The best risotto dish ever served anywhere ever hands down, ancient columns still standing, a purple bedroom in a real life castle, Sophia Loren's toilette, mo-peds zipping zigging zagging, grandma's bread and ohhhh...her lemon cake, early morning rooftop toasts, squid ink linguine, a tire blow-out going 90 with no help in sight, Marco Polo's home just around the corner from Casanova's, old friends, new friends, illegal home-made wine brought up from the basement, an ungraceful face plant in the vineyard, a singing gondolier, freeeeeeesh mozzarella, frescoes frescoes everywhere, gelatto in the town of the Montagues and the Capulets, taxis, trains & buses, Pippo and the parrots, the sweet bride & the kind groom, fashion week in flip flops, The Little Prince, via gesu.

I'm having fabulous flashbacks of our vacation in Italia. We had so much fun. Bradley and I really needed the time away and we enjoyed every moment.

However, we really are a sappy pair because we simply hated being away from our children. If we thought about it too much...we would get melancholy...so we distracted ourselves with the beauty surrounding us and counted down the days.

Photos soon.

I have jumped into a new storing/editing/sharing system and I'm learning the ropes.

Sunshine Cleaning

I was mid Atlantic...traveling on a flight from Amsterdam to Tennessee with tears rolling down my cheeks. And in the next moment, I was hushed by Bradley because I was laughing too loudly for the confined space. This film is FANTASTIC.

Our son, Mcabe Gregg has a future award winning photo in his growing portfolio.
Make sure to bookmark him...because his photography will bless your socks off.

And....he's working on his blog again...which translates to...."I am a photographer with a passion and a vision and have a future in this field."

Also...can I just say... his taste in music blows Mama's mind. He is such a COOL KID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Latin America Mission

Bradley and Mcabe had some film & photography work to do in Tijuana. Here are a few of the images that came home w/Mcabe.










When I asked Mcabe to explain the trip in one sentence...he said, "It made me appreciate more things." I asked him if he had ever before seen poverty like that? His response, "No."

So I walk upstairs to find Jemima and Zion playing in the make-up bag...pretending to be lions.

I love seeing what they will find to do when they are not directed to "do" something in particular.

What I really think Jemima had in mind though...while playing along with the lion thing...was coming up with an America's Next Top Model look. She is the kid who wants to take Top Design and strut the catwalk wearing her own creations.

Even though...it freaked me out a bit...I applauded her creativity.

I'll die though if she starts walking around in public looking anything NEAR this.

9-12-09 D.C. March

This guy made me smile.

Remember all that big talk about a month back about Math and how the Lord might've been leading me to teach it to my kids rather than hiring a tutor?

Well, He wasn't!

I've come to learn that He has zero desire for me to relearn any portion of the math I've forgotten or to learn for the first time any new math.

Zero conviction. It all flew out the window and never came back.

I guess I was guilting myself into it.

It was an episode.

I am over it.

Sing praises with me, people!

Urban Cowboy

One of the best films EVER! Instant flashbacks ushered in by the soundtrack.

What the hey happened to John Travolta????????????
And Debra Winger....she is brilliant. I miss seeing her on film.

Cold Mountain

We watched Cold Mountain this afternoon. Romantic. Very Romantic. The above quote reminds me of Inman and Ada.

8 books for $6 bucks @ our local library. A bit more than I like to spend but all are in mint condition. Can't go wrong.

Central Park Birds

Cental Park Birds 1990


________________
Central Park Birds 2009

I've always had a thing for birds. They say "peace" to my heart.

Mcabe's Photo Assignment.

Okay, so I have a story for you.

I am not one of those "mystical' types.

I am married to one...but I am usually the "plant your feet firmly on the ground..get your head out of the clouds...enough with the flowery language" sort of girl.

Occasionally, the Lord gives me mystical glimpses...but they are far a few between. When they do occur....I take notice.

Yesterday morning I awoke...made some coffee & sliced up a cantaloupe...prepared bagels and cream cheese for the kids...straightened the kitchen...the usual Sunday routine I go through as we prepare for church. All the while though...I kept thinking...Charles Ingalls. Little House on the Prairie....Charles Ingalls. He would not leave my mind.

I was thinking to myself....Goodness....that show had such an impact on me...on our culture. I loved Charles Ingalls. I miss Charles Ingalls. I wish he were still around. What was it about Charles Ingalls? Where are all the modern day Charles Ingalls'? All this in my head...over coffee.

Then the kids were up and we were out the door.

I'm sitting in church...situating myself in preparation for the sermon...when the Pastor begins with a story. About Little House on the Prairie. LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE!!!!!!!!!!!!

I cried.

This "non-mystical" "feet firmly planted on the ground" girl cried.

I swear people around me must think I am nuts. Crying over a Little House on the Prairie story.

It wasn't the story necessarily. Though the story of how one woman being put on the path to salvation through an episode...was amazing.

It's the fact that my Father knows me so well. It kills me.

It's like he whispers to my heart.

PAUSE my Music Player first.

Remember way back when Galilee and Jemima's handprints were incorporated into Steve Hickok's art work? Well, good news...he is showing at the Opera Gallery in London.

How cute is this message from his wife, Susan???????
"thanks, Dawn they hung one of his paintings while he was still there this morning and Steve looked up and realized that he's in a gallery with an original Picasso! he said he feels like he's been climbing Mt. Everest in shorts and flip flops!"

Bradley and I are going to Italy. Rome, Umbria, Venice, Milan. I get the honor of shooting a wedding. We are traveling with good friends. Blessing. Blessing. Blessing. HUGE blessing.

We are the sort of parents who prefer to take our kids everywhere with us though. The last time we went anywhere (more than one nite at a local hotel or 2 nites in LA for work) was when we went to Kazakhstan for pick up Jemima. No solo vacations in 19 years of marriage. Strange to some. Normal for us.

All that to say....again.....


....we are going to Italy. Please pray for Mom & Dad's hearts...and for the hearts of the kids. Especially the girls. Zion is asking every day to see the globe. She moves her little finger all the waaaaaaaaay across the ocean to the boot. She keeps telling us that she is going with us.

She is not.