Dear Fellow Italy Trip Travelers,

After a long trek home from Italy it seemed a bit anticlimactic for me to pile out of the bus barely awake as we drove home with our families. Maybe we needed to count one more time or just yell Goodnight or say “See you at breakfast.” As I am trying to get back up to up speed, load pictures, edit pictures, get caught up on sleep, etc. I want to say before too much time as pass Thank You For A Great Time or Grazie Per Un Grande Momento!!!

Thank you to Italy for such great amazing weather, the sites, the history, the shopping,  and the food. The Gelato might need its own thank you letter, in fact does anybody know someplace local where I can get my Gelato fix? To Jan Wemes for being our guide again in Europe. Jan’s love and knowledge of his now home country of Italy was apparent as he guided along our tour.

Thank you to all the parents who helped entertain my little ones, help Mrs. De Rose with supporting the orchestra, helping move luggage in line, etc. It was great traveling with you and it was great getting to know you!!

Thank you to the students for rehearsing for over a year, lugging your instruments & uniforms throughout the streets of Italy, and performing for us in some pretty amazing venues. Thank you for entertaining, playing, and making my little ones welcome. They had a blast with you and have not stopped talking about all you!!! Today at preschool Parker was using her “Pause Powers” and telling her classmates about all of you. Carter is now saying “No Way!” whenever we say something silly to him. You are all an amazing a group of kids, error, young adults.

Finally, I want to thank the person who made this happened. Without her this trip would not have happened. So thank you to my friend, my wife,  and your teacher Mrs. Kelly De Rose.

Sincerely,

Bob DeRose

PS: In the next few days I plan to get my pictures loaded up on our Flickr Page and share blog posts with details of some of the pictures and videos. I have only had a chance to quickly preview them and I am excited to see them edited and ready for print.