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Stephanie Howell

reading, organizing, shopping, momming too close to the sun. Home is wherever the Army sends us.

Addio, dolce amici!


Farewell, sweet friends!

I wanted to take a chance to tell you today, as I don’t think I’ll have a chance to update the blog before we leave.

In two days we will fly over the Atlantic Ocean to Venice.

We are about to embark on a 3 year adventure. One that will involve seeing places I’ve dreamed of my entire life. I’ve wanted to go to Italy ever since I was a little girl and saw Roman Holiday for the first time.

As I type this I am full of confliced emotions.

I am scared. I am nervous. I am already homesick. I am thrilled. I am worried. I am excited. I am already thinking of the things I will see and wondering if I will simply weep when I see them.

Most of all, I am overjoyed.


I am going on this adventure with five of my most precious gifts.

We are so lucky that we get to do this. That I get to give these children a gift like this.

I love this country so much and I am so blessed to have been born and raised here.

But…

I am off to learn to cultivate la vita bella. I am ready for more wine and delicious food…and less worry and “give me more” and “latest and greatest”.

Ready to go somewhere where there are over 100 ways to say I love you and perhaps life won’t be a competition of who is busiest.

I’m ready to spread my wings and fly. And become a better woman for it.

So with that I say…

Arrivaderci!

Ti amo troppo (I love you tooooo much 🙂

xoxo

S

Comments

  3. I am so excited for you and your beautiful family!! I am also excited to be going on this journey with you…thank you for that! Safe travels sweet girl’n

  5. So happy that your family gets to have such an adventure. Looking forward to your posts from Italy. Chow!

  6. Love every minute & soak all the culture & history in that you can! so excited for you all and can’t wait to hear all the amazing stories. Safe travels Howell Family!

  7. Have a great adventure and soak it all in. You have a whole community that you are “taking” with you, who will laugh and cry along with you…and who will all be praying for you. May this be a great chapter in the story of your family’s life 🙂

  10. One of my biggest dreams is to go to Italy. I wish you all the very best and am so excited for you! You probably will weep when you see those things you’ve only dreamed about before. What a great adventure to look forward to full of rich experiences for all of you.

  11. Safe travels Howell Family! Really really happy for you. Can’t wait to see the adventures you will be living!

  15. Safe travels for your wonderful adventure! …and thank you for sharing it with us! Italy is on our bucket list! If you ever miss/need anything from New England I’d be happy to send it to you! Looking forward to the Howell’s Italy adventures- and I love your life reminders – we’ve been practicing a lot of that in our house this last summer!

  16. So very excited for y’all! Hope the adventure is relaxing, fun and filled with lots of time with all 6 of you together!!

  21. When times get tough just remember what an amazing gift you are giving to your four sweet girls. It will be the experience of a lifetime, soak it all in! All the best as you start on your great adventure.

  22. Safe travels! Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!
    Looking forward to seeing your pictures of all the adventures your family takes!
    God bless!

  24. Good luck on your grand adventure. Have a wonderful time! (Oh, and the big’s dresses are adorable!)

  26. I don’t kno what the hay but as I read this I teared up. lol You will do great it is normal to feel everything you are feeling just don’t think 3 years. This of this as a vacation one day at a time. For your friends and family here Skype it up! I can’t wait to see pictures and read about your adventures and watch the girls grow up there. Cheers to new adventures! Grace Baci xxxx

  27. Praying that you will have safe travels. Can’t wait to read the blog posts and see what all God has planned for you. Thanks for sharing it with all of us.

  31. Safe travel to you all of you and enjoy and treasure this experience. You’ll love living in Italy. And bonus, you can travel and check out all the other countries simply by hopping on a train! 🙂

  32. So very excited for you (and a little nervous too, when I try to imagine what you must be feeling)! Such a wonderful adventure! I look forward to reading all about it. Ciao bella!

  33. Stephanie, so excited to experience Italy through your positive, excited eyes! Thanks for taking us on the journey with you. 🙂

  34. Ejnoy every second – I know you will! I am so jealous that you have this opportunity, but your family deserves this time together, after so much time apart!!!

  36. Have the most wonderful time, Stephanie and Family! I can’t wait to see Italy through your eyes and from your elegant perspective. 🙂
    g

  37. My dear steph, I have been a huge fan of you and all your adventures I am sure you will be so happy and I cannot imagine someone more deserving than you to have this great opportunity. Enjoy every minute of it and I cannot wait till you get there and share everything from italia. Ciao Bella!!!

  38. best of luck to all of you, a very safe flight, and happy home over there in Italy, can’t wait to see it on here!!

  39. So exciting! Safe travels, can’t wait to hear about your first impressions!

  43. Safe travels. Lookings forward to posts once you are settled. You are so awesome! Truely love this blog!

  45. Why do I want to cry? I have never met you face-to-face and yet I feel like my friend is leaving me. Of course, you’ll still be blogging but only in another locale. Which doesn’t change your blog address. Everything will still be the same and yet . . . not. Maybe I am sensitive due to PMS. Can you have PMS after a hysterectomy? 😉
    Have a safe and peaceful trip. Looking forward to living vicariously through you and your precious peas. ♥

  46. haaaahahahaaa….i hope Italy is ready for you crazy girls!! 🙂 best of luck and i hope you make amazing memories!!

