Last weeks!

It's less than a month until we depart and everything is starting to seem real, after many months of dreaming.

Of course, none of us have practiced our Italian nearly as much as we wanted to or should have.  I feel like I can recognize many words (mostly for food!) and my pronunciation of the written words isn't bad.  I know it's the spoken language that we are going to have the most trouble with.

We've been watching the Euro drop with elation.  Every penny difference is mentally allocated to what more we can buy!  Today's rate is $1.22 to the Euro.  When Ward's parents were there last spring it was $1.52.

The girls' passports arrived a couple of weeks ago.  Such a huge difference from their first ones; I guess that's why they only do five years for the kids.  As mine never did turn up I had to file lost/stolen and reapply.  I am expecting it any day now.

Chores for this week have included calling the airline to request children's meals, checking on parking versus car service to the airport and finally booking our three nights in Rome.  Also on the list for Ward:  going to AAA to get the IDP and changing some dollars at a bank in the city.  I figured it was time to start back in on this blog and get in the habit.  I've been adding lots of links so that we have them accessible while we're away.