Italy/Houston LOVES

We made it home safely, the boys and I on one flight, and Jeffrey on another….the result of booking mine early, and it being sold out by the time we booked Jeffrey’s. I had 2 kids, but we got home 5 hours before him, and had only one short layover, so I think I actually got the better end of that deal. The boys crashed hard around 6pm on Sunday night and slept until 6am. We all hit the wall pretty early Monday night, just in time for dinner.

But unfortunately, we have all been awake since 4:30 this morning. It’s now 6:00, and I’m hoping I can get the boys to sleep for a couple more hours, but am probably delusional.

I miss our little apartment already, since the remodel that was supposed to be complete before we left is still in progress. So as nice as it is to come home, we are still living in dust, and nothing is where it should be, since everything from our master suite is scattered throughout the house. Hopefully, they’ll be finished next week, but again, I’m probably delusional. Maybe I’ll just head back to our little apartment in Rome until the remodel is finished. Great light, nice modern kitchen, and no clutter:

But, truthfully, it is good to be home. On our last day in Rome, we made a list of things that we love about Rome and things that we love about Houston. We went around the table, taking turns naming something we loved.  I think that is the beauty of travel. Travel teaches you to appreciate other countries/cultures, but also reaffirms what you love about home. Below is the list we came up with.

ITALY LOVES:
Blue grotto – Capri
Gelato
House wine
Cliffs and clear water
Piazzas
Roman spring-fed water fountains
Walkable city
Subways
Trains
Language
Pope
Churches
Castles
Art
Euros
History
Architecture
Horse drawn carriages
Small streets
Restaurants

HOUSTON LOVES:
Yard of our own
Air conditioning
Variety of foods – especially Chuy’s!
Tall buildings
Swimming pool
Lake house
Trees and plants
Green lawns
Convenience
Toilet seats