ammogirl

Today was an absolutely gorgeous day outside, and I had to spend the whole day in my room studying for my business management final.  I’m not complaining, though, because I would study through 5 days of wonderful weather, if only I could be done with this class!  So, one day is worth it, and it looked windy anyway.  Stupid wind.

I have been thinking a lot about Italy, lately which, duh, who wouldn’t be, right?  But I was thinking, wouldn’t it suck if I had built it up so much in my mind only to find when we got there it wasn’t half as cool as I thought it would be?  Then I think, nah.  It will be fabulous, no matter what.  I have been emailing with some other people headed that way, and it got me thinking about houses and such.  Now, John and I are fortunate enough that we will be able to afford pretty much any house we want to live in over there, thanks to the wonders of military married to military (or, mil/mil, so much easier to type).  My only preferences in the place we chose to spend the next three years of our lives are thusly: big (for y’all, when you come visit!) open, and airy.  Also, a garden so I can grow tomatoes, and large area outdoors so when you’re staying we can drink wine, and watch the sunset.  You know how you get a picture in your head?  I have one right now, of my perfect house there…it would be great if we could afford to buy a villa, with a little vineyard of our own.  I realize that may be just a pipe dream…still, one I can’t help having.  But, this brings me to a dilemma, one that I would like some help solving: beach, or hills?  Because while we are going to be living in Tuscany, we are also going to be right in a resort area, with the beach within miles from Darby.  They both sound equally appealing, don’t you think?  By the way, did you know Pisa is approximately 3 miles away?  How about Venice?  Rome?  All those places, and more, are going to be there, just for us to explore and experience.  More than anything, I am excited for the girls, because how many kids get to spend their teenage years in Italy? 

Anyway, I’m a little homesick today, for my family, for my friends, my home I left behind in California, and strangely, the one I don’t have yet in Italy, if possible.  And, the other day while walking home I smelled the sea (which my friends here insist is not possible; but I grew up around and with the ocean, and I would recognize the smell of one anywhere) and that, mingled with the smell of somebody burning woodchips on their barbeque, instantly made me homesick for Oregon, and that doesn’t happen often.  There are so many changes going on this year that I am gone - happy changes, for sure, but I think sometimes it’s the happy changes that are the hardest to miss, don’t you agree?

More than anything, though, it’s the people that I am homesick for; people that, whether they know it or not have become integral to me being the person I am today, and sometimes I think I would even give up Italy to be close to them (but not really, because I’m quite sure they would promptly kill me).

But then I think how lucky I am to have such wonderful people in my life to miss, and that makes it better–not any easier–but okay.

CIAO!