Giving Thanks

For all of the complaints and requests that the Lord has to put up with when I normally run to him in need...it must be nice for him to finally hear praise and thanksgiving from my lips. I have had so many moments of sitting in a chair on our courtyard that overlooks the countryside, thinking "I am here. The Lord wins the battles of life and brings us into triumphant moments."

Since I last made an update, we have started classes and planned our weekend trips. I am trying to fill my head with all of the Italian language. Learning foods and expressions seems to be my forte. Funny...I am able to remember how to say every flavor of gelatto. Last night, we took Leah out for her birthday. We ate ate a really nice, famous restaraunt called Roggio's. The place was full of Italian boys and men watching the championship of a "football" game. The people were so gracious to us! We had all of the restaraunt laughing at our accents, teaching us how to toast in Italian. Not to mention the food...seven of us got different dishes (for really cheap since we did not order the traditional three course meal) and they were all AMAZING...or malto buono! Three hours after our arrival, pictures, and a couple of offers for gelato (too bad we had already eaten three desserts!), we finally left to walk back to the center!

Today we had our first 8 am class about the Etruscans and founding of Rome. Our professor is so understanding about allowing us to enjoy Italy and not keeping our nose stuck in a book. Instead, we are able to experience the culture through on site reports, History channel documentaries, and Italian guest speakers. I enjoy the studying and learning...it's strange how you really learn when there's no pressure.

Paolo, my favorite professor, said something profound about art today. He said, "Art is simply an expression of what is inside a man. When you fall in love, you become an artist." This reminds me of the Lord...When we are in love with the Almighty God, we paint pictures and write poems, expressing that which is inside of us!

Joy and I went and explored the lower parts of Castiglion Fiorentino this afternoon. Here, I found a small cafe that I have always imagined myself at with a book and my journal. We had to stop and sit for a while, just for pleause's sake. We have planned trips to Rome, Paris, and Cinque Terre. I'm a little nervous about all of the details, though. We'll go to Florence and Arezzo as a class in the next two days.