Ciao
Most of you know I love food, I love cooking, and I love sharing good recipes with you. It has been a good thing for my life and my experiences and it has been a good thing with Aimee’s and my relationship. We have shared in this endeavor together. I have watched Aimee really be amazing in many skills; cooking, baking, writing, photography, organization, and social media.
Most of you know also that I love my family more than anything in the world. They are the dearest treasure to my heart. Each moment with them is the best; playing with the grandchildren, receiving hugs and kisses from them, talking and sharing with my children and their spouses. I could do that every moment of my time if possible.
There are a few other things I love, well lots, but there are a few top things; this beautiful world and its creation, and my Heavenly Father – God, and His Son, my Savior Jesus Christ. Because of my love for them and actually because of my love for my family and this world I am taking a short sabbatical from this blog to spend time sharing about that love and their love for us to the people in Italian, Sicilians to be more exact.
I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and along with my husband, Craig, we will be spending the next 18 months serving a couple mission for our church. We will be sharing the message of Jesus’s love and His life and the message of family there. We will be there to serve others, work hard, and teach – teach about our personal relationship with God and maybe teach some English too.
I am excited, excited and nervous, and I will be missing my family and you. I am grateful for phones and the internet with its video calls and emails so that I can stay in contact with family and friends. The world is a lot closer now. And perhaps family will even be able to come visit us in Italy. But this mission is something I have wanted to do since I was a young girl and my wish is happening.
It probably seems strange to most of you, but I hope you will support Aimee as she keeps this blog going mostly on her own – I say mostly because occasionally I hope to share with you some amazing authentic Italian dish as I learn from the people in Sicily. I also hope you will wish me and Craig well as we go forth.
When Aimee was 5 and 6, she was a Daisy and then a Brownie in Girl Scouts. Each gathering we would sing this little song – “Make new friends but keep the old, some are silver and the other is gold.” My silver and gold friends I will keep you in my heart as I make more silver and gold friends. And as the fox in The Little Prince shares: The relationships we spend time on with others, even if we are sad when they leave will still bring us happiness as we reflect on the memories and the time together.
It actually saddens me to think I won’t have much time to be with you over the next year and a half but thinking about the recipes shared with you will bring me lots of joy.
I will also try to share our experiences and time in Italy by way of thoughts and pictures here on my personal blog Musings of My Mind, if you care to follow along.
Arrivederci for a while,
Ellen
Becky Blad says
Good luck on your mission! My husband served in Italy and loved it. There is nothing like true authentic Italian food! I look forward to seeing any recipes you post that you learn there.
Ellen Garrett says
Becky, thanks so much. Luckily Craig served there as a young man. He loved it but it was hard. I hope to learn lots of yummy recipes and eat lots of good food.