dream home

dream home., originally uploaded by akblaine.

Tony and I can be indecisive. Okay, so we have a hard time deciding anything. We spent about 20 minutes in the store yesterday trying to decide whether to get a water filter or which one to get. We ended up walking out of the store with no water filter and saying that we need to think about it.
We are going on another house-hunting tour today, and we absolutely need to decide where we are going to live. They won't keep paying for us to stay in this hotel on the base. So, please wish us luck, because unless we stumble upon something like this, a perfect dream home for Tony and Katherine (which I found while hiking in the Southern Downs near Brighton, England whilst visiting Lauren), then we will be suffering headaches tonight trying to decide where to live!

Sunday in Napoli

Unfortunately, I'm not a good photographer, so many of the pictures from Sunday are blurry and weird due to my experimentation with the camera.
Here are some, though, that highlight the city of Napoli.

This is where people live

I imagine many of the people here go to the malls and giant supermarkets that sit on the outskirts of the city, but I also like to believe that some of them shop at their local fruit, fish, wine, and cheese markets.


Part of my ideal picture of Italy includes Catholicism. So far, Naples has not failed my ideal. We spent some time in the Duomo, which was magnificent, but these little tributes in between different apartment buildings were equally powerful in exemplifying the passion for Catholicism I like to think people have here.

We will likely spend many Sunday mornings roaming the streets of this city. Next time, though, I'm pretty sure we will take a bus or a train, because we proved that driving and parking are doable, but not the least bit enjoyable.

more pictures from our perfect Saturday

The gardens at the palazzo were like nothing I'd ever seen before. From the palace, you could see a waterfall a mile away in the distance. Walking a mile in the sun with Graham is no small feat, so we were excited to be greeted by a misty breeze and some ice cream at the top.






And here is the view from Caserta Vecchia... pictures really don't do it justice...

plenty of time

P1030222, originally uploaded by akblaine.

The best part about living in Italy, I think, is going to be that we have time to enjoy all the nooks and crannies that we wouldn't see if we were here on a short vacation. We spent our entire Saturday walking around Palazzo Reale di Caserta. We spent hours inside and outside letting Graham take his time sauntering around. I don't think this place would have been on our list if we were in Italy for a short time, but it was magnificent and something we will probably do with guests.
After the palace, we drove up the hill to a small, medieval town called Caserta Vecchia and stumbled upon a Catholic wedding. We spent about an hour just observing the wedding party as they left the church. Noticing that people were gathering in the church after the wedding, we decided to join them and celebrated our first Italian mass.
We walked around town taking in the view and came upon a quaint restaurant, but had little cash, so the restaurant worker drove Tony down to a bank! We ate as the sun sat on the mountains and then Graham danced the night away. It was a perfect Saturday...
I'm trying to figure out some things with pictures, so I will post more shortly. I also have some things to say about our Sunday, too!

with a little help from my friends

When we first arrived in Oklahoma, I remember feeling cold, alone, pregnant, and at a loss for what I was going to do with my time while Tony was out working. But then I met some Oklahomans like these guys,


who showed me how to have fun no matter what the conditions, and couples like this



who assured me that love is alive and well, and friends like these


who listened to me moan and weep while Tony was away, and who could truly understand what I was going through.
Having just arrived in Italy, I am feeling similar to how I felt when we got to Oklahoma, minus the pregnant and cold part. It is hot here, and I am NOT pregnant. I have many sites to explore, a language to learn, and a new culture to enjoy, but I can't help but miss my friends and wonder if I'll ever find happiness here in Italy the way I did in Oklahoma.
Thanks to all the friends who helped me get by in Oklahoma... I miss you dearly.
p.s. there are several friends not pictured here, but don't worry, I'm thinking about you, too, and you'll get your chance to be in the spotlight!

safety and security.

