Italy

So, today was supposed to be my last day of work for 10 days. Yep, tomorrow at the butt crack of dawn, I was supposed to be aboard an airplane to take me to the number one country on my list of "must visit." However, INS sucks and have yet to send Jana her citizenship papers she'd lost; so instead, we will be covering the office while everyone else is drinking the wine that does NOT give you a hangover (no sulfites.) Anyway, it was hard being at work today. The morning wasn't so bad...then everyone started saying goodbye and telling us how much they'll miss us and the tears came. I got a lump in my throat when they gave us each an hour massage because they wanted to thank us in some way. It'll be a weird week at work.

Ok, so that was depressing and I'm feeling better...we went and had drinks and sushi after work. But what made me smile the most was remembering last night...and what a wonderful man I have in my life. He got major kudos from all of my coworkers when I told the story of one of the sweetest romantic gestures anyone has ever done. I even had coworkers say, "so men from romantic movies really do exist."

First, we went and celebrated Jon's birthday with some dinner and a movie. Then we get home and Joey goes upstairs and gets a hat and blazer on and starts acting like a flight attendant. He takes me on a trip in a plane (ok, it was a chair in the middle of a room)...but it may as well have been a real one. I was treated with in-flight entertainment, turbulance (joey shaking the chair) and couldn't stop giggling. One of the movies was a perfect enactment of a cat trying to wake up his owner for some cuddling. Anyway, funnier if you actually saw the video. Next, we get to our destination, I walk to our room, open the door...only to step into my own Italy. Candlelit, Italian music in the background, a poster of Venice with pics of us in the Gondola (sp?)...and then the date that will be, with everything Italy...pasta, breadsticks, Italian Soda, wine, chocolate, Italian beer and Tiramisu dessert. I wanted to laugh and cry at the same time. It was honestly the most thoughtful thing anyone has ever done for me and it really helped with the situation. I know my first experience of really seeing Italy will now be with Joey...and I very much look forward to it...but until then, I'll take Joey's version of Italy and treasure it. Wow, do I have a keeper or what?! :)

Total side note...I bought Sadie a different version of her presciption food today and she loves it...so excited, I was worried for a while with the weight she's lost since her bladder stones became an issue.

Today has had its ups and downs...but when all is said and done, I know everything happens for a reason. Not to mention, I got a small taste of Italy from the sweetest man.