When in Rome

There was much discussion leading up to our departure from the States as to whether Wade would come back and get us or if we would meet him in Dubai. I thought it silly to pay for him to come ALL the way back to States only to make a quick turn around and head right back. I also, wasn’t under any false pretenses that the flight to Dubai would be an easy one. It’s 20 hours for crying out loud. It very well could be the most difficult part of the experience. Sooo, we thought it prudent to meet in the middle and go to Rome. He flew from Dubai, I from Salt Lake and we met for a lovely holiday in Italy. I figured I’d been doing this parenting thing solo for 3 months, what’s 12 more hours? I thought we were made in the shade after the first three hours to Chicago. The kids were BRILLIANT. Then we boarded for 8 1/2 hours to Italy and the wheels came off. Tessa was great. Bode slept for about 45 minutes. Not great. We landed and I was wiped. Physically and emotionally. Then we got off the plane and I had to collect 4 MASSIVE bags, a car seat, a stroller and two children and make it through customs. I looked like a pack animal, was sweating and kept muttering under my breath, “Where the HELL are all the gentleman? If I were in America right now, 10 guys would have asked me if they could help.” Truly, I got passed by dozens of people, watching me while I tried to negotiate a stroller in front and a ginormous cart behind. Finally, a woman, hit her husband on the shoulder and pointed at me and he came to ask if I needed help. I took it immediately and then all my exasperation disappeared when we walked through the double glass doors and there was Wade. He yelled, “Tessa” and she screamed, “DADDY!!!”, she ran into his arms and I cried and finished rolling my bags over so I could hug and kiss my husband. It was a sweet reunion.

The rest of the week was less dramatic, but equally as sweet. We were jet lagged, our clocks were off and it was roasting in Roma, but we were so happy to be together again it didn’t seem to matter. We slept in until 10 everyday, went for pastries, a tour, and gelato and went to bed late. Sometimes the kids would wake at midnight rearing to go, so we’d do a 1:00 stroll around our block and then go back to bed until 10. Our pace was slow and unhurried. We hit the highlights and ate gelato like it was the last few days it would ever be on earth. It was perfecto.

 Here goes nothin’! I pledge allegiance to my bag of tricks and for heavens sake, God bless the iPad.

Jet lagged in St. Peters Square. If ya gotta be jet lagged, might as well be it in St. Peter’s Square. Together again. The kids are tired, but Wade and I are pretty happy about it.

We threw a Euro into Trevi Fountain. Legend has it that those who do will be lucky enough to return to Rome someday. Don’t want to challenge legend!

Pit stop at an outdoor café. Photo’s courtesy of Tessa, she was quite the photographer on this trip.

Bubs perusing the street art. Crane your neck, it’s worth seeing, even if it’s sideways.

The Pantheon. The architecture in Rome is enough to make your head spin. Especially when you think about the age in which they were building these structures and the equipment or lack there of that they were working with. I was amazed over and over again.

The Vatican Museums. It’s hard to describe and harder still to find a photo that does the original justice.

St. Peter’s Cathedral. The scale! I kept repeating over and over how I couldn’t believe how big it was. And the ceilings. Oh the ceilings. I wish these photo’s weren’t so dark, but they didn’t want you using a flash. The Cathedral is still used for mass everyday and there was one happening in one of the alcove’s while we were there. Those Catholics know how to do a church building.

We were able to go into the Sistine Chapel but weren’t allowed to take pictures. It was reverent and exquisite. Thinking of Michelangelo hanging from the ceiling painting the masterpiece that it is sent chills down my spine.

I could find a shady spot in a piazza with some gelato and waste the day away with little guilt at all. So could Tessa as you can see. She was a pretty steady mint chip or strawberry, I was a steady coconut plus an additional flavor, Wade a diligent dulche de leche and Bode? Well, he’d take whatever the rest of us were having. The Egyptian broke character to say, “Ciao Bella” to Tessa. And I was pretty happy to be with my family again. Can you tell? Several photo’s courtesy of T-bug again.

Bubbles are better on the Spanish Steps. So is the people watching.

I wasn’t kidding when I said we were pretty jet lagged and off the clocks.

I also wasn’t kidding when I said we had gelato twice a day.

A morning market. Complete with free fresh cantaloupe. The Italians were ever adoring to our ‘bambini’s’. Trying with all their might to get them to say “Ciao, Ciao”. They were so lovely. Pasta anyone?

And while we’re speaking of lovely, we’ll discuss this trattoria Wade found one night. This sweet lady ran the restaurant that has no menu. You just show up and eat what’s being prepared that night. She loved Tessa and Bode and Bode and Tessa loved her cats. Wade and I loved the charming courtyard and the food. The anti-pasti, the perfect al-dente arrabiata. It seemed an authentic Italian dining experience. Be informed that the hype surrounding Italian cooking is no hype at all. It deserves all the accolades it receives.

Il Colosseo . Again, I was so awe struck with the scale and architecture of a structure built so long ago. The Romans were so forward thinking. Did you know they used to fill it with water and have naval training drills in there? Unbelievable. In one of the photos you can see the tunnels under the floor where they kept the gladiators and the animals, which all came by boat from Africa. I thought it interesting too, that the gladiators were never just thrown in the ring with the animals or one another. They were trained, sometimes for years, by Roman soldiers for their fight in the Coliseum. Thus making it less barbaric…? We also made a quick stop at the Roman forum, which on another day would have been really interesting. But it was so, so hot and the kids had hit their limit.

We bought Bode a Ferrari. And a Fiat and told him to set his sights on the latter. Although, all he really wanted was…

a motorino. Harrie, I think you should start referring to Penny as a motorino vs. a scooter. It sounds way cooler.

We also bought T this overpriced Italian swimsuit. Twice. It was the ONLY thing she wanted after scouring the shops for a few days. And the first one we bought got left in a taxi. Grrrr. Based on this pose, I dare day this is the last bikini we will be buying.

Wade found us the coolest little apartment near the Vatican. It had the most charming courtyard and the loveliest circa-1920’s elevator. The kids loved it. I’d look into renting a local’s apartment for any of our travels. The home owner was so nice and gave us lots of insider tips on restaurants and gelato that were off the tourists beaten path. It was kind of a great way to see a bit more of the local culture as well, right inside someone’s home.

My favorite night in Rome was the evening we spent in Piazza Navona. It was the perfect summer night, it was warm and the air carried a little magic. Bode rolled his Fiat along the cobblestones in between the street performers and the artists with their wares. The food was delicious and I was feeling Roman enough to partake of some prosciutto. Just being together and hearing our children say ‘Ciao’ made the night feel complete.

Another highlight was hearing Wade speak Italian. I loved it. I also loved sitting in the backseat of a taxi with Tessa while she laughed her head off because dad and the taxi driver were talking crazy.

Our reunion would have been sweet anywhere. And we would have been thrilled to be together again had it been in Siberia. But the lucky fact that we got to do it in Italy made it all the more romantic and extraordinary. It filled our empty cups and left us ready to take on the adventure that lied ahead.