Keep Dreaming

Six years ago I took the ride of my life.  I left for Italy at the beginning of February to spend three months studying abroad.  This trip was one of the best decisions I have ever made, and I almost didn't go. 

In Capri

I can't remember how I started thinking about going, but I know a couple of my sorority sisters were planning on going so we would talk about it often.  I think in my mind I was talking about it more as a maybe and something that probably wouldn't happen.  God definitely had a different plan for me and this trip was definitely an example of how God was nudging me to do something and I was dragging my feet.  I could not have imagined how God would use this trip to create experiences that only come once in a lifetime and friendships that last a lifetime.

A little blurry, but this was our first weekend trip experiencing Ryan Air.
We were headed to Scotland, we were excited about being able to understand the people!
However, we quickly learned the Scottish are just as hard to understand!

This morning, I woke up thinking about my trip.  Lately I find myself day dreaming about different aspects of that trip.  Most of the time it is just stuff we would do every day like walking to class or going to the frutteria and sometimes its more of the big stuff we did like weekend trips to Scotland or Barcelona. 

Mallory and Heather came to visit!
This is Easter morning at St. Peter's.
It was Pope Giovanni Paolo's last service

The other day I received an email from a professor at the College of Human Sciences about a position available as an ambassador to the program.  As I read over the duties of the position I couldn't help but think how awesome that job would be.  However, I am not qualified so my day dream bubble was quickly popped.  But I couldn't help thinking how great it would be to go back or to live there one day.  So in the spirit of dreaming, below are a few of my favorite pictures.

The whole group

Lunch looking over Lake Nemi

Netherland and I overlooking Positano

Positano....quite possibly my favorite place on Earth!

Capri

Well, for now I'm going to keep dreaming.  Maybe one day I will make it back there!  Until then, I'm going to go wake my husband up and go enjoy the warm weather this weekend!  And I'm going to look forward to the first weekend in April when I can get together again with these wonderful ladies!

Recap

Since it's nice and cold outside and there is plenty of snow on the ground, we don't plan on going anywhere today.  It's the perfect day to catch up on blogging.

For our first Christmas together as a married couple, we had the "perfect" day.  We were able to join in my family's tradition of a holiday party on Christmas Eve followed by church with Ryan's family.  

The ornament my mom gave me this year!

Instead of spending the night with Ryan's family we opted to stay at our apartment to wake up together Christmas morning.  We opened a couple of gifts here but then headed to Marietta to join Ryan's family.  

We had a lovely breakfast together and then opened lots of gifts!  I got lots of Auburn stuff (since my team is playing for the National Championship ;)).  About lunchtime we took the long drive over to my parents house.  It was perfect timing because it had started to snow!!  We spent the rest of the afternoon playing games and watching movies.

Danielle's giant present! Turned out to be a new tv!

Ryan got Scotland Yard for Christmas.  He loves being Mr. X

 We eventually ventured out into the snow and Ryan and Wade made a snowman with the little boy next door.  It was a lot of fun.  The white Christmas will be hard to top!!

.

Dad had to dust off the propellers so Santa wouldn't crash!   Then Miles had to check Santa out!

Building a snowman

 

Sledding!  Miles didn't enjoy it too much!

For New Years we went down to Jacksonville for the Gator Bowl.  Ryan's parents were nice enough to purchase tickets for us for Christmas.  Ryan and I went down on New Years Eve.  We got up about 4am to make sure we got there in time for all the festivities.  Unfortunately it turned into a very long day and we did not make it to midnight (more like I did not make it to midnight).  I don't really care for New Years Eve though, I think it's a little overrated!  We had a great time at the game on New Years Day!  We had great seats and it was fun to see Mississippi State beat Michigan!

 

 

 

 

   

 

It's hard to believe Christmas and New Years have come and gone.  It's even harder to believe that we will be celebrating our first anniversary next weekend!