So we're all on the same page, in a continuation of last summer where I got be be a kid all summer and play, well I'm so blessed to be able to engage in this wonderful creation of play and laughter at the Whatcom YMCA.

I am working full time as Teen Adventure Camp Staff, aka I get paid to go on Adventures everyday and just hang out with teens. PUMPED. And in doing so i get to travel ALL over this magnificent state of Washington. For example, i'll be leading trips climbing outdoors, biking, floating downs rivers on tubes, bouldering, biking, overnights (camping out)...etc.

Wow. Can't wait to get this show on the road!

'... our spirits Soar.'

I recently stumbled upon this beautiful collaboration of words spoken by a curator of art here in Bellingham, wanted to share it with you!

' Beauty and functional objects

bring us closer to the essential idea that

Art can be integrated into Everyday Life.

When we are Surrounded

by visually compelling objects

and works of art

Our Spirit Soars...'

'..Feel the rapture of being ALIVE.'

To say the least I fell ALIVE here in Bellingham, WA.

Alive in the sense of being engaged daily with the love of Stacie, how can i ever think past how much beauty she reflects on me in every aspect of life & in these weeks coming up to the wedding her glow representing LOVE, such a pure love has brightened me along with the blessing she already portrays in others.

My sister is a beautiful and such a crucial element in my life. So blessed to be able to be out here with her at this time and getting to spend a summer with her and Marcus.

Vivo.

Benvenuto a mia casa!

Coming home has been a whirlwind of thoughts and faces. But in the midst of my array of feelings, there is one place i found to be home here in Toledo, Ella P. Stewart Academy for Girls. Last fall I started visiting the classroom once or twice a week. I went into mentoring, but i came out of it just gaining beautiful unique friendships. Unique in every smile. These girls make me smile no matter what, I have never felt so loved. In my two weeks home, i went to see them twice, and the first time was a surprise for the girls. That was great, full of tears and joy. One of the more confirming moments in my life.

Thank you Mrs. Hixon and the girls for everything. You have really brought me to a new level of happiness in being home in Toledo. Spending time with you guys is always the highlight of my week, and i have learned so much more about education than i could have ever imagined. I miss you girls already!

Ti amo.

riflessioni invisibile

[Unseen Reflections]

Mirrors reflect what is seen ;What can reflect what is unseen and lost in memory?

Trying to trace back through the past five months, I can’t find the words or actions to grasp the journey my heart has endeavored. Gratitude exceeds most emotions, still engaged in a bit of awe crawling towards the realization of my life’s education. This education exceeded any thoughts expectation. Pursuing life again back to paved roads my feet are searching for the uneven cobblestones, where is the language? Why can I understand what everyone is saying… Things became so familiar, now I’m emerged again in what I used to find comfortable. I miss the challenge of the unknown. Going a day pursuing things unseen. My eyes are searching for the colors, those maroon shutters and roofs clashed against the worm yellow walls, fighting the ancient brick bleeding from the doors. Even listening to the same music sounds different here, it’s like my life is back to a blank canvas, those colors previously created can never be re-fashioned. But this makes me forever grateful, leaving those colors, hues, shades, faces in their own specific context. A collaboration of created life. Once experience once lived , now only reflected.

Friends, each of you allowed me to grow and branch out in so many new directions. My roots have grown deeper and stronger due to your love and compassion. Living with you, seeing Italy with you and just coming together, ignoring all differences, I would never change a thing. My mind highlights each of you in a new light, a new color and new perspective for me to appreciate in this journey of life and creating what mine appears to be leading to. Your steps have imprinted my heart and with your influence I can only hope to recreate the same to others.

amicizia

Friendship. This simple term has elaborated into a new concept for my travels abroad here in Italy. Back home friends are those we have spent years of our life with, while here I have formed such dynamic bonds with those who were merely strangers a few months ago, I now see them like siblings. We travel together, this entitles one to a plethora of situations good and bad. We know each other like the back of our hands. Mannerisms, voices, characteristics, I could write biographies on each one of them. It’s though this labyrinth of travel, of leaving what is common and comfortable that you create a whole new meaning to the appreciation of friendship. The start of a relationship by the luck of our plane tickets to the unclaimed smile given in a moment of frustration. I have learned to piece these elements to find the genuine friendship that I will cherish. This labyrinth had no end like most other mazes, I only hope to continue to be lost in a sea of others for the rest of my life.

