Making our flight out of Poland to Italy was a crazy experience! We left Auschwitz on a late bus and everyone at the airport said we had missed our flight. Well, were determined to make it so we checked our bags nonetheless and we ran as fast as we possibly could to the gate. Luckily, when we got there the flight was delayed and we had time to grab some dinner. Whew! 

On our flight south, we caught a magnificent glimpse of the Alps from our window. 

We spent our first night in Bergamo, Italy before heading out to Venezia. And with our 24 hour whirlwind tour of Krakow, we were so exhausted. We didn't get to sit together on our train and so Landon managed to catch some of this immense fatigue. It's so good that you can't see that my mouth is completely open!! I was too tired to hold it shut! 

We were rewarded with our first taste of Gelato in Milano where we would catch the train to Venezia the next morning! Exhausted but in love with Italy already!

The next morning we felt refreshed and alive again! Ready to start our seven day adventure in Italy. Italy was the only country we decided to do a train pass in and so we knew we were going to be in for a hard travel experience. Driving was impossible though with the country being so large and well the driving being ridiculously crazy! So we had our Eurail pass and went from town to town enjoying the view of the countryside along the way. We actually really enjoyed the train experience. The car was so special because we had a "home" base from which we would go exploring. But the train was so relaxing once we caught it because we didn't have to worry about how to get from place to place. 

Landing in heaven. Venezia is known for having the most supreme, pure light of anywhere else in the world. It is the main reason why so many of the greatest artists chose to paint here. This photo has no filter or editing. It shows how true and rich all the colors are because of the incredible light. 

I think Landon was the most excited I had seen him when we pulled into Venezia. We stood with our faces pressed against the train windows and he squeezed me so hard saying he was so happy we decided to do this trip. Gosh, it was so amazing being able to be with him when he saw this part of the world. There is nothing like it anywhere else and to see his eyes opened to it's beauty and uniqueness was amazing. What really amazes me is how much my happiness is tied to Mr. Finter's. All I want in life now is to see him fulfilled and happy. 

 

Venezia is such a romantic city. No cars, little noise and such beauty. You feel so detached from the bustle of modern society as you wander the windy streets and canals. And windy is an understatement. Even with gps you have to expect to get lost for about 15-20 minutes every time you walk. 

Here we are at a dead end. Ummm... I think we need to be at that bridge. Do you think we can swim?

We stopped to get pizza before heading to our hostel and coming straight from the stone oven it sure was hot! 

As we ate, we watched these three men carry the remains of a fallen building out to a boat on the canal. It was incredible to see how some parts of life in Venezia stand still in time without modern improvements.

We caught an afternoon sprinkle and I loved the way the droplets fell across this photo. 

Another dead end. 

Dusk was such a beautiful time in this city. We wandered the streets for hours our first day enjoying street performers and the beautiful architecture. 

We watched the sun set over the city after we ran through all the pigeons at the Piazza San Marco. 

Then we had dinner on the banks of the major canal by Pont Rialto and had some delicious raviolis.

We spent the walk home talking about how beautiful it was to be on this trip together and have all this time to be in each other's company. I went on and on rambling about how we need to live in Europe and have babies with accents and eat chocolate and bread all day. And Landon just pulled me in closer and kissed the top of my head saying "Nina, you really are my best friend. I want to share every day with you no matter where we are." 

I remember a good friend of mine saying she knew she was going to marry the boy she was dating because date after date she still wasn't sick of him. hahaha! Well, day after day married I still find myself counting the minutes before he walks in the door home from work. 

Our time together never seems to be enough. 

Windy Gravelly Point

My lovely husband and I love living in DC. There is always so much going on and so many beautiful places to visit. One Sunday afternoon as we were coming home from church, we stopped at a park just outside of Arlington where the planes land feet from you. We laid on the grass holding hands and yelping like little kids as the planes flew right above us. I love married life. Sharing the best moments and adventures with my best friend.

Something wonderful about marriage is the way I see myself through my husband's eyes. It is nothing like looking in the mirror. When I look in the mirror I see imperfections and comparison to the world's definition of beauty. I try to be stronger than all the media and criticism. I try to remember that what I think is beautiful is all that matters in life. It can be hard though. I think, especially for girls. But when my husband stands in front of me and I watch his face as he looks at his wife, I see myself as he sees me. Beautiful. His face lights up and every laugh line smiles with love. His eyes looks so happy. The only thing I can compare that joyful feeling to is looking in the mirrors of the temple and seeing yourself as God sees you. A man/woman of divine, unique worth. A person God knows intimately and completely and loves because it is you. Thank you Mr. Finter for so much happiness.

Four Months

Some days it is hard to believe that I haven't been married longer than just four sweet months. It's not that time passes slowly, but rather that I just feel like Mr. Finter and I have always been together. How funny love can be. It can take two people who have never even seen each other before and in a year make them belong so deeply to each other that they are one.  I love being married. I have never laughed so often, never smiled so much, never loved the ordinary moments more and never been a better version of myself than I have in being loved by Mr. Finter. Here are a few glimpses of our first four months as Mr. and Mrs. Finter.

We celebrated returning to DC, this time married, by going to back to where we got engaged -- the monuments -- for our very first Family Home Evening activity. 

The Jefferson all frozen over.

We will soon be Californians!

Isn't Mr. Finter so handsome?

Mr. Finter bought me an iPhone. I adore it!

The Washington D.C. Temple

Our first home.

And then soon after, we got locked ourselves out.

Our DC friends taught us the art of archery!

We've had the best date nights running through rain storms in Georgetown, biking along the Potomac, holding hands in Alexandria and just being lazy at home.