Partying with Adopted Italians

''Autumn seems to have arrived in 3 days'' is what the Italians are saying.  It had been hot. dry, and brown before we arrived.  And now it was been raining off and on the entire week we have been here.  I think this means that no one can decided if it is still Summer or Fall and it makes many decisions more difficult.  Take the motorino, or car?  Have a party outside, or inside?  Buy tomatoes or squash?  
For example, we had an amazingly long afternoon in the sun on Saturday.  It was the 16th  birthday of Francesco's nephew and we planned on having his party outside with the rest of his family.  I had met them all before, but this was the first time Ava could meet her adopted Italian family.  They speak a little English, so it is fun for us to learn some Italian while we help them with their English too!  Ava was so happy to meet her Zias and Zios (Aunties and Uncles) and her two new cousins.  She was such a good girl, sitting at the table, eating her lasagna and bread, then playing quietly with the pens and markers her Zia brought for her.  It was pretty easy to see that they instantly loved her, and I am so thankful to have these family members around to see each week for Saturday lunches.  Sadly I didn't think to take any pics of this party...but just imagine 10 Italians and 2 Americans sitting around a huge wooden table in the shade with tons of food on the table and lots of talking and gesturing at one time.  Oh!  And I even made an American birthday cake for them all to try...I was missing 1 egg and had to use olive oil, but it still tasted like a good ole Pillsbury 'Funfetti' cake to me!  And I got compliments from all the ladies, saying it was wonderful...haha...but didn't tell them it was from a box  ;)

If Saturday was a perfect day in the garden, Sunday could be considered a disaster.  There was a welcome party planned in honor of Ava and myself, so our other Italian friends could come over and officially meet Ava.  During the week a couple close Zias and Zios arrived to wish us welcome, but this was a grander affair.  Hoping the rain would hold out again, we set up the party outside.  A few friends came and a couple children around Ava's age showed up.  They colored together, all too shy to to try to speak to one another in their foreign languages.  But then another guest arrived...and unwelcome guest...the biggest thunderstorm I have seen in years!  At first we thought it might rain a little bit, then stop, so we sought refuge under the covered patio.  (See the attempted solution: chairs huddled closely together under the patio)
But once the lightening arrived, with shouts of encouragment in Italian, we all had to run across the yard and back into the house!  It continued to rain like this for the next 5 hours, but that didn't stop our other friends from venturing out to come see us! 

Many brought Ava little toys and tried to speak to her in English.  It was amazing how quickly she became endeared to these new friends.  A funny observation is how touch-feely most of the adults were with Ava.  I'm not sure if it's an Italian thing, or we are just up-tight Americans, but there were many moments of personal-space-invasion.  It was like they were so in love with Ava, they couldn't keep their hands off her!  And that's a little much for a 3 year old, in a new place, with tons of new people.  She would hide in my arms for 5 minutes, but to my surprise she was then running around, dancing and showing off in front of everyone!  Additionally, she would warm up to some older gentlemen, and give them kisses whenever they asked!  Well, it's easy to see everyone loved Ava, and she loved them too.  What a relief to have these adopted Italians help fill the big empty spot we have for our real family who we miss, so far away!