the beginning of goodbye.

I woke up early this morning, freezing cold in my room.  The window has been refusing to shut completely so sometimes I wake up to see it blown open.  ColdColdCold.  It was around 7:30 am when I was actually awake and sitting up right in bed.  I've learned to do this sort of shuffle towards the end of my mattress in order to place my feet directly in warm slippers without ever having to touch the tile floor.  I'm 100% certain I look like a loser doing it, but my feet thank me every morning.  

I got dressed, made an egg for breakfast, grabbed an apple and my camera and headed out for the day.  Sam and I spent the morning walking up to San Miniato al Monte.  It was one of the first places we visited when we first arrived (the one with a million steps).  So it made perfect sense to me to start saying goodbye in the place where we first said hello.  Two weeks left.  Two very busy weeks.  That's all I have.  I can't believe it. 

Some of these shots might look the same as they did when I first visited....but I can promise you that everything about them felt different.  I'm a different girl than I was back in September. It was cold but sunny for a while this morning before the sky turned sort of grey. I tried to pay attention to the details.  To the little things I had missed the first few times I climbed.  I don't want to forget anything.  

We passed the Duomo first, which has recently become quite a bit more festive...

Then we crossed the Arno before starting our climb...

I love to walk.  I could walk all day long.  There is so much to see - especially when you are willing to hike.  Someone asked me recently what I am going to miss most about Italy.  And I really couldn't answer.  Everything.  Everything.  I miss it already.  There is an energy here....a feeling....a collective passionate feeling for living.  I'm praying I don't lose it when I get back to the states.  I'm making it my mission to continue being awed by the world.  No matter where I am.  Good or bad... I'm going to find life.  

As much as I hate saying goodbye to this place, I can't wait to say hello to you  :)

Love, Hayden