  47. I hope it is all that for your family! I know our two years overseas met all those expectations. We are nearly at our one year anniversary of returning “home” but will always know our “home” for two years was overseas. Bless your family. What adventures you have ahead.
    Brynn Rutledge Hodder

  49. Safe travels to you all Stephanie. Go confidently in the direction of your dreams, live the life you’ve imagined!! The first 3 months will be extremely difficult, you will want to go home every day. The next 3 months will be easier but you’ll still be very homesick & pining for home. Then all of a sudden you will be totally present in your new “homeland” and will love it. It will change all of your lives. Enjoy every moment. God speed.

  50. Can’t wait to experience the journey with you… safe journey…. Losh

  54. Have a wonderful, stress-free, fun trip over and I look forward to all your blog posts from across the pond! 🙂 Safe trip and here’s to making wonderful memories for you and your hubby and your sweet girls!

  56. So exciting! Just think, your kids will become fluent in Italian! What an amazing adventure to go to a foreign school. I bet talking to other children in Italian will really make them quite the speakers. Will you get to come home in a few months for the holidays, or get both families visit in Italy? I can’t wait to hear about Italy! And your girls are getting so tall, all 4 of them. Have fun on your trip overseas!

  57. I’m so excited for all! I am eager to take the 3 year journey with you and your family. God bless you with peace and safety.

  59. I have been reading your blog for awhile now, cannot even remember how I found you…I am a card maker not a scrap booker but became enamored your blog and found myself waiting each evening to read your adventures…I am looking forward to lots more adventures..just felt compelled to tell you there are people out here reading and enjoying every moment of the times of your life~!!! Eager for your first Italian blogpost…enjoy the “ride” and God Bless!!!

  61. Wishing you a safe trip. Please know that we all love you and your beautiful family. Can’t wait to see what’s ahead!

  62. Yikes! The big day has come FAST! I cant wait to see you blogging again from Italy and I truly hope it is everything you hope it to be, stay in touch!!! Safe travels 🙂

  63. So, so excited for you (and nervous, too). Good luck, safe travels, and happy kids. Best wishes until we hear from you again.

  65. I’m so excited for you! Will keep all of you in my prayers for a safe, easy flight. Thank you for sharing your sweet little family with us, such laughs and tears and inspiration I get from you. You will have the best times in Italy. HUGS AND LOVE!!

  67. Well, gee. I’m soooo happy for all of you and the big adventure you are about to embark on. Yet, I too, have been feeling just a teensy bit sad. Isn’t that funny, considering we haven’t met IRL and considering you’ll still be updating us from overseas. Have a safe and smooth trip and best wishes for all of you while you transition into your new life. I know you’ll make the best of little hiccups along the way and I can’t wait to hear about all your amazing discoveries through your beautiful words. Ti amo troppo right back atcha! xoxo

  68. Wishing you a glorious three years filled with everything you hope for. Have a safe trip. Can’t wait to read the next chapter in your story.

  69. Safe travels. Many blessings as you embark on this journey, and as you all settle into your new life! Looking forward to hearing from you again soon.

  71. Life is a travel! 😛
    Enjoy this new adventure and let me tell you, your Italian is day by day much better!
    Buon viaggio Stephanie!

  72. Enjoy a wonderful new life adventure. Safe travels special lady and your beautiful family.

  73. Best wishes on this exciting experience, Famiglia Howell! You will love Europe and Europe will love you!

  74. Safe travels! I will make it to Italy some day. Cant wait to see pictures of all your adventures.

  75. Roman Holiday is my favorite movie ever – and I’m a total Italophile. I couldn’t be more jealous of the adventure your family is embarking on. How exciting! Can’t wait to read all about your Italian life and see photos … lots and lots of photos please!

  76. Steph, I pray for you and your family for safe travels; I wish you all the joys of such a wonderful adventure and look forward to seeing Italy thru your eyes! God bless you Steph, love from OKC!

  77. All the very best wishes to you and your family for your big adventure. Absorb all the sights and sounds and culture! What a wonderful life experience for your girls.. I am sure three years will fly by so enjoy. I look forward to reading all about it. And don’t forget London isn’t ‘t so far so come over and say hi!!:) safe journey! X

  78. What a wonderful, wonderful adventure for you all, I hope you have a good trip, see you on the other side.

  82. Wishing you safe travels and thanking you (in advance) for sharing your adventure with us!

  83. Gosh, this is exciting news! Welcome to Europe. I hope you will find what you are looking for in Italy. Lots of wine, good food and beautiful sights shouldn’t be a problem 🙂

  84. I am a huge fan. I almost never comment but I’ve followed your blog for years. You might remember me, I’ve sent you the interview that you gave to Esprit Scrapbooking.
    I live in Geneva and I pass by Verona twice a year going on vacation. I have lived in several countries, two continents and travelled a lot. I am sure you will love it. You will also get frustrated at times. It is very different from US. But take the best of it and enjoy fully. Take the frustrating moments as learning and growing and spread your views, embrace the difference. That is such a wonderful opportunity for you and your family and it will be invaluable for your children. And most important of all, learn the language. It will make a whole difference and enable you to make the most of it.
    You can visit any place in Europe in 2 hours flight and with low cost companies. Go for it!!!