le impronte digitali

[fingerprints]

‘Nowadays many people seem to believe their lives are entirely a matter of choice; but in my day we viewed ourselves as pieces of clay that forever show the fingerprints of everyone who has touched them.’

currents

We must use whatever methods we can

to understand the movement of the universe around us

and time our actions

so that we are not fighting the currents

but moving with them

Un ballo con Mr. Blue

[A dance with Mr. Blue]

My hands crashed first, then the rest of my sun painted body lunged into the continuous motion of Blue; for the first time in my life I really got to feel the color Blue, to experience its crisp sharp movement across me as a met him on that sunny afternoon. Allowing myself to soak in the water dancing around me, dancing with me, I kicked my feet and started smiling . Smiling in the realization of where I am, who I am, what I am becoming, completely taking in this moment. I broke the surface my eyes as big as my smile reflected on the white cliffs facing me. They greeted me with their massive presence, bringing a certain unexplained peace. Something hugging me, lifting me up to a new light, a new direction of things that I once thought were unseen. Caves speckled the white walls, rocks spread their arms reaching to meet the Blue dance floor. His sparks of light played in the caves, reflections jumped off the cliffs , contrasting the white rippled sand sleeping quietly underneath. Never will I find a more true, honest Blue. He met me at his finest and created a happiness I will never re-create.

Cala Gonone, Sardinia, Italy

Kayaking to the beautiful shore of Cala Luna, preserved beach only accessible by water or foot.

Beaches right outside our Hotel.

View from our Hotel Cala Luna, a wonderful terrace on top that I spent a lot of time watching the sun at its most colorful compositions in the skies expanse..

My first plunge into the water, the most magnificent play on Blue. Cala Gonone is the city you can see in the background, climbing up the side of the mountain while resting right on the beach. Our hotel was right on the water there, most relaxing 5 days of my life. Kayaking, reading, writing, hiking, just allowing myself to really breathe for the first time.

Jenny standing on the beach, Cala Luna, while I was looking out form a cave. This is the beach we kayaked too , only accessible by water.

Photos for Vai Francigena...

This red 'F' guided us along our hike, represented on rocks, poles, or just anything that you can paint on... The 'F' stands for the Via Francigena.

Macie and I looking at a board discussing the Via Francigena right outside our first destination of the Basilica of Saint Christina in Bolsena.

Macie and I overlooking Lake Bolsena.

Our hike that was smothered by olive trees and vineyards, even some rosemary along the way!

One of our more memorable markers along our path to Montefiascone.

Via Francigena: Bolsena to Montefiscone- Pilgrimage

Everything came together as I stood in awe of the simple footprints depicted in an antique stone smothered under the medieval altar. These traces of a prominent individuals steps in life, real authentic impressions of their feet. Initially filled with curiosity as to whom these may have belonged to, I was compelled with the thoughts about the importance of our steps in time, and the impressions they make in our journey called life. Something so familiar in our everyday life that we tend to over look, yet in the context of standing in the Basilica of Santa Christina, in Bolsena, Italy, on a pilgrimage. I found the simple connotation of steps in our existence so powerful and motivating; the moment was walking all over my heart, captivating my heart in every step.

