The Spencer Family In Italy

Devante finished his swimming lessons for the summer. On Friday, he received his certificate and he passed to level 3. Not bad for a boy that didn't even like putting his head in the water. He is now jumping off the diving board into 8 ft. of water and is loving it. Dante is still in level one. He only took one session because it was very complicated to get him in the water. He didn't want water in his eyes and although I bought him goggles it still was not fun for him(maybe next year will be better when he's a little older). He loves the water but just didn't want to put his head in the water. That really doesn't work in swimming lessons. On Saturday I attended a women's conference at a church we've been going to the past few weeks. Our speaker was a woman of God who travels around the world sharing the love of God to women. She had been in Africa, stopped in Italy, and today she is heading back to her home in Texas. I was very moved by her and ...

Unfortunately, this summer the boys couldn't go Vacation Bible School hopping. There was only one vacation bible school at the Naval Base. The boys have spent the summer in the pool swimming. They are both taking swimming lessons and we got a pool at the house that they use a lot. They spend their time together playing video games and pretending they are characters in Star Wars or that they are Transformers. Friday nights, just like it was in San Diego, is family night. The boys get to pick what we do. Usually we rent a movie that they choose, eat popcorn and they get to stay up late. Although, I haven't been too strict with the time they go to bed during these summer months. Devin has spent most weekends working. The summer is his busiest time of year. I have spent the summer swimming with the boys and reading.

I think everyone has concluded from my blogs that life is pretty different here. We are trying to adjust although some having an easier time than others. I have had the hardest time adjusting but little by little I'm learning to just deal with it. So what do we miss? Well, of course, we miss our family and friends and our church. Email and letters are not the same as seeing someone or talking to someone every day. We miss sales....yes, sales. Shopping at the Navy Exchange is not as cheap as people think. For the most part, they only sell top of the line items and lots of designer wear. Although, it comes at a discounted price...it is definitely not a good sale, or a Ross, or a Marshalls. I just had to order Devante's school clothes and shoes online. I have done some online shopping for specific items I was looking for but to buy a whole school wardrobe was a bit complicated. Devin needed just plain T-shirts to hang out in and couldn't find them out here so we...