Oh dear Weebly blog, how I have neglected thee, but certainly for good and not-so-good reasons. The past weeks whizzed by faster than the speed of light. I turned my resignation in from my previous job thinking I will get more time prepping for what is to come. So, what is to come Weebly? Concrete answers, I obviously have none, only hopes, plans and dreams. But what came, stooped and scooped me up from the blogosphere? uhmmm...well, some Wednesday cooking, intense studying, and some instantaneous traveling. 

The cooking, which I enjoyed very much I did as a favor for one of our good "Ate's", but failed to find soon enough, how prepping weekly dinner for a 100 becomes quite the time monger. Between those culinary takes, my mind tried to wrap itself around math, science, language, social studies, US history and emergent literacy theories (WTH? my thoughts exactly). In a nutshell, the magic number was 22-6-4-2. After 22 years, I had to review all the lessons during my six years  in elementary plus four years in high school in two weeks. Oh, and then some. Next thing we knew, it was a whirlwind visit to US of A via the military's space available flight - an almost free, first come first serve flight, if, an available plane arrives that is. Precarious, ain't it?

All these studying is really of course, meant to pass the required exams for this MA program I  am applying for. Because what are the odds really that these exams are not offered in Italy frequently? So cue Michael Giacchino's Married Life. Bags packed and travel size toothpaste ready, we took our chance for a plane trip to Maryland. Fast forward 24-hour flight later, we embrace all convenience America has to offer. How we have become amnesiacs on the ease of finding things, points and places, of the wide roads and sensible signs, the ruins of communication barriers and oh yes, Pizza Hut's large, ultimate stuffed crust pizza for $12.99, an Oreo Sonic Blast, a Cherry-flavored classic slush and a classic Ben's chili dog! Nom...Nom...Nom. Talk about culture shock or should I say, culture mirth? And while still buried in books and historical websites with only about a week of leave, we managed to scratch some things off our Eat, Play, See lists.

✔EAT
Pizza Hut, Sonic, Chick & Ruth's Delly (Man v Food featured resto), Ben's Chili Bowl (Man v Food featured resto), Horace & Dickie's Seafood (Man v Food featured resto), Applebee's, Galae Thai Restaurant, Starbucks, McDonalds (hmmm...classic)

✔SEE
Washington Monument, The White House, Arlington National Cemetery, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, Lincoln Memorial, Reflecting Pool (currently under construction), World War II Memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Constitution Gardens, National Air & Space Museum*, Chinatown, Urban Outfitters, Library of Congress*, State Capitol* 

✔PLAY
"Limitless" movie at an AMC theater, Visit one of our friends, Look for Sarah Vowell books, Pass (PASSED) the Praxis, and  Talk-time with friends!!!!

This and all in hopes of becoming America's Next Top Teacher. Going back to Italia, well, that's a whole different story. In four words: Got.Stuck.In.Delaware. I guess, small is the gate and narrow the road towards those dreams. At least, this road was interesting.  

*Ralph only =,(

February marked Ralph & I's Happy Third and I could not even be more grateful. Preparing for our soon move halfway across the world in a few months, I was not really expecting anything from Ralph. But to my surprise, I woke up to a trail of hershey kisses leading to a single-stemmed rose. All I could do was smile and thank God for another year in our marriage. 

Still and all, I could not help but think about the future and the many, many years we are about to face. Between Ralph & I, I obviously am the Hopeless Romantic. I love the "just because" flowers, cards, letters, chocolates, serenades, trinkets, the poetry, the sweet nothings and all  the outward manifestation of romantic and sacrificial love. Which is why all these thoughts came crossing my mind, will our romance still be alive after X number of years? Or are we just going to fall into the same category as those married couples saying, "we're just comfortable with each other, it feels like we're just roommates now." Will we go through the ups and downs of what they call the Seven Year Itch? Personally, I really hate the idea of the Seven Year Itch, of this inclination to cheat after seven years of marriage, especially if couples use it as an excuse for betraying the same person they promised forever with. Anyhow, I really do not dread hitting the seven year mark, but what scares me is to reach that point when Ralph & I become just roommates, when the romantic fires fizzle out, when the roses, candies, hugs and kisses stop coming and when everything else becomes a habit.

As many couples would agree, marriage is not all rainbows and cotton candy. And I do not expect it to be. Although I love all the romanticism, I do not expect candlelit dinners every night or tangible gifts at that. For this Happy Third, I simply hope our marriage to not become like a cozy blanket on a cold, winter day, but to grow like a steady fire that warms up the whole room. I hope those two-minute calls and short but sweet emails of "I Love You's" on a busy day and those errands done to help each other never fail to cease. And when the seventh year finally arrives, I hope our feet are itching to run, our lips itching to converge, our hands waiting to lock and our bodies itching to fall towards one another. And if at one point we find ourselves still running empty on romance, I hope, hope, hope and pray to God that Ralph & I will never, even for one second, stop trying.

I slept but my heart was awake.
Listen! My beloved is knocking:
 "Open to me, my sister, my darling, my dove, my flawless one. 
My head is drenched with dew, my hair with the dampness of the night."
I have taken off my robe - must I put it on again?
I have washed my feet - must I soil them again?
My beloved thrust his hand through the latch opening;
my heart began to pound for him.
I arose to open for my beloved, 
but my beloved had left; he was gone.
My heart sank at his departure
I looked for him but did not find him.
I called him but he did not answer.
The watchmen found me as they made their rounds in the city.
They beat me, they bruised me; they took away my cloak, those watchmen of the walls!
Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you - if you find my beloved, what will you tell him?
Tell him I am faint with love.

-Song of Solomon 5:2-8