After the week of death

Hello everybody!!! Im alive! Back in the land of the living. Sorry it has taken entirely too long for me to update the blog, I've just been a mess. Like Aaron said earlier, a big mean stomach virus came along and took me out for a whole week. I felt like a prisoner in this house and it was miserable. Good news is, though, that Italians do have good medicine. Who knew?=) So anyway, after the week of pain, great things started happening again. The Italy campaign finished that same weekend, and they made their way up to Prato to see us for a night. That was a blast, we got to hear all kinds of amazing stories about the work that was going on in cities all over Italy. It was nice to be reminded , after a week like I had, that there is soo much going on, so much work to do here. It was definitly a pick me up to see them. The best part about them being here is that we were able to plan a day trip together to go to Cinque Terre (a series of 5 smalls cities on the coast). We went first to Florence to catch up with the Daggett family on their way through Tuscany, and that was amazing. It was soo nice to be around people that we knew loved us and that could offer us some encouragement. They were great about telling us that they think we're doing a good job and to keep it up. They really encouraged us not to loose heart and to work even harder this last month that we have here. They gave us some ideas of new things to be involved in and ways to make new relationships. That was soo needed and totally priceless to us, because we had been getting a little down. We feel renewed and refreshed and ready to work, Thank God. We have realized how important relationships are. Sometimes when the work is slow or we feel like we aren't making a difference, it's good for us to remember that relationships are the reason we are here. Through forming relationships we can encourage, teach, and comfort. We intend to spend a big part of our time doing just that, forming relationships here. The Christians in the church in Prato are so closed off from each other, and they dont open up to each other. What an opportunity for us to be what they need while we are here! =) Anyway, thats been really on my mind, sorry about the soapbox=) Outside of spending time with the Italian families we have been hosting puppet shows in parks around the city all week and thats been fun. Really HOT, but soo fun. The kids love it. Sooo many actually come out and sit through the 2 hour show! warming all over the place! There is a ridiculously vicious hiking path the runs to/ thru each ofOh yeah, I forgot to tell you guys about the actual trip to Cinque Terre! It was soo stinking fun! WE loved it there! I'll post pics, but the cities are in the mountains right along side of the Med. sea. They are super quaint and cute, with tons of tourists swarming the cities. There is a ridiculously viscious hiking path that leads through each of the cities and it was fun/exhausting to do that with the campaigners! We couldn't have asked for a better end to the "week of death". Before I go, I just wanna say how much I miss you guys. SO MUCH! I am having a bit of a hard time with being so far away. I feel completely excluded from your lives, and its killing me. PLEASE, please write me updates on you. Let me know the new and exciting things that are happening in your lives! I love you all soo much, and pray for you daily. God bless you all this week!

p.s. This Wed. coming up (the 25th) is a very special day. It will be our 3 year anniversary!!!!!!! We are taking an overnight trip to Venice to celebrate and we are soooooo excited!!!! Pray for everything to go well please, so that we can start year 4 with a bang!! =)