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Stephanie Howell

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

American Observations

American Observations via Stephanie Howell

  • It is loud.
  • It is bright.
  • It is super overwhelming.
  • The roads are huge and the drivers are slow.
  • It is cold everywhere.
  • The portions are enormous.
  • Servers come to your table a lot and we feel rushed almost everywhere we eat.
  • Ice water is delicious.
  • There is an app for everything.
  • There are too many choices.
  • People don’t seem to look up from their phones.
  • Much less cigarette smoke.
  • I miss the coffee.
  • I love the convenience.
  • People randomly engage/talk to me less.
  • I love Target and go 4x a week.
  • I really dislike Starbucks.
  • I miss affordable produce that is naturally free of any chemicals.
  • I don’t miss the inefficiency.
  • People are more impatient here.
  • I can’t get over the fact that mail comes right to my door and I can get anything from Amazon in 2 days.
  • I forgot about tax.
  • The cars seem huge.
  • It’s nice understanding what everyone says, all the time.
  • I walk MUCH LESS.
  • I miss hearing and speaking Italian.
  • I LOVE being able to run the washer, dryer, dishwasher and oven without tripping a circuit breaker.
  • It seems like there is excess everywhere.
  • I can find clothes that fit me again.
  • I really missed Chik-fil-A.
  • I can text anyone in the country for free and I don’t have to pay for each voice mail!
  • Gas is cheap.
  • Gelato is ridiculously expensive.
  • I feel like a newborn American baby.

Let the Madness Begin!

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The movers are here and the packing has begun.

Cora does not know what to make of the entire experience. I told her that she’d better get used to it because this is a regular ocurrence in this family.

Wish us luck!

 

xoxo

S

Update!

A. First and foremost, I haven’t gone crazy yet. I can still form a (mostly) coherent sentence…so there’s that!!!

B. We found a house!

Leaving Italy // via Stephanie Howell

It’s 3 miles from J’s work and .25 miles from the elementary school. Talk about a weight off of my shoulders! That’s a big check off of my to-do list.

We are planning to leave Italy in a couple of weeks, spend to days in London, and then on to Virginia.

Talk about a whirlwind!

So what am I up to?

Hmmm…mainly frantically checking things off of my massive to-do list. And then adding more things. It’s never-ending.

Also? We are in a bit of a buying frenzy. To say the least. I think everyone probably does this when they leave Italy.

Leaving Italy // via Stephanie Howell

Leaving Italy // via Stephanie Howell

Some of my favorite keepsakes?

WINE!!! Some of our favorite labels are only a few euros a bottle here and TRIPLE that in the states. So we are definitely stocking up, and we aren’t done yet!

We purchased some hand made copper pots that we personalized “the howell family kitchen”. We will pass them down to our daughters and they will be so loved.

Olive Oil, Italian antiques, Venetian masks, A special wine carafe, and a few handbags.

Again, these things are all a fraction of the price they will be back in the USA. So they are investments well worth making.

 

We have so many adjustments to make in the next few weeks. Speaking (and hearing) English. Things will move faster, louder, brighter. I’m overwhelmed and a bit scared, but mainly really really excited. It’s time to go home.

 

Love to you all.

xxo

And Team Howell is Headed to….

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Yep. In three weeks (yes, you heard that correctly) we will be Virginians.

I LOVE Virginia, always have – and we couldn’t possibly be more excited.

NOVA here we come!!!

 

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Goodness Gracious.

For real. How hard can this blogging thing BE?  I did it for almost TEN years for Pete’s sake ! It was second nature. I could blog in my sleep. I composed posts in my head, on my phone, in various notebooks. They FLEW out of my fingers and onto the screen. I blogged like it was nobody’s business.

What’s changed? What took the place of blogging?

A 14 lb. something has taken the place of blogging. A very hairy something. The cutest something I’ve ever seen. EVER.

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But I don’t mind. I am so very in love with this little girl. She’s smiley and drool-y and an absolute love. She’s bewitched us and we adore her and I don’t know what I did before there was Cora Jane.

And life is a bit…nuts…right now. We could be moving to Belgium or to DC. It could be spring – like in a matter of weeks-  or summer. We don’t know and it’s exhausting. But I know it will turn out for the best. Better than I ever could have imagined. It always does. I don’t pray for Belgium OR DC. I pray for what is best for our family. I have faith that all will be okay. Again, it always is. He always has a purpose and a plan for us. A hope and a future.

So here I sit. Baby hair tickling my nose and spit up on my shoulder. Hair in a bun, yoga pants yet again. Enjoying this unexpected season in my life. Trying not to worry or fret.

I’m right where I need to be.

 

 

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