What light through yonder window breaks?

The repertoire of English games for my children's class has multiplied in recent weeks! Yesterday included a lively round of duck duck goose, and the kids also wanted to play telephone. "Elephant" was the only word to make it through the line unscathed. To practice giving directions (go straight, turn left, turn right, stop), we created a maze using a significant portion of the chairs, in conjunction with the story of Jesus' parents searching all over Jerusalem for him while he was in the temple. Another big hit was the application of heart tattoos (courtesy of Mardel's, via a Valentine's package from my mother), as Jesus recruited followers to spread the message of God's love.


In order to be able to properly act out the story of the capture of the Ark of the Covenant by the Philistines, the Sunday School class this morning entailed a discussion of the ark and its contents and the beginning of the construction of the various pieces. With a combination of items from my recycling bin, the park, and the church, we are well on our way to having a veritable ark!

the golden jar of manna and Aaron's staff that budded

decorating the Ten Commandments

My first overnight guest came to stay with me this weekend! Studying abroad with Pepperdine University in Florence, she knows my relatives who live in California (in the town where my family also lived for a few years), and I know her relatives in Oklahoma. I am constantly amazed at how small the world is! One afternoon we spent a few hours in Verona, less than an hour away, and that town is now probably one of my three favorites in Italy!

Verona: the Arena, the third largest Roman amphitheatre in Italy

a sampling of the beautiful, colorful architecture

Verona is the setting of Romeo and Juliet; here is Juliet's balcony

In mid-February, the weather here in Vicenza began getting warmer! Who ever thought I would be excited about 50-degree temperatures? I am eagerly anticipating the full arrival of spring. In other exciting news, I finally have internet set up in my apartment!