There is a saying in the Navy that goes like this, "If one person shits his pants, then everyone is required to wear diapers." They like to make rules in the Navy, so if one person messes up, they make up a rule that applies to everyone. Part of the orientation for us US Military folk trying to live in Naples is to go to a safety and security "brief." There are countless break-ins here in Naples, whether they be into cars or homes. They send you to this "brief" so that you know some precautions to take, such as not leaving your fancy GPS in your car, or locking your doors and shutters at night. The guy giving the "brief" was a tough guy who has been in the Navy for as long as he can remember. He had several stories and examples to illustrate how people could have prevented break-ins and why certain rules are in place. I took most of what he said with a grain of salt, because we are excited about living "out in town," and I don't want anyone to scare the excitement out of me. Those who know me know that I'm not much of a door-locker, and I'm really not all that worried about my stuff being stolen, because, after all, it is just that, stuff. He assured several times that these thieves are not out to harm you and they will run if you catch them. They just want stuff. So, I wasn't too bothered by all the crazy examples he was using, until he crossed the line that brought out "Mother Bear." He told a story about an innocent Italian woman at home with her baby in the high chair in the middle of the day. A thief got into her home and took the baby from the high chair when the innocent Italian mom was not looking! She turned to notice her baby gone and saw the thief, so she caught the thief! The thief was thrown in jail for a couple of hours and then released back into the community because the police said they "did not have the resources" to keep her in jail. It goes without saying that the mom was outraged, and so was the community, so they took things into their own hands by hiring a mobster. The mobster burned down half of the area where the thief and other "transient people" (formerly known as gypsies) lived. Now, those who know that I am not much of a door-locker and don't get too paranoid about these sorts of things also know that when it comes to Graham, I can be a rigid, paranoid, freak! So now, as we search for homes "out in town," I worry about someone being able to snatch Graham from it's beautiful yard and then me being responsible for burning down an entire community! The guy giving the brief sure did a nice job, huh? Now, I need therapy! Please wish us luck as we look for someplace safe and secure in Naples...
The place in the photo is the one we like with a big yard. Maybe the statue of Jesus will keep thieves and kidnappers away????

Graham

love this kid., originally uploaded by akblaine.

Also known as Bosephus, Grahambo, G-Money, G-Unit, and most recently, Grahambino. He is 37 months old and has loved every second of his life. Some things he especially enjoys are: Cars (the movie, and any toy on wheels), playing in sand, Curious George, pizza, gelato, bread, all kinds of fruit, reading stories, swimming and playing in any sort of water, babies, animals, asking a million questions a day, the word, "why," wrestling, traveling, and being with Mom and Dad. He often lives in his own world, somewhat happily oblivious to his surroundings. At the same time, though, he is incredibly sensitive toward people. He is always observant of people's moods and what they are wearing. He will approach someone and say, "Hey, you got a red shirt. I got blue shorts." Or, if he hears a baby crying from far away, he will say, "Mommy, what is wrong with the baby. Will she be okay?" He is good at identifying feelings and will say things like, "Mom, this thing is making me frustrated!" Yes, it is obvious that he is being raised by a counselor...
Graham also makes up words. For example, water that is deep such as in a lake or ocean, he calls "googely," and the trailers pulled by semi trucks, he calls "waggles." He also says, "What should can we do," or "Where should can we go?" Instead of side walk, he says, "walk side," and instead of forget, he says, "get for." It melts my heart every time, but I guess I should probably teach him to speak correctly someday... but not yet... I'm holding on to his youth as long as possible.
Graham is also pretty particular about things. He likes to wear socks and will even insist on wearing them in his sandals. He likes things to go in order. For instance, at bed time, he has to have a bath, get dressed, read stories, turn off the lights, do "squeezes," sing songs, snuggle, then go to bed. The door has to be left partially open and there must be a light on in the hallway. If any of this is out of order, he is quick to let you know! Fascinatingly, while he likes order, he is also pretty laid back and easy to be around. He's never really been a fit thrower, and he can usually accept "no" for an answer as long as it is explained to him. He looooves explanations!
He is excellent at traveling and going with the flow. He might ask a hundred questions, but he transitions with ease. He even showed no signs of jet lag after flying to Italy!
These are just little tid bits that I know will be easily forgotten as time goes by, which is why I am choosing to follow Lauren's advice and write them down.
Graham is growing up beautifully. What a fortunate thing for me to be able to say. I love him beyond measurement and thank God, fate, and luck everyday that he is in our lives.