Two years ago today....

Two years ago today we boarded a plane and flew off to Italy. Sigh. I'd always wanted to go to Rome, in particular to the Vatican and St. Peter's and now...now it was finally happening.
From the moment we landed it just felt like home. Has that ever happened to you? It was so shocking and yet completely peaceful and brilliant at the same time. The Italians are just phenomenal as a group and our cab driver was ever so kind to point things out to us in broken English as we drove by. My first sight was of the Colloseum all lit up at night. Honestly? It brought a tear to my eye. I waited my whole life (thus far) to go there and see it.

Our driver apologized for his poor language skills and we apologized to him saying that we wish were better at Italian and that he was lovely for making the attempt for us.
This happened repeatedly in our stay, the Italians wishing they could be of more help to us, speak English better for us...it was mind blowing and so lovely. I wanted to send every one of them a thank you note. (which I am fabulous at writing but utter crap at sending. I'm looking at a stack of them right now. Well done me.)
It truly was a trip of a life time. Rome, Florence, Sienna and Milan. But nothing touched Rome for me. Roma.

I lived out my Roman Holiday fantasy

I visited some of my Saints:

(please note the Brother P-touch label on the forehead. It reads "St. Valentine" We got a kick out of that. The ancient and new, side by side.)

I lit a candle and prayed for a baby in every church in ever town we went to.

And my cats. No matter where I am, I will fever be a pied piper of kitties!

Rome

Florence:

That little guy followed me all over Boboli Gardens. I wanted to bring him home.

And this little guy was my tour guide in Milan!

Zach pretending he is Charlemagne

It was truly a trip of a life time. Perfection. Zach even bought a roof tile from the Chiesa de San Dominico in Sienna where St Catherine saw God. So. Cool.

But the best souvenir arrived 9 months later:

All those candles and prayers worked!

I want to go back and bring another one home.