Little Update

Big news.  Our apartment is getting painted next week!  And we have gas and hot water!  By golly, its nearly a real home!

I'm ecstatic beyond belief, not only for the fresh paint-but for the upcoming disappearance of the nastiness that the former tenants left on my walls.

To the former tenants: you did not appreciate that awesomeness that is this apartment.  We're taking over and making it awesome again.  Sincerely, the Paulisons

This is the letter I would write them if I saw them again.  And give them bags of their things they left.  But all that will be memories in just a week!

I've been scouring Pinterest debating paint colors in my head.  The landlord requested all white, so any other colors we chose will have to be painted over before we leave.  Which, I'm currently hoping is in a bazillion years.  Each day we feel more and more at home in Italy.

I think I'll color up the walls of the bedrooms, and maybe our 3rd floor.  For those of you who have yet to sneak in on a Skype tour-I promise promise to post pictures soon.  Once the dirty finger prints are painted over.  I hope you're intrigued by my mentioning of our 3rd floor.  It is intriguing, and quite a gem for an Italian apartment.

My favorite place in our apartment is a little nook (quite little) below the 3rd floor that has become...drumroll please...MY CRAFT NOOK!  This is the sweetest blessing.  It was challenging leaving our home in Tulsa, and packing away my craft supplies, and even being willing to leave my sewing machine and Silhouette Cameo behind.  But I was.  Begrudgingly.  The Lord brought me to a place of comfort in that.  And in the last minute, I was able to bring them.  And this week-I got a whole crafting space!!!!  Its rare to have a house in America with a space that can be 100% devoted to crafting and creativity.  So to have this space in Italy is absolutely remarkable.  We serve a big mighty God-who blessed me with the simplest thing.

Three of the six pillows I've sewn this week (fabric was imported-thanks Andrew!).  And my cute dog.

In other news, the heat is on its way to Italy.  Its bemoaned by all, even those still donning their winter parkas.  But apparently the high will be nearing 90 F next week, which leaves us in quite a quandary.  Our beloved apartment has an air conditioning unit.  This is wonderful, exciting, rare, and potentially very expensive with our electric bill.  All of our windows open wide (no screens here) and our fans have been doing a great job circulating the air and keeping us comfortable up until this point.  We're so incredibly lucky to have a/c, but I'm so afraid of becoming spoiled by the rare treat!  So currently, I'm trying to hold out before turning it on, kissing our electricity bill goodbye as it sails to the sky, and refusing to leave our apartment because of its climate control.  There are worse problems I'm sure, but I'm trying to savor this sweet gift and not take it for granted!

Finn is sitting on his own now!  He's a bit wobbly, but enjoying his new upright stature!  We avoided walkers and bumbos because of their space eating qualities and expense (and also this reason), so this is a whole new world!  He's also exploring the world of eating solids.  So far, he's tasted (not swallowed any) avocado, carrots, oranges, and a rock hard Italian roll.

Exploring avocados.  Or wanting to abandon them.

Bear is really enjoying Finn's new food hobby, as he gets to eat everything Finn chucks overboard.  Which is currently everything he tastes.  Bear's well fed.

We're truly enjoying our home here, our work here and the blessings that God is continually bestowing on us.  We've feel overwhelmingly blessed to be adjusting well and are eager to start full time language learning in July!

I leave you with one of my new favorite recipes.  I have many new favs, but this one was shared by the sweet Tricia Marcos, and I can't help but devour every ounce of it.  Which is great-because its healthy.

Hill Country Salsa

Ciao!