The Colosseum and New Years

The Colosseum.  This was the very first thing I saw when we got to Rome because we got off the metro and BAM! it was across the street.  I LOVE this building!  The fact that it was finished being built around 80 AD and it has gone through SO much and is still standing truly is remarkable.  I don't like to think about all the sad and disturbing things that happened here, but it is incredible to see the strength it conveys.   

This is the "basement" of the Colosseum.  This is where they held all of the prisoners, animals, everything they used to make the fights interesting.  It was of course covered when it was being used.

Through one of the arches you see this next to the building.  It was pretty fantastic too. 

If you were to go watch an execution or fight, this is what it would have looked like as you were looking for your seat.  It is seriously the size of a football stadium. 

Another view

This was the last night before we came home.  Todd and I and just had a wonderful dinner together of the best pizza I think I have ever had and we were walking back to our room and the view was just too good not to take a picture!  It is like our picture of us saying goodbye to Rome. 

New Years was CRAZY!  This was the view from our window in our hotel just after midnight.  If you notice all of those barricades, yeah that is so the ambulance can get in and out of the crowd.  You literally could not walk through all of this because it was just people.  People were lighting off M80s in the middle of this crowd and deafen us all for a few minutes.  Todd and I were in the middle of that when Midnight hit and as we're counting down, I start looking around and I notice multiple people around us have bottle of champagne and are shaking them.  I turned to Todd in a panic and said,"Todd we have got to move, we have got to get out of here!"  He just smiled at me and asked, "Where are we gonna go?!  It is everywhere!  We just have to bunker down and deal with it!"  I resigned my need to move and just kind of went with the flow.  Luckily we didn't get too much alcohol on us, and surprisingly it smelled good, so I didn't mind too much.  :)

Us right in the thick of it.  We were a little overwhelmed if you can't tell!

There was a huge stage in the middle of the road with a couple bands playing music.  This picture was taken before the party really started so that is why we look so happy! :)  So that is why we look blue, but if you look in the back ground you can see the Colosseum.  It was an awesome place to celebrate the new year!

Our girls enjoying their spoils from Italy.  We missed these two face dearly while we were away!  Luckily while we were there we were able to facetime with them every day.  We truly appreciate my parents for taking care of our precious girls while we were away!  Family truly is a blessing!

This trip was so much fun!  It was good to spend time with Todd's family without the stress of everything that has been going on since June.  It has been a very tough year, and it was good to just let loose for a few days and not have to stress about anything.  Todd's parents basically paid for the trip, and as fun as this trip was we would much rather have them here to share our lives with.  I am glad we decided to do this, because I think we all needed it!