About

I’m just an ordinary American woman with an Italian heart documenting my life in Italy, my journey with Jesus, and lessons I learn along the way.

Stone terrace with benches, a parked car, and glowing streetlamps overlooks a hillside town of tightly packed homes at dusk, creating a calm evening mood.

An older woman in glasses sits calmly on a cushioned porch swing, wearing blue, with red and floral pillows, surrounded by sunny greenery.

Smiling older couple taking a selfie beneath leafy trees in a sunlit garden, conveying warmth, companionship, and a relaxed mood.

Rocky stone path winds uphill through lush greenery, bordered by a rustic wooden railing and stone wall toward an old hillside building.

The people in these pages

One couple, happily married 50 years with 2 kids, 9 grandchildren, and a great-grandchild on the way! Here, we’re often known by the following nicknames, which were bestowed upon us by the locals!

“Signora Sheila”

Keeper of the blog

Born and raised on a Michigan woodland farm. Bilingual with dual citizenship. Enthusiastic decorator, organizer, and furniture mover. Reluctant cook.

“Super Mario”

Superhero Hubby to the blogger

Born in a tiny mountain village in southern Italy. Raised in a non-English-speaking Bronx home. Enthusiastic cook, gardener, and rock mover. Reluctant handyman.

Family — Friends — Paesani

All make sporadic appearances. Names or pseudonyms are given, faces seldom shown, given that some people might prefer anonymity.

What you will find here

As an empty-nester missionary overseas, I discuss the challenges of tight budgets, advancing age, loneliness, and missing loved ones. I also share the lessons I am learning as I strive to lead a quiet, peaceful, and fruitful life, as described in 1 Thessalonians 4:11.

My entries usually appear as “Slow Sunday Posts.” Some weeks I publish more than one post, other weeks I publish none at all, and that’s OK. I’m learning that the breaks and the blank spaces have their own importance. Because some days are meant for chasing goals, while others are for enjoying the view with a cup of coffee!

The Places in these pages

Our small town in central Italy’s Abruzzo region.

Quiet hillside village with red-tiled roofs, a stone church tower, and green fields overlooking distant rolling countryside beneath a blue sky.

My hubbys birthplace in southern Italy’s Campania region.

Panoramic village view framed by leafy branches, with red-tiled rooftops, lush gardens, and a dramatic rocky mountain cliff in warm light.

A gray wingback chair anchors a bright, cozy reading nook, with an open laptop, framed art, flowers on a shelf, and a tall floor lamp nearby.

My cozy work corner in our little hillside Abruzzo town.

Rustic kitchen with wooden shelves, stove, sink, and a sunlit dining table covered in heart-themed place settings, creating a cozy, homey atmosphere.

Our little guest house, right next door and always open.

A man stands in a doorway beside a dining table set with plates, glasses, flowers, and food; framed landscapes create a warm, homely scene.

My husband’s birth home (now become our bolt hole).

How it all started

Two children stand outside a blue canvas tent beside a laundry cart, conveying everyday life in a temporary camp on a sunny day.

Family portrait in a cozy bedroom: two children and a woman smile beside a bunk bed, patterned quilts, animal artwork, and a checkered table.

Black-and-white rural yard shaded by tall trees, with white laundry hanging on a clothesline beside a simple house; quiet, nostalgic mood.

We came to Italy as missionaries in 1989 with no income or financial support, few belongings and limited cash. Over the years, we’ve moved more than 50 times, settling into some rather unusual dwellings. These included a tent, a camping trailer (which we shared with tarantulas), and a remodeled chicken coop that was so cozy the chickens kept returning!

We have weathered times of need, experienced seasons of abundant blessings, and throughout it all, we have witnessed God’s constant love and faithfulness.

This space began in 2011 as a tiny blog, created to stay in touch with faraway friends and family. I have been pleasantly surprised to see it evolve into a global community of supportive friends, whose contributions and encouragement enrich not only the blog, but also my own life and that of the “Slow Moments Family.” I am truly grateful to you all—and I am immensely grateful for you all❣️

Thank you for visiting! I hope you’ll visit often and will join the “Slow Moments Family!”

The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.
Psalm 126:3

📷 All images are mine.