In Three Days we will be 'Living in the USA'

I get the feeling it will all seem like a dream.  Like it never happened.  Sure, there are pictures, and there are memories, and I have my journal.  Still.  I always think this is how a person must feel when they know their earthly life has run it's course.  Basically it's a feeling of incredulousness.  How did it go so fast?  Did I savor the moments?  Did I appreciate each day like I should have?  Is it really coming to a close?  And then the most important question and what keeps you going....What is ahead?
But for today, I want to focus on the past 18 months.  Living in Rome is living a dream for both Tom and I.  We love this city.  We worked here, served here, made friends here, appreciated the history and the sites, and assisted in a portion of their history.  We also came to love some 'unknown to us' places in Northern Italy, and made friends and served there as well.  It's been an awesome experience.  It's hard to put into words the feelings and emotions that accompany a major change such as this.
Everyone must struggle with change to some degree or another.  You grow to love where you are.  You are uncertain what the future will bring.  You trust in God, it's as simple as that.  And your heart overflows with gratitude for His blessings in letting you experience life in such a beautiful setting.  A few photos from the past couple of days.

Lasagna lunch again with Sanchez as the chef and the District doing all the cooking and clean-up.  

Temple work day with the Ladispoli Elders and Sisters.  We assembled chandeliers.  Tom and I got to work on the lights in a very special room.  More details after the temple dedication!  (Elder Huntsman joined us this day)

We wore hardhats because it's still a construction area!

Back to Appia Antica.  We love the feeling of that area.  Went to visit Villa Maxentius.

We took bus #118 out here and we were too early to get in.  So we ate breakfast at a little cafe and then waited outside of the Villa Maxentius until it opened.

Villa Maxentius.  There is a villa, a circus which was amazingly preserved with the starting gates, the stands, the Emperors box, and the spina.  

David and Carolyn Fenn.  David is one of the main builders of the temple and Carolyn is the historian.  Tom is showing David our Heber house....maybe he can do the outside?  Anyway, it's been fun to have a few nights out with different friends that we have made over the course of our sojourn here.

My eyes are puffy and red because I have been crying!  The RS Pres, Louize (on the far R) surprised us with a farewell party.  She made these cute popsicles out of watermelon.  She had also prepared a video from our friends in Brussels as well as our friends in Rome.  She got the videos from Brussels because her daughter, Emanuela, was our RS Pres in Brussels!  Thus the tears started to flow as people we love were wishing us well and saying 'good-bye'

Me, Louize, and Hanim...

Guess we are coming back:  We tossed in our coins just to be sure

Pantheon in the early morning before the crowds

The turtle fountain

Theater of Marcelus and the Jewish quarter

The center of Rome,  the Capitoline Hill or the Campidoglio.  The design inspiration for the Rome Temple

At the top of the steps in front of the church on the Capitoline Hill.  We were sitting here just thinking and enjoying the view, watching all the people coming and going.  Made us think of the famous writing of William Shakespeare:  "All the world's a stage, and we but players, who strut and fret our hour, and are gone."

Ah Roma, every turn you are beautiful

These little golden plaques in the cement are in the Jewish quarter and are placed in the stones in front of the houses of the Jews that lived in the homes and were taken to concentration camps.

The baths of Agrippa....of course you built a home in the middle of them.  This is on a street behind the pantheon.