Tuesday May 25

So I find myself getting further and further behind on my blogs. I take time during my ten minute class lectures to make notes on my computer. I figured that since last week is even further a part of the past, it won’t hurt to push my updates from last week even more. So Sunday was amazing to finally get a chance to really sleep in. I usually have to wake up at like 7:45, well now its maybe more around 8:00 before Caroline and I even think about rolling out of bed, throw on a t-shirt, and walk down to class. Sunday, didn’t even think about getting out of bed before 10:00.

Tonight’s Daniel’s last day. It’s been fun having him come and knock on our window just to visit. He really loves coming and reading his stories and poems to us. It’s so hard not to initially laugh when he reads the first line of his stories, because the thought of Johnny Depp in Secret Window when he’s reading off his computer pops into my head. Gets me everytime. You’d think after awhile the thought would die away, it doesn’t. He had a “work exhibition” last night with Chris, who’s here basically as our translator and tour guide – he has so much knowledge about this place, it’s unbelievable – and Chris showed his pottery and ceramic work, and Daniel read his story. Or I should say Johnny Depp did. All he needed was a beat up bath robe an a little bit longer hair. He shaved his mustache last week, so now he’s sporting the slight facial hair, and with his glasses, it’s undeniably Secret Window. But it was pretty cool to see and hear about the work they’re doing here. What a life to work on your writings or pottery, while living in Cortona, with a bunch of college kids (half of which do study all the time), but the rest of us “vitis” as we refer to ourselves, split bottles of wine at dinner before we even think about studying. Life’s too short to be in Cortona, and not do it the Italian way.

Chris just walked by us laying on the concrete outside – “good morning sun seekers”. Ha, only he would say that and laugh. It’s funny, because he’s the only one that would walk to the back of our field trip coach bus on Friday, and see me and Caroline sprawled out, with our legs intertwined trying to sleep on our 20 minute trip from one place to another, and start dying laughing at us. It really wasn’t that funny, but he thought so, so we just had to laugh.

I took Caroline and April, and picked up Jordan who had started off running but was walking, on my trail up to the backside of the mountain and back down to the other side of the city today. I have really enjoyed my runs the past couple of days, and needed a break from running, and decided today would be a good day to walk, especially because there’s not a cloud in the sky and it’s like 75 degrees outside. So I took them through the park, and up the road past the bed and breakfast I run past. And on the way is Frances Mayes’ house, and then to the top where there is this old church and cute caffe and restaurant. The back part of the trail takes you down the back side of the mountain, past the church with the grand dome on top and the old cemetery (which I visited alone last week). And then we made our way back through town, and I was able to get some more fresh fruit, and we picked up a sandwich from Bar 500 to sit and eat on the steps. We’ve stopped buying lunch everyday in town, but today was totally necessary, and very much overdue.

I’ve started reading John and Stase Eldredge’s Captivating, Unveiling the Mystery of a Woman’s soul. It came highly recommended by Caroline. She’s loved so much to just pick up her book and start reading, pretty much just wherever in the book she feels like most reads to her. Every day she’s told me how much she loves it and how much I really need to read it. She’s such a strong and incredible person. I have never felt so loved by a friend before. She’s so incredibly deep and passionate about love and relationships. I’m going to be so heartbroken to not have her around every day when I get back. I don’t even want to even think about to leave her. What an incredible way to bring someone so influential into my life, to travel together and experience things that I feel are so beyond real life. So I got back from our walk, and decided to take some time to myself outside in the sun and I started reading. I started with the last chapter, and how woman have an irreplaceable role in life.

So I leave you with a quote from the book – “you are a woman. An image bearer of God. The Crown of Creation. You were chose before time and space, and you are wholly and dearly loved. You are sough t after, pursued, romanced, the passionate desire of your Fiancé, Jesus. You are dangerous in your beauty and your life-giving power. And you are needed.”