Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Yes, I am thankful

I asked Paul and Elizabeth to sit down and write essays about being thankful. I figured that I had a lot to be thankful for as well, and I should model good behavior, right? Well, yes, I am thankful!

This Thanksgiving, I have so much to be thankful for, but I've narrowed it down to three things: pasta, pastries, and pizza. Now, you are really probably thinking that I am crazy, or just hungry, but read on.

I am thankful for pasta because it represents opportunity. When you boil a pot of water to cook pasta, you have endless opportunities. Lots of different pasta shapes and sizes and tons of different sauces and things to add to the sauce. You could have pasta every night for months (and we have!) and never have the same meal. Pasta represents all the opportunities to learn that I have had in the last few months. I've learned a lot of Italian and though I cannot speak fluently, I can get around just fine here in Rome. I have had the opportunity to navigate all over the city and I've mastered the buses. I've learned that I like anchovies, and how to survive without peanut butter. I've had the opportunity to home-school my children and have learned that teaching my own children is much harder than I thought it would be! I'm thankful for all these opportunities and am thankful for pasta!

I am thankful for pastries because they are beautiful and make me happy. Making pastries in Italy is considered an art and pastry makers are artists. The pastries are small, delicious works of art that are to be savored. This represents all the beauty in this city. I've had time these last few months to sit and look, really look, at beautiful things. Now I know that we have complained that Rome is so very dirty, which it really is. However, that is only on the outside. On the inside, Romans are proud of and take very good care of the beautiful works of art around them. The churches, courtyards, and museums are immaculate. I've sat in churches, in museums, and in piazzas and absorbed these beautiful things. I've been able to admire the love that artists had that inspired their work. With over 300 churches here in Rome, I've even had a few times to soak in the light, stillness, and quiet of a church. I've had time to admire the beautiful art as well as enjoy the delicious pastries.

Finally, I'm thankful for pizza because you can always count on it. No matter where you are, you can almost always find a pizza place. This represents family and friends, who I know I can always count on. Without everyone at home supporting us with encouraging e-mails, reading our blog entries, and taking care of business, we would never have been able to take advantage of this time overseas as a family. I'm thankful for Paul, Elizabeth, and Grace who have enthusiastically (most of the time) agreed to my adventurous daily itineraries and who have managed to learn a lot along the way. I'm thankful for John who gave us this opportunity and who struggles daily to make time for everything and everyone without ever lowering his standards. I'm thankful that we've become closer as a family and that we know that we can always count on one another. Everyone needs something they can always count on - even if it is just pizza.

Grazie a tutti!
-Terri

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