Long time no update, 2010

Wow has it been a long time!! and there are soo many things that have happened in the past year.
1) Anne was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, Crohns.
2) Anne got pregnant, yes at 44 years old and dealing with years of infertility. God must have a wonderful plan for our child.
3) Mineo housing was closed and they military had to move us 20 miles closer to the main base.
4) Randy's extension orders in Sicily accidentally got canceled.
5) Anne has been healthier than she has been in a long time, walking daily as the baby grew inside her.
6) Trip to Rome... GREAT PLACE!
7) Randy's Mom was diagnosed with lung and brain cancer.
8) Doctors thought there was a problem with the baby, though Anne was feeling GREAT! The family was sent to Germany in a rush. I am so glad we homeschool because we got to take Cameron too.
9) Arrive in the military hospital in Germany to find the baby is fine, but they won't let her leave because of all the complications that can occur because of her age.
10) Stuck in Germany, what to do? Went to Paris of a weekend. Enjoyed the heck out of Germany with snow and Christmas markets. Even reconnected with a friend from Hawaii.
11) 12/4 Randy's Mom passed in the comfort of her own home with family around.
12) 12/8 Ian Conner Brewer was born. 9lbs 4oz, 22 inches. Anne was induced because the doctors all said, "Nothing good happens after 39 weeks at your age." She was is "labor" for 36 hours, tried to do each stage without more induction. We all walked and walked and walked the halls of Landstuhl Medical Center trying to get this baby moving. They broke her water and 4 hours later with no pain medication, Ian was born. He was happy and healthy.
13) Ian was placed back in the hospital twice due to Jaudice. He looked so sad under the bili-lights. Anne stayed with him. Randy and Cameron spent most of their time in the hospital with Ian.
14) Randy and Cameron got to go snowboarding. Cameron's first time.
15) The Wooten Family visited our new little Ian at the lodging in Germany.
16) Christmas Day, flew back to Sicily. It was nice to be home.

Our trip to Rome


Randy on the Eiffel Tower


Anne, Cam and Ian Paris Disney.


Ian Conner's Birth Day


Randy and Ian Landstuhl Germany

Another Karate demo

I tell you this and last week have been the busiest weeks in a long time. EVERY Day this week there has been something. 4 days of karate, with Cameron doing 2 demos and getting his purple belt, the Navy Relief Fashion show was on Thursday, in which we worked the silent auction booth, the of course Easter on Sunday and the big celebration here Easter Monday. Last week was all the Holy Week activities. These have been all fun, but quite taxing on our little family. Cameron school, well not too much this week. Anne having to nap daily, with this Crohn's her energy has not been too high and then poor Randy who seems to have picked up the stomach flu and has been in bed for 2 days. Thank God next week has no major goings on for any of the family.

Purple Belt in Karate

Cameron got his purple belt in karate. He has been practicing hard for almost a year and LOVES karate. He has found his nitch.

Easter Monday

Easter Monday here in Sicily is huge. It is the time where all the family and friends go to their country houses and play and eat and eat and play and, did I say EAT. We are now part of Emilio and Mariska's family and join in on most of their celebrations. Cameron had spent the night from Easter to Easter Monday giving Randy and Anne the night off. And boy was it a nice, relaxing night. When we returned home Easter night, Randy and Anne got to enjoy a glass of wine while sitting on the porch watching the sun set. Easter Monday morning was just as slow. Not much to do and didn't have to be up at E&M's until after 11am. Everyone visiting brings something to eat and we did the same. We brought carne asada, Anne's salsa, flour tortillas and avocados. All new stuff for the Sicilians. Now like I said, food food food, is the center of the day. Everyone basically waited in line to cook. As soon as the artichokes were done, then chicken went on, as soon as chicken, then carne asada, after that sausage. It was an eating fest. After showing these people how to make a taco with Emilio's homemade black beans, carne asada (Randy's special recipe) , guacamole (made by Emilio) and Anne's salsa, they had to eat it. I am surprised, especially the older people seemed to love these new interesting foods. Pippa loved the size of the carne asada steak, most meat here is cut paper thin and this carne was a 1/4 to 1/2 thick.
Anyway, it was a wonderful day of food, wine, fun and friendship. We Thank God for giving us Emilio and Mariska as such good friends.

EASTER SUNDAY

It was so warm the boys decided to take a swim. 1st of the season.

Randy and Mariska playing ping-pong.

The wood-fired oven with the lamb just coming out.

Cameron found his basket and bunny!!

Salvatore found his basket. How cute is he?!!

Mary seeing the Risen Christ in the Piazza.

Procession with flags from the three Churches.

Main Piazza. Look at all the people.

Cameron and Salvo

The procession from Santa Agripina Church with the Risen Christ.

The Risen Christ inside Santa Agripina Church.

Cam in his Easter best. Of course with a bit of a attitude.

Randy and Anne getting ready to head to Church.

Easter Sunday was a beautiful day here is Sicily. Nice warm and sunny, who could ask for more?!! We went to mass at Santa Agripina Church in the Town of Mineo. As with everything religious here there is always Pomp and Circumstance and it was in full bloom today. After the Mass, the flags from all three churches in Mineo met at Santa Agripina. The procession then started with the flags and was then followed by the "float" of the Risen Christ carried on the shoulders of many a strong man. The Risen Christ procession went through the entire town and ended in the main square. Mary "float", with Mary veiled in black, came out of the Church in the main piazza. And the story goes when she saw her Son had risen, her veil came off and they ran to each other. Those poor guys carrying the floats had to run back and forth three times. I didn't even mind standing for hours in heels to watch this.

After that we had some Prosecco in our favorite bar in the square, Julio's Latino Bar. Later that afternoon we had dinner with Emilio, Markisa, Pippa, Salvatore and the family. The lamb was cooked in the wood fired oven. MMMMmmmmm!!! Then a relaxing day.

Holy Week Thursday in Mineo

Emilio and Randy.

Julio's Latino Bar in Mineo

Mineo town square.

The procession with the scourged Christ.

The "float" of the scourged Christ.

Start of procession. Each Church in Mineo had a flag and lead the procession in front of the Scourged Christ.

Anne and her "new daughter" Noemi.

Randy near a cross.

St. Peter and Paul

Beautiful lighting on the town of Mineo.

On Thursday night we went to the Easter week procession in the town of Mineo. Mineo always has such beautiful processions and we enjoy sharing them with our Italian friends.

Palm Sunday

Look at all these people.

Over view of the Town.

The City view, down the hill.

The first Church with the Palms in it.

Randy and Cameron view from the Church.

In Procession. Cameron bought a palm branch.

One of the Palm displays they were holding.

The procession.

These palm displays for the procession seemed very heavy

We took a tour to the city of Gangi for their Palm Sunday procession. They say it is one of the most beautiful processions in Sicily. After a 4 hour bus ride with 1.5 hours of that up a winding mountain (Thank God we weren't driving) we got there just in time for the procession. The drums started and the procession started. I we followed it into the first Church. It came out of the Church and proceeded around the entire town, then back to the first Church. It was a sight to be beheld. The town itself was nice, but there were so many people. On the way back to base we stopped at an agriturismo for lunch, not the best, but not too bad. Good time!!