Anticipation

Okay - I've been home almost two weeks from the most fabulous trip of my life to bella Italia.  It's not easy to come home and get back to work. There's jet lag to contend with and once you get past that, there's still the issue of getting motivated to jump back into the daily demands and conflicts and responsibilities.
So, how do you get past a wonderful experience and get back to normal? How do you find the inertia to get going again?

Well - I don't know what you do in these circumstances, but let me tell you what has helped me. Anticipation. That's it. To get over the mountain-top experience of a wonderful trip to Italy and re-engage in normal life, I needed to something to anticipate.  And today I found it!

Today I spent the day with my daughter, Lauren Lee Kamal. We've spent quite a few other days together during her 29 years. Early in her life we spent entire days just reading and playing and singing together. As she reached her early teens we spent a few days together playing golf. In her later teens and early 20's we found other ways to spend days together. We made great memories many days (and nights) on Two Week Notice road trips. We loaded the Ford Explorer with guitars and drums and headed to Cleveland, Tennessee or Bushnell, Illinois, or to the Masquerade in downtown Atlanta, or to Under the Couch at Georgia Tech so she and the band could play shows.

But today was special. We spent the day hanging pictures...getting ready for a really big show. You see, my little girl is about to have her own little girl in just a couple of weeks. So, today we spent the day finishing the nursery.  We set up the bassinet. We went to Target  to get picture frames and then went to Home Depot to buy child-proof outlet covers. We worked in Baby Girl's beautiful nursery, hanging the quilt over the changing table - the same quilt Lauren had in her nursery as a baby. Then we hung pictures over the crib and after a few other finishing touches we just paused and looked around and drank in the anticipation.

Yes - it can be hard to come home, but when you have something to anticipate...like grand parenting - well, what can I say? I'm glad to be home.  

Pray for Monterosso

One of the beautiful towns on the western coast of northern Italy is Monterosso. It is one of five small cities that make up the Cinque Terra. It is a popular tourist destination located in what has become known as the Italian Riviera. We were there just three weeks ago and had a lovely time. The view of the Ligurian Sea from high up on the ridge overlooking Monterosso and the bay was breathtaking.

When we arrived in Monterosso by train from Milan we manhandled our luggage from the train, through the station, and through the tunnel into the old town, about a half-mile to the old church. We had instructions - well, more like guidelines - for how to navigate the cobblestone streets to find Manuel's Guesthouse - the place where we would stay for two nights. Our luggage wheels bounced along the streets until we came to steps. As we paused to get our bearings and to confirm that these were the steps we were to climb, an Italian man - about 5'5" and 60 ish - rounded the corner and spoke to us. He asked, "Are you looking for Manuel's Guesthouse?" We answered affirmatively. Without pausing he enthusiastically said, "I am Manuel!" A few moments later we were headed up the steps - all 159 of them - leading to Manuel's Guesthouse. We did appreciate Lorenzo, Manuel's nephew, who came to our aid and helped us haul our luggage up the steep, winding steps. When we arrived at the top we were greeted by Giovanni, Manuel's brother, who had us sit down on the terrace and rest and have a drink of cool water while Lorenzo went to finish preparing our rooms for the night.

Monterosso was magnificently beautiful and Manuel and his family were superb hosts. When we left there we felt like we had been welcomed by family.

As we arrived in Rome about 9 days later we began to hear that severe rains had caused flooding in Cinque Terra. We investigated more and were shocked to learn that Monterosso had received 22 inches of rain and had been all but destroyed by a mudslide. Nine people in this region lost their lives. Train tracks and roads were washed out causing Monterosso and Vernazza (the nearest Cinque Terra town) to be cut off. Vernazza had to be evacuated by sea. The news reports quoted the mayor of Monterosso as saying, "Monterosso no longer exists!" (Below I have included a link to a news report with video.)

Since we fell in love with this place and these people, our hearts have continually turned back to Monterosso. We have been in touch with Manuel and know that he and his family and his guesthouse are all safe and intact. However, we also know that it will take months and possibly years before things are back to normal. So - if you are a prayerful person and you don't mind, would you say a prayer for Monterosso? That would mean a lot to me - and to Manuel.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/italy/8850032/Villages-all-but-wiped-out-as-storms-batter-Italys-Cinque-Terre.html