on life with her! I am so lucky to have so many wonderful people in my life to love on and who love on me.  Britt is one of the sweetest and most giving (of herself) people that I know!  I love my Britt Britt. 

After that I spent some time blogging, talked to Nick through email, and had a delicious salad for dinner.  Then I was able to talk to Nick on Skype.  I love sitting in my kitchen with the afternoon light:

 

 

I am so ready for him to come back to Italy!  Then I worked on blogs, and THEN I was able to talk to Erin for an hour or more while she drove home to Charleston!  I do love me some Erin, and I can hardly believe that she will be here in about a week(ish).  Immediately after I hung up with Erin, Nick called!  Great timing!!  Then I worked on blogs and went to bed!