That's a lot of #19's and I'm not sure that there is some cool name for it, other than it being a REALLY special day for Jonathan and I as we celebrated our wedding anniversary.
We are so thankful for another year of growing in our love and appreciation of each other. We have come to experience on a whole new level this past year the team effort in parenting teens and how taking care of ourselves and our marriage relationship is so crucial. We are learning and are a work in process, but what a joy to walk hand in hand with each other. Loving each other more than the day we said "I do." God is amazingly gracious and His faithfulness endures forever!
Thanks to Jonathan's parents who once again made a summer visit to be with us for a couple of weeks in August we were able to get away for a night. This was the first overnight trip we have ever done together in Italy. That seems insane but it speaks volumes of the reality of our isolation on the field and the lack of people able or willing to provide the simplest of services like watching our kids for a night. In order for me to attend annual leader's meetings with Jonathan, we have had my mom fly in to care for the kids. A getaway, yes, but not so much when it is work related.
What a precious, precious gift this was for us and a HUGE shout out to Munga and Gramma for volunteering to watch the kids and suggesting we get away for a night.
We have done our fair share of driving this summer so we deliberately chose something close to home and yet a place we had never been. Enter the Valle d'Aosta in the Italian Alps just one hour away from our home. We stayed in the most enchanting and peaceful apartment in a little burrow above Saint Vincent. The cluster of mountain homes built out of slate and stone have been restored and the mix of visitors and residents melded beautifully. One breath of mountain air, a long gorgeous view down into the valley, and summer rain all restored our souls and brought refreshment. It was the absolute perfect location!
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| Our view |
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| Our apartment on the ground floor |
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| No longer able to dine out becasue of food allergies, we have learned to embrace the dining in experience and that we can save money for really awesome rentals! |
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| Our window boxes |
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Stone. Wood. Geraniums.
A classic Alpine display of beauty |
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| Exploring |
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| The old barn entrance now converted house entrance. |
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| A taste of the before |
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And after
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Mountain spring water
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| : Quiet : |
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| Sunset view |
The next morning after check out we headed a little further in the valley to the city of Aosta. It was raining but not a problem and very much welcomed for us having had a pretty hot summer down in the Piedmont valley. We had no agenda and it was nice just to stroll the city known as "the Rome of the North". There is much to see and discover in this beautiful Alpine city but we just scratched the surface with our brief visit. We will be back! So, so thankful for this time away together...God knew we needed this for the following weeks that were to come.
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| City streets |
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Roman city wall
We still have to remind ourselves not to take for granted where we live. "Just taking a stroll along a wall that was built before Jesus was born. No big deal." |
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| Cathedral facade that was sculpted around the entrance. Looks like a painting in this pic. |
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| Bell tower of the Aosta Cathedral |
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| Roman road |
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Praetorian Gate - 25 B.C.
The main gate into the Roman city Augusto Preatoria. It had three openings: the central one for carriages and the side openings for pedestrians. The area inside the openings was used as a troop parade court. |
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| Porta Praetoria |
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| Arch of Augustus constructed in 25 B.C. to celebrate the Roman victory over the Salassi |
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Bell tower of Sant'Orso.
Beauty of a summer rain in the Italian Alps |
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