Michelangelo's Holy Family

     Ron gave thoughtful reflections on the famous Holy Family, One of Michelangelo's only paintings (most of his work is sculpture or fresco).  This one was commissioned by a Florentine to hang in his home.  Unusual for Michelangelo.
     Why are there classical nude figures in the background?  Scholars suggest that the nude figures represent the world before Christ.  Then, the figure on the front right of the background is the young John the Baptist, heralding the Messiah.
   Then, the gray lintel is--strangely--all over Florence.  It is even in the Uffizzi--the demarkation of one space as separate from another.  Then, the Holy Family represents the new era for humanity.  Joseph is placing Christ on Mary's shoulder, and she is giving him to the world.  The whole painting can thus be seen as temporal, telling story through time.
   

Botticelli's Madonna and Perugino's Saint Sebastian

Walking through the Borghese gallery this year, Annie picked out her favorite art once again--a Botticelli Madonna and Child.  It is truly extraordinary.

    Here is a Saint Sebastian pained by one of my all-time favorites, Perugino!

The Suffering Servant

My favorite painting in the Uffizzi in Florence is this Suffering Servant by Sano di Pietro: 

    I have not yet found the words as to why the Suffering Servant means so much to me.  True, it is a balm to have the Son of God draw close when we suffer.  His companionship and empathy are a blessing, especially to those who experience life's hurts.  Beyond that, I am trying to put into words my wonder and awe that a divine image could ever look like this.  The Son of God being humiliated?  Tortured?  And that being a gift?  Redemptive?  I just do not have a way to express how counter-intuitive this is to me.  

    Even more shocking to me is that some humans--animalistic beings who have struggled so intensely for survival over these hundreds of thousands of years--would find meaning or inspiration in anyone's weakness or loss.   

Loving Italy

What is not to love about Italy? Our favorite evenings are those we have a party at the forno--outdoor kitchen with brick pizza oven.  Ron burns wood on a grill, makes his own coals, then places the coals around the perimeter of the pizza oven, which heats up the oven.  Then we place homemade pizzas in the oven, and a few minutes later, we are in paradise!  Ron also makes grilled chicken and sausages, grilled zucchini, and we make bruschetta.  Heaven on earth!

Gorgeous Italian Skies

"Aqua On-ay"

    One of the funniest stunts Ron played on our kids was a few years ago at a restaurant called Da Agnese, a restaurant we went to last night.  It is a fabulous little taverna on Lake Albano near Rome, with the best porchetta in town.  To get to the bathroom, you have to exit the restaurant, walk along the sidewalk to the back of the restaurant, and then enter through a door marked "Toilette."
     There is a sink, and the way to turn the water on is by stepping on a peddle under the sink.  Well, our kids tried to wash their hands, but could find no knobs.  They got their dad to go with them and help determine how to turn the water on.  He figured it out but did not tell them.  He discreetly put his foot on the peddle, then said, "It's voice activated.  Watch this."  And he said in fake Italian, "Aqua On-ay!"  He used the english word "On" and then added "-Ay" since half of all Italian words ends in that sound.
     Then, when he said the magic words, he pressed the peddle, and the water came on.  The kids shrieked, and then tried it themselves.  "Aqua On-ay," they shouted to the sink.  But nothing happened.  He had them going for quite a while!
     Whenever we go to this happy little eatery, we laugh and cannot help but repeat the story.  

My favorite towns in Italy--What a day!!!!

   My two favorite towns in Italy are Gandofo and Nemi.  Gandolfo is a quaint, hillside village that overlooks a beautiful lake.  I gave a sight lecture on the address Saint Pope John Paul II gave on Marriage and the Family here in Gandolfo.  It was fun doing metaphysics with the students right there on the cobblestones.
     Here is Sebastian in the Church, San Tommaso, in the town square.

Here is Sebastian on Leigh's shoulders.

Then we went to Nemi.  It is the strawberry capital of Italy!  I love this place!!!  Here is Ron giving a sight lecture on how we are standing on the rim of a volcano and about the ancient temple of Diana that still has flowers and fruits placed on it occasionally--modern day net-paganism?  Then Professor Marchetti gave a great talk on Virgil and Dante, both of whom reference this place--Alba Longa.  It is amazing to be where the Aeneid begins!

Here are students of our UD Summer Program, plus Professor Marchetti.

Here are our kids, eating strawberry tarts, a local delicacy!!

                                     

Sebastian with his lollipop. 

My handsome husband!

Mass with the Pope!

   On our very first day in Rome, we got to go to the Vatican for Mass!  Pope Francis was saying Mass for the feast of Pentacost.  Amazing!!

A Happy Flight!

     Sebastian, Jacob and I flew to Rome after Ron and the girls, due to Jake's late graduation date.  I was a bit nervous about how Sebastian, as a strong-willed two year old, prone to all-out temper tantrums, would do on the plane.
      But I had no reason to fear.  In the airport, he courted a group of college students from OU.  They nicknamed him "Sebo-Soggy-Socks-Sebastian" since he spilled Odwalla Blueberry drink on his socks.  Here he is at the gate with his entourage!

Here he is with his Odwalla drink.

Honestly, apart from a few minutes of crying on the plane, he did really well.

One trick was that I brought a full-sized bed pillow from home, and lay it across his seat.  It functioned as a little mattress for him, which probably made things much more comfortable.

Another "trick" was prayer: I prayed a slew of very specific prayers.  It was amazing how many of them were answered!  For example, I prayed that the people around us would be understanding of him.  As it turned out, the OU students were surrounding us!  For such a huge plane, that seemed no coincidence.  An answer to prayer.  Another prayer I prayed was good flight attendants that were sympathetic of children.  Our flight attendants whispered when he was asleep, and gave us extra drinks and supplies.  Very thoughtful! 

I thank God for our happy flight! 

My Covington Friends

Love you guys!!!

Patricia, Jenn, Anne, Christine--Y'all are such a blessing!!

Wishes Come True

Wishes do come true--and my birthday was a perfect example of that!
--I had a happy birthday brunch with friends, and we cooked up a new book club
--My husband took at 6:30 am flight home from D.C. so that he could spend the whole day with me: what a gift!
--My sister sent me cards and packages for a month!
--My parents took me and my family out for a wonderful meal and gave me wonderful gifts

I am the luckiest person!  All of my wishes in life have come true!

Happy Child!

How he hits the ball every single time, I do not know!  He is such an uber-athelete!