It feels like forever just happened in between last Sunday and today. Time passed rather slowly, especially when we were recovering from Covid-19 and stuck at home in an obedient quarantine. Life felt different through the lens of being a recovered and triumphant new creature. Emerging from my isolated shell after so many days felt odd to me. I felt like I was on the outside looking in, gazing awkwardly on the never-ending pulse of society that was going on with or without me. And through it all, I have found myself with a deeper sense of gratitude for the simple things in life, the quieter side of things that typically go unnoticed in the busyness of life. Take this sunrise on Thursday morning, for example. I noticed the deep and passionate colors in the eastern sky around 7:45 a.m. and they immediately took my breath away. Knowing that the horizon would change and fade quickly, I grabbed my phone to take a picture so I could share it with my family sprinkled all over the globe. Immed...

I have 2 very exciting announcements!  We are moving to Italy! (By we, I mean mostly Scott) We both have finally succumbed to Covid-19 I will explain . . . Scott has been very interested for some time now in finding one more deployment before he completes his lengthy military service and retires for good. There are multiple benefits in doing this, ones that he is very much privy to. He wanted a Tour of Duty that wouldn't be in a dangerous area, and one that would allow me to come and visit him. Well, Voila!  At his army drill weekend in December, he was talking to a buddy of his who had applied for and been accepted to do a tour of duty in Italy. Scott came home very excited and wanted to apply to be the 2nd targeting officer for that same duty station in Italy (they needed 2). First, though, he wanted to wait for his buddy to get over there and tell him all the details. The buddy was scheduled to report in Italy at the end of January. Well, plans changed very quickly this pas...