Tuesday -- mountains and valleys

What a wonderful day that ended with news from home that sent us straight on our knees.....

First, let's talk about the mountains.  There were happy times today.  We had sunshine.  We had warmth.  We also had a 'no hospital' day.   We decided to take advantage of these blessings by walking outside.   We decided we wanted to see the cemetery and the university.

The cemetery was, without hesitation, the most interesting thing we have seen in Italy. I've never seen anything to rival it in the U.S. or any other country. It was fascinating. Some of the people are buried in single plots, but most of the people are interred in family plots. Most of the crypts have a handle of sorts - just open it up, and add one more family member. The old families have their spots in the main buildings, while other families have individual crypts (they look like individual chapels) in the back gardens. You could spend hours there, reading the inscriptions and looking at the family photos, crests, sculpture, etc. Just incredible. We took tons of photos and will try to post a few tomorrow.

 

 

We also went to the university, where we happened upon a few graduations.  Apparently, instead of a graduation cap and gown, in Italy, they wear a laurel wreath around their heads and are presented with bouquets of flowers. 

We also saw some people being paraded around the university in costume. We're still not sure what that's about.  Any ideas???   While at the university, we also met and visited with a fellow Lubbockite who is doing a visiting professorship at the University of Verona.  We enjoyed meeting him very much.

Now to today's valley -- we heard from home today and are sadly aware that a treasured friend of our family, a man of integrity, a godly husband and father of four children, the youngest of which is only Lucy's age, received very difficult diagnosis today.  He is undergoing surgery this very hour.  Please pray for the healing of our friend and for his beautiful, faith-filled family.  They are embarking on a a hard and uncertain path today, but we place our trust and faith, and our friend's very life, in the hands of the LORD.

Praying in Italy,
Amy