Buon Giorno!

As some of you may know, I am about to embark on my first trip out of the country. The title of the blog post should give you the hint but I’m going to Italy! This trip has been booked for over a year so it’s really hard to believe that the time has come.

I’m so grateful to my husband Bob for supporting and encouraging me to go. I will be traveling with my sister Valerie as well as my Aunt and Uncle with a tour group. Bob thought this would be the ideal opportunity for me to experience a trip like this. I do admit that I am still nervous about all the details but I’m trying just to relax and be where I need to be when I need to be there.

I’m also thankful that my job will allow me the time. I’m amazed at how things have fallen into place on that front. When I was hired, this trip was already planned. However, we soon found out that the date we would “go live” on our new Accounting/Project Management software was October 1st. Naturally my leaving for Italy immediately following that goal was a little daunting. My boss has asked me numerous times over the last six months if I was sure I wanted to go. I was tempted to tell him that if he wanted to buy my way out of the trip (at 3 or 4 times the price) I’d be happy to skip it but I was afraid he’d take me up on it! However, things have not gone quite as planned so we won’t be “going live” now until January 1! I am so relieved. And compared to my former job, there are very few details I need to take care of before I go. Praise God!

I’m very excited to be spending time with my sister. We have joked about whether we will still get along after 12 days together. We have never spent this long together as adults (or ever!). She was almost four when I left for college. But I am very excited because she is a really fun person and I think we will enjoy a lot of the same things at a similar pace. We both love to laugh and be silly. She loves to read and I love to write. Oh, and of course, we both love to eat! Cibo prego!

Speaking of writing, my hope is to update this blog with travel musings and a few photos. So if you are interested, check back now and then. At the top right side of this blog you will see a page called “Italy Musings” where I will post the updates.

So until then, I still have three days of “real life” to wrap up things, pack, etc. so I better get going. I appreciate prayers for a safe journey and a time of refreshment as I expand my horizons just a bit. Grazie!

“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31 ESV

Hanno un grande giorno!