Jacob and I have been working the last few days to help him catch up with his Italian homework. In the course of one month's time, he has hopped from one country to another, from one language to another, from one city to another, from one school to another, from one teacher to another, from one set of textbooks to another...you get the picture.
I am so proud of him for facing the challenge and sticking with it. Tonight he was introduced to the difference between vertebrate and invertebrate animals (vertebrali/invertebrali) and definite and indefinite articles (articoli definitivi e indefinitivi). His grammar homework involved reading a two-page story and underlining 20 article/noun combinations (all of this in Italian) and then in his notebook to label each one. For those of you who are going, 'huh?', let me illustrate. This is what he had to write for each one:
la fata (the fairy)
la = articolo definitivo, femminile, singolare (the = definite article, feminine, singular)
fata = nome comune di cosa, femminile, singolare (fairy = common noun, feminine, singular)
___________________
I'm so proud of him. After eight long hours of school, he still has the strength, the stamina, the willingness to hammer out a long assignment and learn in two languages the words and terms for indefinite articles and vertebrate animals.
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Neutral
Jacob says, 'Yes!'.
Haven says, 'No!'.
Harrison says, "I want a cookie."
Heather and I both think, "Well...maybe we could..." or "But there isn't a...".
We had been hoping and praying for more - more clarity. As it is, if we drew a line, it would be right down the center.
The house we looked at, the one about which we got a phone call out of the blue after nearly a year of not hearing anything, is quite a bit smaller than ours. It doesn't even include a garage or cantina (storage room) in which to store the things we have here.
The yard is small, say 6' x 25' with a terrace that is only slightly bigger. I love the location, ground floor on a quiet, little main street, just meters from a little grocery store, butcher, panetteria, tabaccheria, bar (caffe) and post office. It is directly across the street from a school and a 3 minute walk from one of the main Catholic churches in the area. There is a park and ancient fort just a 5-minute walk away.
But...it is smaller, substantially smaller. We'll keep praying, but for now, we are content where we are and hoping that God would show us when, if ever, to shift out of neutral.
Haven says, 'No!'.
Harrison says, "I want a cookie."
Heather and I both think, "Well...maybe we could..." or "But there isn't a...".
We had been hoping and praying for more - more clarity. As it is, if we drew a line, it would be right down the center.
The house we looked at, the one about which we got a phone call out of the blue after nearly a year of not hearing anything, is quite a bit smaller than ours. It doesn't even include a garage or cantina (storage room) in which to store the things we have here.
The yard is small, say 6' x 25' with a terrace that is only slightly bigger. I love the location, ground floor on a quiet, little main street, just meters from a little grocery store, butcher, panetteria, tabaccheria, bar (caffe) and post office. It is directly across the street from a school and a 3 minute walk from one of the main Catholic churches in the area. There is a park and ancient fort just a 5-minute walk away.
But...it is smaller, substantially smaller. We'll keep praying, but for now, we are content where we are and hoping that God would show us when, if ever, to shift out of neutral.
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Long Time No See
Davide is one of the first people we met in Ancona - and certainly the first to show us any semblance of hospitality or kindness. He was our real-estate agent and found the apartment where we currently live. He initially took us out to coffee near the passetto and after the contract was signed, took us out to lunch at our current favorite restaurant in Ancona - Da Nazarre'. Davide is married to Alessandra and they have a daughter, Giulia, and a dog, Peggy.
We hadn't seen them in several months and today after our morning gathering, we drove out to Camerano to see them in their new apartment. We hung out for an hour or so, got the tour of their new home and talked about getting together again soon. Davide works for an electronics store and is only home about twice a month (he works about 3 hours south of Ancona.)
He seemed down, nervous and distant. Only being in town a few hours a month, it is hard to continue a friendship - but I'll keep trying.
We hadn't seen them in several months and today after our morning gathering, we drove out to Camerano to see them in their new apartment. We hung out for an hour or so, got the tour of their new home and talked about getting together again soon. Davide works for an electronics store and is only home about twice a month (he works about 3 hours south of Ancona.)
He seemed down, nervous and distant. Only being in town a few hours a month, it is hard to continue a friendship - but I'll keep trying.
Saturday, January 27, 2007
Dreaming of Moving Vans
Saturdays are typically 'work days' around the Casey home - it is how we interpret the word Sabbath - thank you very much. This morning we got a late start, but quickly got into gear, organizing the kids' rooms and toys, washing windows, straightening our portion of the garage (we share it with 7 other neighbors) and doing other leftover 'settling-in' things like hooking Heather's photo printer up.
Around 11:00, I took the trash down and drove up the road in front of our house (Via del Conero) to the next little neighborhood, Pietralacroce. I knew the guy living in the apartment we are supposed to look at on Monday was supposed to be moving out today so I drove around on my scooter, praying and looking for moving vans. I saw one, but wasn't sure if that was the place. We are anxious to see this apartment (with a yard AND a terrace) and are praying that the Lord would give us wisdom. Heather has always said that living in Ancona would be SO MUCH EASIER if there were an IKEA and we had a yard - well the IKEA opened up last Fall - so it appears that God is working on her prayer list.
After stopping by to visit the Crossers, dropping Jacob off at Alessandro's house and getting some groceries, we are now home, getting the house ready for dinner guests: Alessandro, Michaela, Oscar & Marco. We are looking forward to catching up with Michaela and of course the kids enjoy having other kids to play with.
Tonight we will sleep well and if I had to guess, I'll be dreaming of moving vans...
Around 11:00, I took the trash down and drove up the road in front of our house (Via del Conero) to the next little neighborhood, Pietralacroce. I knew the guy living in the apartment we are supposed to look at on Monday was supposed to be moving out today so I drove around on my scooter, praying and looking for moving vans. I saw one, but wasn't sure if that was the place. We are anxious to see this apartment (with a yard AND a terrace) and are praying that the Lord would give us wisdom. Heather has always said that living in Ancona would be SO MUCH EASIER if there were an IKEA and we had a yard - well the IKEA opened up last Fall - so it appears that God is working on her prayer list.
After stopping by to visit the Crossers, dropping Jacob off at Alessandro's house and getting some groceries, we are now home, getting the house ready for dinner guests: Alessandro, Michaela, Oscar & Marco. We are looking forward to catching up with Michaela and of course the kids enjoy having other kids to play with.
Tonight we will sleep well and if I had to guess, I'll be dreaming of moving vans...
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