The sounds of the restaurant were all around us. Plates clanking, forks and knives in use, the murmer of conversations. The richness of the food, the smell of the wine and the smiles from the waiter as he referred to Ellanora as bambina, created a nearly perfect moment for us. We were tucked away in a small restaurant in Rome, enjoying lunch complete with fresh bruschetta, salamis, cheeses, bread, wine and pasta. Ellanora had penne with tomato-basil sauce, while the boys and I enjoyed carbonara, and I was quickly filled with nostalgia and began telling the story of the meal I shared with Jill’s parents when I was eating carbonara on the night I asked for her hand in marriage, and of how I met Jill’s friend later that evening to buy the ring that Jill had secretly been admiring.
Yesterday morning began early as we needed to be fed and ready for the day by 8:15. After boarding the bus, we were soon headed down the coast for the hour-long drive into the heart of the Eternal City. It wasn’t long after our arrival into the city of Rome that we were all in awe of the history of the space we were in. The spot where the Apostle Paul is buried, the spot where Peter is buried, the palace ruins of the Caesars, the bridges, the walls, the cathedrals, the Colosseum. The history of this ancient city goes on and on, from tragedy to beauty, and words do not do it justice.
We were soon in St. Peter’s square, marveling at St. Peter’s Basilica. Before moving into the Vatican City we stopped for some espresso, hot chocolate and snacks (I had to use the bathroom, which included a 1 Euro visa charge before I could enter (who knew!?!)).
Passing through the walls of the Vatican, we made our way through security, and were soon inside the home of Pope Leo XIV. The art and the statues were all incredible, some dating back to the time before Christ, but it was the Sistine Chapel, and the art of Michelangelo that left us all speechless. His painstaking efforts, the tragedy he endured, and his depiction of the history of man and God is beautiful. We stood in silence, necks craned to try and capture even a small bit of the vastness of his works in that place.
We soon wrapped up our time in the Vatican and made our way back onto the streets of Rome and to a small restaurant where we had that truly Italian lunch. The boys and I all had wine with the meal, which Joel couldn’t enjoy, and Grayson’s enjoyment of the glass of wine soon made him flushed and sleepy.
Later in the evening, Ellanora enjoyed lamb for dinner (I love that they are trying new foods!), and then, in her new dress from Sicily, she and I went to the theater and watched as a couple danced and did acrobatics on ropes and silks hanging from the ceiling (Ellanora is in a silks class each week at home, so this performance was a great surprise for us both).
It is Saturday morning, and I have just watched the sunrise over the Mediterranean from our balcony, as we arrived in the port of Savona, Italy. After the last few days, we are tired, and I suspect we’ll spend a couple hours in Savona before a slower day reading and relaxing on the ship. As I’ve continued to express, this country is beautiful, but it’s our journey I cannot get enough of. We are redefining what it looks like to be a family, what it means to rely on each other, and what it means to grieve. There have been many moments when we talk about wishing Jill was experiencing things with us, and how much she would love something, and these moments are typically filled with laughter. There are moments of nostalgia and a happy memory that is tinged with sadness, such as the story I shared with the kids over carbonara, and there are the tearful moments, when the deep loss is present and can feel dark and hopeless. In the midst of it all, the history, the beauty, the grief, and the laughter, I am filled with gratitude.
Learning to Move Through the World 