A practice proposal

My Italian friend Sara Tonon, with whom I am staying in Torino, is dating a fantastic guy named Marco Massano. Here, they are practicing a proposal using my wedding ring, after their priesthood leader kindly and strongly encouraged them to tie the knot. Priesthood leaders are the same everywhere.

Eccomi in Italia! (Here I am in Italy!)

Well, I brought the rain from Omaha to Italy. Its been POURING for over a week now. Ugh. I've been studying Italian and thesis stuff, with a couple of intermittent trips to smaller cities with my friend Sara, who lives in Torino. Yesterday, I arrived in Biella, a gorgeous, mountainous city up north in the Alps, almost to the French border. I lived here for seven months when I was a missionary, yes 12 long years ago. I'm staying with Cecilia, a friend whom I randomly met in Omaha last fall. She and her nephew Ruben are giving me the royal treatment. Today we went to Oropa, the sanctuary of the "Black Madonna" -a black version of Mary that is very special to this region. There is a long hallway filled with momentos of thanks, pictures of "grazie ricevuta", or grace received from the Black Madonna. People who have been saved in car accidents, healed from diseases, etc. Upon our departure, Cecilia blew her many kisses. Then we had a big cup of hot chocolate (which was beyond divine because and it was FREEZING outside) and finally, we went shoe shopping! I bought an exquisite pair of white pumps (pictured here). What, were you expecting pictures of Italy? Ciao for now... more later.

My hottie husband

Here I am in Italy and I didn't bring any pictures of Peter to show my Italian friends.
So, for those of you who already know Petie-baby and his bellezza, this will be a non-

blog event for you. I'm posting pics for my own use here in Italia! Ciao tutti!

Book Tag!

My friend Kimberly recently tagged me, so now its my turn. Here's how to play:
1. Select a favorite book or the or the one you are currently reading (at least 123 pages)
2. Turn to page 123
3. Find the 5th sentence
4. Post the 5th sentence on your blog
5. Tag five people
Here's my sentence: "Someone obviously doesn't want you-me-anybody checking out that book," I observed. .... from The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova (2005). Its about Dracula and vampires and is written in the historical fiction genre. Not typically my style, but its fantastic and I absolutely can't put it down! Thanks, Kim, for recommending it. I'm supposed to be studying Italian 24/7 while here in Italy, but obviously I am dividing my time.
I tag:
Meredith Reynolds, Abbie Cope, Tara Kay, Cassie Nelson, and Amy Makechnie

SHOO Flay ta dah!

I found out Friday that I am the recipient of the Shuflata (pronounced Shoo-flay-tuh) Master's Fellowship Award for the 2008-2009 academic year. Its an annual scholarship presented by the history department at UNO to one graduate student just starting the writing of their master's thesis. The Shuflata family has set up an annual gift fund and the department votes. This year, they voted for me!!! Woo-hoo! We're in the money.... I mean, not so much... if only they could award us 19 more of those scholarships, we could pay off our dental school loans. :) But, the real award is the prestige and honor it will bring to my Curriculum Vitae. I am deeply grateful and honored.

Skatedaze...

I went rollerskating last week for our Faith in God activity! It was the Elmwood and Rockbrook wards combined. Several of the girls hurt themselves badly and needed ice packs, but overall we had a great time. I hadn't done that in what, 25 years!? Peter and I like to rollerblade on various trails outside, which is very different from skating endlessly around in a circle with loud music and punky teenage boys twirling in circles around you. I have a great calling.

Me in the arms of another man...

This is Jake. He's 6'8" and Meredith's husband. Sooo..... Peter absolutely hates our url address: princess and pete. He doesn't want to give out our blog to anybody he knows because his wife's choice on the address is .... how you say - LAME!? Admittedly... it wasn't first or second or ninth choice, but I was playing around, and them boom, it was too late b/c blogger accepted it. Wonder why? Because nobody else would be so cheezy. :) Can't we just start over? Sorry Peter. I'm now in the arms of another man who doesn't think I'm cheezy. Sure, he's my sister's husband, but I needed comfort.