Italy- Part One

I’m reading a deeply fabulous book right now, written by my dear friend Danielle. It’s called Sleeping with Paris and in my opinion, it’s Chic Lit at its best. So, here’s my little summary: When, Charlotte Summers discovers her fiancé is having an affair, just days before they are supposed to move to Paris together, she leaves her adulterous man behind and makes the decision to move to Paris alone. What ensues is an insightful and often hilarious glimpse into the life of a newly single lady determined to date like a man and make the most of her single days in Paris.  

Of course, the plot is juicy and delightfully playful and I absolutely love it, but what I love the most is how Danielle interlaces the charm of Paris, the City of Love, and the city she loves into her novel. As I read the book, I felt like I was there, walking the lively, café –lined streets, taking in the tasty aroma of buttery croissants and freshly baked bread. Sitting alone in a small café, sipping coffee and watching the crowds go by.

Danielle and me in 2007

As I read Danielle’s book, I couldn’t help but muse over Jared and my trip to Italy. Although Sleeping with Paris obviously takes place in France and not Italy, so much of what she wrote about Paris reminded me of what we experienced in Italy.

Traveling to Italy had been a dream of mine for years and two summers ago, we were finally able to go. After pouring over travel websites and blogs and reading books on Italy from cover to cover, we planned a 12 day trip to the place of my dreams!

                      

       On the plane and ready to fulfill a dream!                                          Jet Lagged but excited, we arrive in Rome and hop on a train to Florence.

FloReNCe

There is so much to see in Florence! The Duomo, Campanile and the beautiful bronze doors of the Babtistry are only a few of the many wonders of the city. 

After checking in to our hotel, we took a quick power nap to cure the jet lag. Afterward, we began walking the city. We rounded this corner near our hotel and for the first time, saw the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiori, or the Duomo as it's more commonly called. This structure is truly incredible. It's difficult to describe seeing it for the first time. Towering over Florence, I could immediately understand how this dome inspired Florentines to do great things.

For the next 4 days, we tirelessly explored the city, absorbing the culture and history and enjoying as much Italian food and wine as we could!

Florence's most famous bridge- The Ponte Vecchio

Overlooking the city from across the Arno River, is the Piazzale Michelangelo. It's the best place to come for views of Florence and the Duomo...and a great place to steal a kiss or two!

My favorite part of Florence, our charming hotel- The Hotel Monna Lisa. It was only a 3 minute walk to the Duomo, but with the enchanting courtyard garden overflowing with olive trees, lemon trees and the sweet smell of rosemary in the air around us, we felt like we were miles from the busy streets of the city. Jared and I spent our mornings here, slow and sweet like honey. We enjoyed long breakfasts of cappuccino, fresh fruit, pastries and cheeses. And at night, when it was truly quiet, we savored several bottles of Italian wine.

Florence is truly is a magical place. So much history. Such beautiful art and architecture, preserved so well throughout the ages.  It's a city as alive as it is subdued. It bursts with energy, yet it isn’t difficult to find a quiet corner of the city where a bottle of wine can be enjoyed between lovers or friends. I fell in love with this city, but not the way I fell in love with other parts of Italy. More on that later friends ;)

If you’d like to read Sleeping with Paris, check out these links.

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Sleeping-with-Paris-ebook/dp/B005TNM736

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sleeping-with-paris-juliette-sobanet/1106543616

Also, Danielle just put her book on sale for the holiday, so it's only $.99 for a little while! 

Ode to Fall

An area of low pressure to our north has pulled a cold front over the Florida Keys, sweeping away the rain that has occupied our days for the past week. Right now, the temperature is in the mid 70s, there is a cool breeze blowing and clear blue, sunny skies have replaced the gloomy and ominous skies of the past several days.

Yikes, I sound like a weather reporter!

Yesterday was the first day we had seen the sunshine in a week. While the rainy weather suited me fine, I was relieved that the sun had come back to dry up the puddles (more like lakes) and that the birds and butterflies were back to fluttering around the open areas of my school. It felt like the seasons had snapped. Like summer had finally loosened its grip and allowed fall’s cool embrace to move in.

