Headed Home....

This was our last glimpse of Isola San Giulio, on our last evening stroll home to our apartment from the peaceful, hill-perched Comoli home; as Camden would say of their house, (& the rest of us would echo) "it's my very favorite place in all of Italy, mom..."  Our fantastic final day in Milan was made complete by a delicious dinner (again!) in our favorite Italian kitchen.  Pictures from this day will follow in the next post; it's a reverse order - I've begun the post with the day's closing.  Some days are like that.  Can't wait to show where we had the lunch of a lifetime!

We wandered slowly, a bit melancholy, and talked about the very first day we stumbled over these cobblestones, awe-struck by Orta's timeless beauty & giddy with the excitement of a new adventure.  It is amazing how much of life can be lived in 4 short weeks; we vacillated between feeling as if we've been gone for months, and feeling like we had just arrived & were finally understanding basic cultural nuances and establishing a solid regional travel routine - trains, metros, buses & maps in Italian.  There was excitement too as we walked that night, and knew that our next night sleep would be in our own beds.  Home is rarely more longed for than when its absence beckons constant reminders; in our final two days, the kid's anticipation of Home was at its highest, & we were thankful for this timing.  The fact that it took almost a full 5 weeks for them to feel this way is a testament to the endearing care with which Denise engaged with our children; they truly know how much she adores them, how she treasures each of them individually for reasons as unique as they each are, & they will keep her (& Giovanni too!) in their hearts forever.

As we gazed our last out at the lake and at stars overhead, we returned to our home away from home, pictured below, for final packing and our last Italian sleep.  It's no small task to pack up the souvenir treasures of a seven year old (or 9 & 12 year olds - more on their's later).  As I opened drawers to pull out any remaining clothing, I discovered that Camden had pooled most of his collection in this spot.   It's missing his post cards & a couple Roman swords, but each item here has a story, his own story, about what he saw and what he learned.  I stopped to consider & think on how much he's grown in this relatively short time.  We greatly anticipate hearing the reflections of our children in the months, & undoubtedly, years, ahead about how this trip will influence their worldview & their own perception of their place in it.  We're thrilled to have had the front seat view of this part of their growing up and development.  Priceless.

After a heart-full, tearful goodbye with Denise, we boarded our flight in Milan, with bags of pasta in tow, & were thankful for Chris' flying status with Delta that allowed us early boarding.  The kids are so much bigger than in previous years of adventures of course, but with 3 it's still a relief to get on early & get them settled.

Immediately, red tiled rooftops came into view, albeit hazy, & we smiled, knowing how blessed & fortunate we've been to know a bit of this beautiful country with her varied regions, histories & peoples.  It wasn't long before the Alps came into view through Ashley's window, and she excitedly woke me, knowing I wouldn't want to miss the photo opp!  Breath-taking views, best seen from thousands of feet above.  

It's been said that the best part of travel is often in the return....I wouldn't want to falsely suggest that that's actually the "best" part of this experience, but it is certainly with sweet delight that we landed on American soil...the most familiar, for better or for worse, and therefore, the very best we know & love.  We felt welcomed just by looking around.