A new year, new week and it's a bit quieter here in Italy

A new year has begun. Kristen is back at Penn State and we have to get back to life as a 3 family instead of a 4 family. Sadness will come and go. More frequently at the beginning and then will subside as the countdown until Summer break approaches. Meanwhile, we're here in Italy and life for us is as normal as normal can be while living in a foreign country. Michael and I will resume school here tomorrow since we decided that a one day grace period to ease back into our schedule. Besides, I have time today to look ahead at assignments and organize our materials. A good idea all around!


The best part of this plan is I can sit and collect my thoughts about the new year and my goals. So often, as a mother, I ignore my own thoughts, dreams, hopes, goals and get caught up in everyone else's. A friend just shared this feeling with me this morning and I so agree with her on this. This is the sort of mindset that causes us to lose sight of ourselves. This is one of the big reasons why I haven't been exercising or concentrating on improving my health. Of course, it's not the only reason but it plays a huge role in the rut we fall into.  I believe that the first and biggest step to making a change in my life has been that I need to come to the realization and commitment to change and not lose sight of this.


Another part of the plan is to take time to be creative. That has always been something that increases my happiness quotient a hundredfold. The colors in fabrics, threads and yarns are so beautiful and varied that they create an inner peace in me. 


Kristen has asked me to do a photo a day from home and post it on Facebook for her like a good friend of ours has been doing. That way she will still feel connected to us even though she is so far away. I just changed my profile pic here to one she took while we visited Philadelphia. She and I both love taking pictures of birds. Who knows why? It's a sickness or addiction for us and we laugh every time we come upon yet another picture of yet another bird of some sort.


Meanwhile, the doggies are barking because one of the men is outside driving about with a mower and they are going crazy. I guess my quiet is gone for now, sigh....