English!!!

This morning I slept in WAY too late. It just happened. No alarm; I just let myself stay asleep. I went downstairs and Sergio had repainted the ceiling! Not a different color, just touching up and making it look nice (even though it looked nice to begin with). The girls came home, we had a wonderful lunch, and then it was off to the beach for an afternoon with the family. Oh the sunshine was absolutely beautiful!! I got to wear my shorts, v-neck, and flip-flops … it felt nice :o)

We drove along the cost for a ways, somewhere outside of San Benedetto, but it feels like it’s all connected. So we walked along the beach for a long way, collecting shells, splashing water, and soaking up the sun! I had some great conversations with Monica and Nicole. Greta is definitely a daddy’s girl haha.

When we got back to San Benedetto, we walked around the pedestrian only zone which is full of shops and restaurants. Monica bought Lorella a birthday present, and then we stopped in a trendy clothing store and the girls got a few new things.

We came back to the house for just a short bit so Monica could make a dessert to take to Lorella’s party and we could get cleaned up. I’m still not accustomed to all this dressing up, so my change of clothes for the party consisted of jeans and my converse :o) I french braided Nicole and Greta’s hair while Monica was baking. So cute!

The party was at the movie theater. So I talk a lot about this movie theater … I guess the best way to explain it is that Monica’s company worked to build the theater, but it also has meeting rooms and a restaurant. I like it there a lot :o) Monica said it is like their second home. So tonight’s party consisted of dinner, which was sea snails/slugs that Sergio and Marco went fishing for early this morning & Marco cooked this afternoon, some cod and potato dish Lorella made, with bread, french fries, and cheese pizza. The snails/slugs were different … They were piled on my plate still in their shells. We got the meat out with toothpicks. I didn’t think too much about what they looked like or how they were when they were alive. I just ate … and it was really good :o)

After the dinner and cake (which is not sweet at all … I think the only sweet thing here is gelato lol), we went downstairs to mix and mingle with some of the people that work at the theater. The people Monica works with and the people at the theater are all friends. We had coffee at the concession stand (yes, where they serve popcorn and candy lol), and when I was drinking my coffee, Monica introduced me to a man, whose name would translate to be Joseph, but it is an Italian name and not pronounced Joseph. He is from Sicily, but moved to the U.S. for 14 years and is actually a U.S. citizen. He considers the U.S. his home and wants to move back. I can’t tell you how great it was to hold a conversation with someone who is so fluent in English here in Italy. Yes, Monica speaks English very well, but it was different with Joseph. We had some good laughs, he made me feel better about not dressing up so much like Italians, but we also had serious conversations about faith and Italian life. I hope to have another opportunity to talk with him during my stay. Please be in prayer for God to be speaking to Joseph. He knows about God; he grew up Catholic, went to an Italian seminary, but has turned away and said he is now agnostic.

This day has turned out to be a good day. I’m thankful for the company, the laughs, and the friends God continues to put in my path! I’m also thankful that it is October!! The fall might just be my favorite time of year :oD Good weather for the most part and the leaves start to change into beautiful oranges, reds, and yellows. I wonder what fall in San Benedetto will be like with all the palm trees lol.

I love you all very much and I think of you so often! Hoping all is well with you!

Grace and peace,

Jodi B