Saint Christina was only 11yrs old when she became a martyr for Christianity in the 3^rd century, 11 yrs old…how can one even get a glimpse of life enough to grasp it at such a young age, yet she is considered a Saint, and one of the most prominent in Italy. She represented giving, servitude and love in every step of her life, despite the greed of her father. Taking a path away from the direction of her father, into a life of complete servitude and poverty, he immediately proclaimed her as an enemy and took her life into his hands. Her pursuit of a new life away from the conformity to society shows so much strength in her soul and heart, what courage, and she was so young. Taking her fathers precious golden idols and melting them into gold coins to give to the poor, what an incredible understood faith. The fact alone that she was a woman, merely not even a teenager yet, sets such a strong standard on her life. Woman had no say in their life journey, it was expected to be a housewife and serve your husband and your family. Well she served, beyond all means. Her steps had meaning, this really should say something; steps taken at the age of 10 to say the least that created her name and developed who she was. Portraying a pilgrimage destined to the hearts and existence of others, I was immediately filled with a passion to engage in my pilgrimage.

A pilgrimage is created by taking steps, from taking steps on a gravel path to find your faith or to the steps taken into a stranger’s home to provide an undefined serving love. Authenticity finds its way to the top of this creation, the main ingredient in coloring your path, each footstep one by one forming a true collage. To take strides away from where we find comfort, permitting ourselves to grasp what was once unseen, embracing our purpose, listening to the voice of our heart; a continual motivation, pushing us and giving us the strength of pursuit. These strides balance us, give us the ability to reflect on the meaning of every unique step we have been blessed with; embracing and learning how these walks have carried us and created us to be where we are now.

Stumbling into the Basilica of Saint Christina was merely the beginning of our trek on the Via Francigena that Saturday afternoon, but what perfect timing in this powerful moment. It left me with an entire day of walking that trail so many have taken hundreds of years before on a spiritual journey. Drinking from the same fountains, resting in the same places, and meditating on all walks of life coming together to this single gravel road, as it weaves through the countryside of Italy. A path whose pursuit gave me a chance to walk on the notes of my heart, as it sang with love from a Saint so young, so motivating. My expectations were exceeded as I walked my way towards the altar and peered at the imprints of Saint Christina’s feet. My heart was not prepared for the lunge it took, a lunge toward my faith and the heart God has blessed me with. Meeting with God and allowing my eyes to open up and really slow down my steps to walk with him as He takes the brush and paints my life.

[Pictures will be added soon! Macie's boyfriend came along with and took some wonderful pictures that really grasp our hike and adventure that day. This is also just a rough draft of an idea but I will be comprising a different aspect of this piece focusing on the actually hike , which will hopefully be published in a local travel magazine called iLazio.]

Nouvi amici =]

To say the least I have recently been blessed and inspired by new friends. I have spent two wonderful Sunday afternoon's at Mary Jane Cryan's beautiful home in Vetralla, a city near Viterbo. My afternoons with her and Fulvio have inspired me in so many different aspects of my life here in Italy. Mary Jane is a very well established writer and has spent a lot of her life living in Lazio and writing about her travels here. I am in a travel writing class that connected me with her, now I am currently working on a piece about her to be published in a local magazine. I am focusing on the aspect of her guestbook that has really stuck out to me and has presented a new meaning for me. Very interesting and rick in life.

... writing in the guestbook at Mary Jane's.

Where the guestbook finds its home at Mary Janes. She has filled one volume and has moved onto the next...'An encyclopedia of faces and people' as Mary Jane stated.

Look at her library!!! I love it so much! There is a little red couch smother in the corner that i got to sit and read in, best thing ever. Can't wait to establish a library like this one day.

Macie, Fulvio, Me and Joshua at lunch my first visit to Mary Jane's.

My new beautiful friend Silvia! She has welcomed me into her home and life to say the least. She is the one in the middle, with her friend Elizabeta on the right. This is us on our visit to the cute artsy town of Calcata before we headed to her home town of Gallese for dinner with all her friends. What a great evening!

Tocsana, la vita bella

Stopped in Pisa on the way home.

Toscana

Giuseppe's Vineyard where we stayed, this wine was my favorite from the wine tasting.

My new friend Lucy, who took me on some wonderful strolls through Tuscany.

Wine tasting with Giuseppe, owner of Fattoria Fibbiano, farm where we stayed.

Home sweet home.

The boys playing with the farm dog Pedro, right outside our apartment door where he would patiently wait for us .

Capri & Mt.Vesuvius

Pompei

Venezia