La vita e bella...

As I write this I am up way too late getting my packing and last minute preparations done for what is still unbelievable to me... tomorrow I leave for Italy for the summer! I took a major hiatus from the blog while finishing up the school year, moving out of my apartment, etc, but I hope and plan to blog often from Italy. You all are and will be in my prayers on this journey.

I've also wanted to post this for about two weeks now, but I just wanted to say a big THANK YOU to all who made my 30th birthday such a special and memorable day. I will never forget it!!!!

Here are some pictures of our group celebrating with dinner at Bucca de Beppo's. What an awesome night full of beautiful people. I feel so blessed to have such great friends and family, and the night was exactly what I hoped it would be (and more)... a celebration of life. Birthdays are a wonderful time to remember that every human life is full of infinite wonder and possibility. I prayed that this gathering would be a time when everyone there would know how much they are loved and how special they are to me, and that we all would leave knowing in a new way that la vita e bella. Life is beautiful...

katie, megan and i
the "may birhtdays" -- katie, me, abby and cheryl

i had to include this photo of abby and me. she is such a doll!!

prayers

This morning I read the very sad news that Maria Chapman, the youngest daughter of Steven Curtis Chapman and one of his three daughters adopted from China, was killed last night in a tragic accident at their home. My heart just breaks for this family. Please join me in praying for them, especially for their son who was involved in the accident.

May God bless this family.


(One of Steven's latest songs-- "Cinderella"-- dedicated to his daughters, with his own explanation of its meaning after the song.)