I'm leaving for Rome in four days! Wow...reality hasn't hit me yet. How did this happen? Wasn't it just a few weeks ago that I caught myself in a late-afternoon dream-land and decided to blog about it? Within two weeks of that post, the opportunity to go to Italy practically jumped into my lap. God is crazy. He is abundantly pouring out blessings in my life, and my heart is overwhelmed. Praise Him!

The details....

Jen and I, along with Mike and Joe, are leaving Saturday afternoon for Rome. After a whirlwind of tourist attractions (Sistine Chapel, Colosseum, St. Peter's, Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon), we'll take a Tuesday train to the heart of Tuscany. After a few days in Florence, we head further north to Venice where we'll spend the rest of the trip. We'll arrive back in the States late Saturday night with blistered feet, hours of stories, memories that will last a lifetime, and hopefully a few pairs of Italian leather shoes!

I'm most excited about watching the sunset while enjoying a picnic dinner on Janiculum Hill (overlooking Rome), sipping espresso in a little cafe on a side street (in any of the three cities), exploring the Tuscan countryside on foot, and dressing up for an elegant dinner by the water in Venice.

How is this happening? I don't have enough words to describe just how crazy this feels. I'm living my dreams! ...but how does that happen? I feel so blessed and so undeserving to have such an opportunity.

In addition, God has worked in so many amazing ways throughout the planning process. He's healed broken hearts, mended relationships, and set captive hearts free. :-) Healing is beautiful.