Paradismo!

Paradismo! I am in Paradismo. Which of course means Heaven. I know, I know, I am the stereotypical American. I say I am in paradismo when I take my nocciala gelato from a vendor on Via Dante or when Pierra makes her simple pomodoro pasta for school lunch. But right now, as I sit back and think that my family is here. Here IN ITALY! I am truly in heaven. This has to be what Heaven feels like. There is no doubt in my mind. Heaven, that I am too tired to even articulate a clear thought because I played tag in between the courses of a four hour meal. Heaven, that the new people in my life, people I absolutely treasure sat down with my family as if they were MY family. Heaven, watching Elizabeth with my nephews, Caroline chatting a wee bit with my Dad, Amy becoming the girl who can make her thumb come off and Sonja becoming an Aunt.



Heaven, that as we were walking the bike paths of Opera, Cooper was making up songs about the community fountain. "Naturale!"....."Frizzante!"......... All the while carrying the back pack of water bottles that needed to be filled.



Heaven, that even though it has been three months, I am still my nephews' Aunt Becca, and I am not sure time nor distance is ever going to change this fact! And that alone makes me want to stand on top of a mountain and scream, "THANK YOU!"

Oh, my........Good Night!