Ciao, Italia

"What if we did not go home?

What if we just kept traveling?

Should you not listen well to the

questions you ask out of nowhere?"

~ Frances Mayes

"What time are you setting the clock for?" Mike asked me as we walked to dinner tonight.

"I'm not setting the clock. I'm not going home."  I was half=kidding.  "Call me when you get there.

Two months. . . .Nine weeks . . . .  Sixty-three days. . . . Very quickly, the time has vaporized. I've tried to catch it, to hold on to it a little longer, but it's not going to happen.  Tomorrow at this time, we'll probably be starting our descent into Miami International and life in the States again.

So much and so little have changed in two months.  I look at the two photos of us above and try to see the differences.  I think I can, but I don't know.  I think most of the changes are mental.

I'm lucky to have had this adventure. . . lucky to have married someone who would travel around the world with me . . . lucky to have someone who would entertain thoughts of having me work overseas for a few months . . . lucky to have a husband who makes me laugh all the time. . . . lucky to have someone as crazy about my ancestral land as I. . . .

I'm lucky to be going home. . . . lucky to have had a friend such as Mary care for my little dude, Riley. . . . lucky to have been able to Skype with our son . . . . lucky to live in a country that gives us the freedom to travel as we want. . . . lucky to have you as friends. . . . lucky to be able to share this adventure. . . .

I can't write much tonight.  I'm a bit too sad and, if you can believe it, a bit too excited.  Add in the fact that we have to get up to catch a taxi at 5:45 am (before most of you will have even gone to bed!!), and, well, you understand.

I'm not letting the blog die.  I have too many stories left to tell.  I hope you don't mind following for a little bit longer.  I'll probably take tomorrow off, though.  Our flight will land in Las Vegas about 26 hours after we leave Bologna.  I might be a little tired.

Ciao, Italia e Francia.  Grazie mille per tutti. 

Good night, everyone.  I'll see you on the other side of the world.