Visiting Rome has been on my bucket list for a long time, but between the election of Pope Francis and all of the photos my friend Robyn posted on Facebook during her recent trip to Italy, I no longer just want to visit: I want to go NOW.
As it turns out, my mom has the fever, too, so if you’ve got any suggestions for travel to Rome, send them my way.
Speaking of my mom, the pope, and St. Francis… After she asked me what she could get Nathan for his birthday and I replied that he does not need anything and in fact he has toys packed away that he’s never played with because he has so much stuff, she got creative.
She bought “him” a garden statue of St. Francis. It’s a bird feeder and St. Francis is pictured with a baby lamb. Can you guess who the baby lamb is supposed to represent? Here’s a hint.
Next week is spring break – WOOHOO! (Any Arrested Development fans out there?) Unfortunately, I don’t think it’s going to be much fun for me this year. I’ll be navigating the clinics at Children’s Hospital with the kids – Sarah Kate for a routine ortho visit and Nathan for a follow-up with a pulmonologist (we’re also on standby for a sleep study).
Don’t you wish you were me?
Nathan finally went back to preschool (the private one he’s been attending since last summer) yesterday. I forgot to clean out his folder last time, so he came home with both Easter and Valentine’s Day stuff.
Did you see Sarah’s post this week about self-contained classrooms? I suggest you read it if you’re a parent of a child with special needs. We do a lot of second-guessing about what’s best for our children, and I think it’s important to talk to someone who’s been there as a child, not a parent, with a disability.
Based anecdotally on scanning my Google Reader search, World Down Syndrome Day got a lot more press this year (WOOT!) Marie at NBC Universal let me know that TODAY’s Savannah Guthrie shared her own thoughts on what 3/21 means to her – it’s a poignant must read.
And because I’ve got nothing else to say, here’s a pic to round out the snippets.
Have a great weekend!
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This post was inspired by and is linked to Conversion Diary‘s 7 Quick Takes.
Two things: TAKE ME WITH YOU!
I have 2 friends in the seminary & studying in Rome, at last count…..
2: Thanks for the link up.
If/when you go to Rome, if you book the trip far enough in advance, sign up for a Vatican catacombs tour. It is amazing!
Another friend of mine told me the exact same thing about a month ago. I would definitely love to do that!
Hi Andy,
I read your blog since one year, I’m italian an live in Rome; when you’ll decide to came to Rome send me a mail, I’d like to meet you and to visit Rome with you!
My second daughter, Carolina was born in january 2010 with T21 but unfortunately has gone to heaven just seven months. She was born with atrioventricular canal, she has undergone a heart surgery but had septicemia…
I hope to meet you, congratulations for your blog!
Margherita
Thank you, Margherita! I’m so sorry for your loss of Carolina, but I know you cherished your short time with her.
If/when I plan a trip to Rome, you better believe I’ll be talking about it on the blog. 🙂 It may be a few years…therapy bills take precedence over travel…but I would be honored to meet you when I come!
So here’s my European Touring tidbit: My mom and dad have travelled all over the world -mostly on their own. My mom has been to Europe without my dad on organized tour groups. Recently, my mom and cousin were comparing notes on travelling through Europe and they agreed that the best way to “see” the highlights of those countries is with a tour because many of the big name tourist spots – the museums and landmarks and whatnot, often have very long lines. As a tour group, you get to skip those lines and get right in.
Just something to think about. If you can find a pilgrimage group going, you might want to tag along to something like that. My mom, sister, and aunt, all from California and Nevada, tagged along with a choral group from Pennsylvania. (My aunt had a friend in the choral group.) The purpose of the trip was for the choir to sing somewhere at the Vatican, but it as attached to a tour. Because of the nature of the trip, they were able to have an audience with the Pope!!
Often times a priest in a diocese or in a region is leading a pilgrimage – there are companies that advertise them or your local diocese may know of some.
I have been thinking the same thing about needing to find a group to go with rather than just winging it on our own. The folks who traveled with Lino Rulli (“The Catholic Guy” on Sirius/XM) lucked into being there during the conclave. They got to do all kinds of cool stuff!