Well, that maybe a little dramatic. August 29th was 9 months since we touched down in this Italian world. I definitely could not imagine this life when we first got here. Popeye's for the first meal, living in a hotel room, appalled at how early the sun went down, and how cold the winter air felt. I distinctly remember thinking that I was never going to make friends or find a place to live that involved storage. I thought I was never going to like the Italian coffee or be able to eat a whole pizza by myself. Let's just say I was wrong. I usually think, about once a day, "I can't believe this is my life." Sometimes it is thought in frustration, but I never could have imagined that I would grow to love this place as I have.
It takes some adjusting, that is for sure, but I am so so glad that I am not in the process of moving right now. The crazy thing is that this is the longest James and I have lived some where and definitely the longest time I have lived in one home since I left for college.
College life tends to involve lots of moves- move in August, move out May, live somewhere random for the summer and then do it again...three more times. It was exhausting. I hated moving in and out of a new room every year. It drove me nuts. So clearly the next logical decision was to marry an Army boy, because the Army definitely allows you to stay in one place for an extended amount of time.
We were in Oklahoma for 8 months, Georgia for 8 months, and will be in Italy for "3" years- or whenever the army tells us to move. Luckily, each little home of ours has grown- it really could only have gone up from the apartment in Oklahoma. We have a couch, coffee table, chair, dining room table, bedroom furniture, and an extra bed to call our own! And the plan is to leave Italy with a china cabinet to call mine as well....we will see though.
Sadly, I don't think I have gotten any better at packing or unpacking a house. I've learned little tricks- how and where to store certain items, make sure all clothes are basically on hangers- otherwise the movers use them as padding in other boxes, and make sure they movers take the boxes after they are unpacked.
James on the other hand has actually only been in Italy for 6 months- considering all of his trainings and his most recent move. Goodness, James is going to have lived in Afghanistan longer than any place we have ever lived!
I'll be honest though- this home, my home, is still incomplete. For home truly is where the heart is, and for now, mine lies in Afghanistan.
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