I opened our windows throughout the house this morning for the first time since we’ve lived in the keys. The fresh air rushed in like a wave and I could feel fall all around me. I know that this is wishful thinking. We don’t really have seasons here. The Florida Keys have to be one of the sunniest and warmest places year round. And we’re the closest you'll get to the equator while still being in the United States. And, although I grew up in the Sunshine State and knew very little of changing seasons, living in Virginia for 5 years has changed that and this lovely, fall weather has me wanting more!

Gone are the days (at least for the next 2 years) of apple orchards and pumpkin patches. Of driving out to Sky Meadows Park to see the leaves change color. Of day trips to the wineries and reveling in the rolling countryside. No more scarves or boots or layers of clothing.

I never thought I’d say this, but…I miss it. I do. Don’t get me wrong, I love it here. And when the north is getting pounded with snowstorms and cold rain, I’ll be especially happy to be close to that equator! But fall, oh fall! I always loved this time of year in Virginia.

So for now, I am going to enjoy these 2 or 3 days of cool weather. I won’t take it for granted. Lots of time will be spent outside and I may even make an apple crisp or pumpkin soup! I will remember with fondness our fall days spent in Virginia and soak up these days here in the Keys.

Happy Birthday, Dad!

Today I celebrate you and am so thankful for all that you've done for us.

Thank you for taking us on adventures across the country…

For showing up when I needed you...

For dancing with me…

Thank you for so many things, but mostly, thank you for loving us all and for showing me everyday how love can make a family grow.

I love you Daddy! Happy 65th Birthday!

Manatees!

Since we’ve lived here in the Keys, I have kept a keen eye on the water and any movement therein, looking, of course, for my beloved manatee. Since I was a little girl, I have loved this gentle giant. I think it's cool that they have no natural enemies and I think they are just so cute! 

A couple weeks ago, Jared, John and I went to happy hour at Alonzo’s, this great place at the harbor. So, as the three of us were chatting and eating, I was also keeping my eyes on the water, prepared not to see anything other than a few tarpon and maybe some fish jumping. 

Imagine my surprise when I saw two large, paddle-like tails flip slowly out of the water!

I ran over to the docks, camera in hand as quickly as I could, and when I got there, this is what I saw!

Aren't they so stinkin' cute!

ThoUghts oN TeAcHinG (time to reflect)

I have to preface this post by saying that I truly believe in what I do. I am fortunate to have a career that I find rewarding.  I know that I have been given the opportunity to inspire and encourage children at a decisive age and I don’t take this for granted.

I also feel it’s important to point out that I have met the most unselfish and noble people through teaching. Self-sacrificing people who give their time and energy to the greater good of their students, their colleagues and ultimately society.

But what happens when this selfless behavior trespasses into our personal lives? What happens when our jobs, our careers define who we are? The result can’t be good.

I was at a staff meeting on Wednesday where we were discussing the importance of teaching our students the skill of metacognition, or “thinking about your thinking”. (Note: metacognition is not recognized as a word in English reference books). As a staff, we were to read a chapter from a well-known author in the educational field, implement her strategy of metacognition in our classroom, take notes and reflect on how it went with our kids, and then be prepared to report our findings to our colleagues at the next staff meeting.

While I think it’s important to be a reflective practitioner, to stay current and to work hard, I have to ask, “To what end?”

To what end do we offer our time and energy to our jobs?  To what end do we sacrifice time with our families and our friends so that we can check off another item on our never ending to-do list? Teaching is the kind of job where the work is never done. I think you can find this to be true for any job where a service is provided to another human being. But, to what end do we allow work to occupy our thoughts?

I’m not asking these things to hear myself grumble on about the plights of my job.  I don’t ask these questions to sound whiny or critical. I ask because I struggle with finding the answers.

ThiNkiNg aBouT tHinKinG…

being tasked with teaching my students to think about their thinking I began to wonder how much time I carve out of my day to truly reflect on my own thoughts. To ponder. To wonder. To meditate. To turn over in my mind the things that are close to my heart.

