So it's been awhile since my last post and a lot has happened. It's hard to think back and remember everything that I want to share. Here goes ...

My Mom was here for two weeks and came for my Spring Break. It was amazing having her here and I now know that the highlight of this semester was seeing the joy come from my Mom's face once we reached Tuscany. My Mom and I spent the week of SB in Siena and Montepulciano. Siena was everything I thought it would be and more. The highlight of the trip was visiting the scala where the Siena hospital used to be in the 1300s-1500s. St. Catherine of Siena worked at the hospital and we visited the sacristy and chapel she prayed in, which was underground. It was a really moving experience and I am so appreciative that my Mom and I were able to pray where one of my favorite Saints once prayed as well.

For one of the days during the week, my Mom and I took a day trip to Florence. Florence has been one of the places that both of us have wanted to visit, but the day didn't turn out exactly as we planned. My Mom's credit card was not working, it was raining, the top of the Duomo was closed, and the most famous painting in the Uffizi Art Gallery was on a tour. But all my Mom and I could do was laugh. We had a really good time, even with all the ups and downs of the day.

During the second part of SB, we traveled to Montepulciano. Montepulciano is known for it's wine, Vino Nobile. Vino Nobile is the famous wine made in the town by the Contucci family for hundreds and hundreds of years. The Contucci family leaves their wine cellar open for people to look around and taste test, and we were able to meet the current owner ... an amazingly kind, old, Italian man. He had so much joy, so of course, we ended up shipping some of the wine home.

My Mom and I definitely got used to the relaxed atmosphere of Tuscany, so Roma seemed more chaotic than ever once I came back after Spring Break. I was blessed enough to have my Mom in Rome for five days and I was able to show her all of the sites. When we went to the Vatican on Monday, we were able to go on the Scavi tour which goes underneath St. Peter's Basilica where the Pagan Romans had built their necropolis. We were able to tour underground, see the necropolis, and the highlight at the end which was the tomb of St. Peter. It was an unbelievable tour.

On the last day my Mom was here, we went to San Giovanni, which is the most holy site in all of Rome. The church was built by Constantine and was the first church where Christians could worship. St. Helena, Constantine's mother, eventually brought the marble stairs from the palace of Pontius Pilate to the church. The 28 marble stairs are believed to be the stairs the Jesus climbed up and down the day he was crucified. The stairs are now covered with wood, but there are holes where you can peek through to see the original marble, stained with Jesus' blood. People now make pilgrimages to the church and it is required that you ascend the stairs on your knees, while saying a prayer on each step. My Mom and I were able to climb the stairs on our knees and it was unbelievable and humbling experience.

There is so much more I should talk about but it's hard to summarize how amazing the past two weeks have been. I am sure my Mom will have stories for all of you at home as well. Anyways, I only have a couple more weeks of class, but I'm trying not to think about the little time left I have in Roma. Next weekend I am going to Easter mass at the Vatican and I cannot wait.

Hope all is well at home.
You are loved and prayed for,
Kaitlin

GO GREEN!!!

"Have no fear of moving into the unknown. Simply step out fearlessly knowing that I am with you, therefore no harm can befall you; all is very, very well. Do this in complete faith and confidence."
-Papa Giovanni Paolo II