Happy New Year?

That's right! Better late that never, I say . . . Happy New Year!


It' hard to believe that this time last year Papa was miles away beginning his New Year busily taking care of 15 chaplains in Afghanistan! We were more than half-way through his year-long deployment, but the Holidays were making it drag along for both of us, for sure! This year, however, was so much different. It's been so great to be together, and even though there is a great hole in our hearts from missing our family miles across the ocean, it's hard to find the words to describe how great it is just to be with one another again!We welcomed in the 2011 ~ together this time ~ in the most amazing way! We've never seen such fireworks [in person] in our lives! Of course there are extravaganza-type fireworks at Disneyland or the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, but this was different! And from our own terrace in Pozzuoli, Italy, to boot. Since we moved in, we've been hearing from lots of people, "Just wait until New Year's Eve! You will not even believe the fireworks display put on by the Italians!" And let's just say, the Italians did not disappoint!

We could see a panorama of fireworks displayed from one side of the Bay of Pozzuoli to the other! We couldn't even count them all!

At the last minute we invited some friends and their children over to celebrate with us, but we really didn't have any idea what we were about to witness. HAD WE KNOWN, we would have had a full blown firework's-viewing party from our terrace *this year*! We had no idea what we were about to see.



As I was writing this post, I asked Papa what did he do to ring in the New Year when he was in Afghanistan, and he says he barely remembers New Year's Eve last year. He thinks the guys in Afghanistan gathered around the TV to watch the New Year's Eve ball countdown in Time Square with very little fanfare. I do know that he called me to say Happy New Year when it was just midnight and turning to the New Year in North Carolina, but it's not surprising that the whole thing is a bit of a blur for him. He was in the midst of some very busy planning at the time.There are a number of things that I want to *blog* about at the moment, but the time flies by and quickly slips away from me without a word on the page! BAD girl! Nevertheless, here are just a few of the highlights:

• We had the opportunity to meet our very best friends in the whole wide world, Lance & Maureen, in Rome, Italy, for the day on the 4th of January!
• In the past month we also traversed an extremely high mountain to tour the Abbey of Montecassino just south of Rome, which is the monastery established by St. Benedict in 529 AD.

Later that same day we visited an agritourismo, which is a restaurant that's in an old Italian farmhouse and uses 80% of their own produce, wine and meats. It was very charming and delicious!

• I was waiting to hear if my Level I Italian Course at Texas College would have enough people in it (9) to continue. I just heard that the class is a “go” and on Tuesday and Thursday mornings I have officially set out on my journey to learn Italian! Yikes!

It's the second of February today and in keeping with family tradition, tonight Papa and I will watch the movie "Groundhog Day" as we do every Feb 2nd - *Groundhog Day* . . . both Fr. Phil and I really enjoy this movie! Do you think Punxsutawney Phil will see his shadow and spring will arrive early this year? Or will we be waiting around until the end of March?


Perhaps William Blake may have been experiencing similar thoughts when he put pen to paper those many years ago as he contemplated the coming of spring . . .


The Spring
William Blake (1783)


O thou with dewy locks, who lookest down
Through the clear windows of the morning, turn
Thine angel eyes upon our western isle,
Which in full choir hails thy approach, O Spring!

The hills tell one another, and the listening
Valleys hear; all our longing eyes are turn’d
Up to thy bright pavilions: issue forth
And let thy holy feet visit our clime!

Come o’er the eastern hills, and let our winds
Kiss thy perfumèd garments; let us taste
Thy morn and evening breath; scatter thy pearls
Upon our lovesick land that mourns for thee.

O deck her forth with thy fair fingers; pour
Thy soft kisses on her bosom; and put
Thy golden crown upon her languish’d head,
Whose modest tresses are bound up for thee.

~