When in Rome!

On with our adventure through Europe, hand-in-hand, a little sleepy, but excited for what the next city was going to hold for us. Zach and I both were really excited about going to Rome. Not just for the amazing things we were going to see, but also because we were getting to stay in the local Nazarene church. After getting a little directional help from the locals we made our way down the little street to the Nazarene church. It was a little building tucked between 2 apartment buildings. When we walked in we got a short tour of the sanctuary, where the 20 members congregate, and met the sweet little lady that pastored the church on a regular basis. It was a very neat experience to be apart of and connected with a fellow Nazarene church half way around the world. The first night we were in Rome we made our way to the Trevi Fountain (absolutely fabulous) and the Spanish Steps where we just sat and took in the scenery for about an hour or so ( we lost track of time). With a rose in hand, that my sweet boy bought for me, we made our way back to the church for an early morning packed full of the sites. The Colosseum was first on our list. It was by far the most "colossal" thing I have ever seen. I had to just stand there and stare at it for awhile to even wrap my head around what I was looking at. It's hard to even describe how cool it is unless you are there in person. The next day we had a Vatican City tour booked-that we had to run at least 7-8 blocks to make it on time...pretty awesome! The Vatican City was PACKED!!! There were so many people there that you felt like you needed to introduce yourself to the stranger you were rubbing up against. But it was totally worth it. There was so much to see. Our guide said that if you were to take only 1 minute to look at each piece of art, it would take you 12 years to make it through the Vatican City. WOW!!! I guess I need to move to Rome for a few years. HAHAHA!!!! The Sistine Chapel was awe inspiring. Another thing you just have to see before you die. Michelangelo, even though never wanted to be known as a painter, was truly an amazing artist that created something inspiring for all generations to love. If you ever get to read about the story of Michelangelo's journey to paint the Sistine Chapel, you should read it. It is a neat story that takes you through his trial and hiccups he encounter through his journey of painting this masterpiece. We also went to The Roman forum, Palintino Hill, and the Roman Zoo (we needed a break form all of the museums and churches! It was so much fun...even though there was a torrential down pour while we were there!) All in all...Rome far exceeded all of my expectations!