I think now of my drives to work back in Virginia. In such a busy city, I was one of the few who did not have an awful commute.  I hopped on the George Washington Parkway and headed south every morning, admiring the way the sun rose over the Potomac River, turning the brownish water into this beautiful blush color and just being in awe of the beauty and history that surrounded me. I think of how in those moments, alone with my thoughts, life made sense.  I talked to God and an irresistible feeling of peace would wash over me. I miss those drives.

NoTe: It has been one week since I started this post. I’ve been typing it out in Word and adding to it every so often when I get a break from the work that I bring home. I am now very deliberate about my drive to work. I sip my coffee and drive south on Overseas Highway, thinking and talking to God. I’m beginning to feel like me again =)

I think about summer. Lazy, lovely summer. Of my mom’s porch swing. I have spent so many hours there. Thinking of nothing at all but the flowers, the birds, and the way the leaves on the trees sound like rain when the wind blows. Soaking up the quiet. Enjoying the solitude.  

My soul needs these quiet moments. I’m not one of those people who can be on the go all of the time. I need time to rest. For my mind to focus on nothing at all and everything at the same time. Nothing that doesn’t matter and everything that does.

The reality is that I am in this job. It is a wonderful job, but it is demanding. As teachers, we are pulled in so many directions. Expected to fill so many buckets and give of ourselves to so many people. On any given day, we will play the role of counselor, mentor, and advisor. We will do our best to command respect, while still maintaining a caring and supportive environment. We will try to meet the needs of our students, their parents, and our colleagues to the best of our ability. And even though inside, we may be falling apart, we are smiling the whole way through, because we are teachers and that is what we do.

Tonight, I am taking time to think about my own thinking. And that may be about nothing at all. It may be about my relationships.  With friends. With family. With God.  It may just be me sitting on the couch, with Jared watching movies and letting my mind travel to where it wants to go.  

My park. Alone with my thoughts.

Labor Day Weekend

Thank goodness for long weekends!  In a place like this, it isn't hard to find things to soak up every minute of your day. And so, in recognition of Labor Day, Jared and I took full advantage of the three days. On Saturday, we went paddle boarding, which is my new favorite way to enjoy the beautiful waters of the Florida Keys. It was a very windy day. Jared says the wind was blowing at about 12 knots. I have no idea how fast that is. What I do know is on the way out, the wind was at our backs and it was smooth sailing. We made it to the mangroves in no time at all and got to see all kinds of marine life- horseshoe crabs, Cassiopeia jellyfish, and coral.  But, the way back was a different story. It took us forever. Standing up to paddle was no longer an option, Our bodies became “sails”, holding us back. So, we lay down and turned our paddle boards into very large surf boards, and paddled (no oar) our way back- not easy! I’m definitely not in shape for that!

On Sunday, we drove up to Bahia Honda for some snorkeling. Again, it was a very windy day. The sand was stirred up by the wind, limiting visibility, but we didn’t mind. We were still able to see all kinds of life. Mostly small coral heads and conchs. After snorkeling, we walked along the beach, which is one of my favorite things to do. Jared had to remind me over and over not to pick up any shells or drift wood. I wanted to so badly, but apparently, it’s against the rules and my wonderful husband is a rule guy! My favorite part of the day: Playing in the water like a couple of kids. There may have been some Dirty Dancing style lifts going on! What a perfect day. 

That night, we met up with friends down in Key West. A nice way to end a perfect day- with live music and good friends!

Hogs breath is better than no breath at all!

Love this! We saw this van parked along the beach. An old war vet lived in it. He was watching the sunset and seemed happy as a clam.

Monday was a lazy day. We hung out around the house, which was fine with me. I spent time in the yard, feeding the fish, picking weeds, and just being amazed at the beauty around me. I spent time indoors too. I wrote some lesson plans, watched a little TV and read a magazine. For dinner, Jared grilled shrimp on the bbq and we had corn and baked potatoes.

It really was the perfect weekend. The perfect, three day weekend