Home Sweet Home???

Well, it happened before I really knew it was happening.  I know, I know - I have been subconsciously preparing to move to Chicago probably since my engagement in May, 2008...but when did it actually happen?!  I would like that question answered because before I knew it, I was waking up in a different room, in a different building, in a different city, in a different state!  Hold the phone...what?!

I feel like the past month and a half has all been such a blur as my life has changed, somewhat drastically from what it was before.  In less than a year I went from being engaged to being married, from living in Lexington to living in Louisville and THEN to Chicago, from being a teacher to being unemployed (and soon to be student), from living with my best friend to living with a boy (who's also my best friend, but still a boy), from leading Young Life to not, from living in an amazing community full of friends that I loved as family to living in a city (population 3 million in the city and 9.5 million in "Chicagoland") where I think I may know a total of 10 people.  I think I bit off more than I can chew.

Is there a rewind button???  No???  I'll settle for a pause button.  I feel like my life has been in fast forward and although it's finally slowing down, I wish it would've slowed down about 10 months ago so that I could have savored the precious moments that I had with sweet friends in my beloved Lexington.  I was so excited about getting married and all that that would entail that I allowed for important moments of the past months to fly by without me even realizing they were gone...until now.  Sounds like a pity party, right?  Want to join me?  I'll send 'ya an invitation!  DON'T!  Because I shouldn't be pitying around.

I need to remember that this is all part of God's bigger plan for my life.  HE knows why I'm here and why I'm no longer where I love.  HE sees the bigger picture...heck!  He painted the bigger picture!  Why am I so torn up about leaving a place where I was so comfortable to come to a place where I was called?  I shouldn't be!  It's okay that I love where I used to live and that I LOOOOOOVE all my beloveds there - but just because I moved DOESN'T mean that I lost my loves!  Now they get to come and visit my new place of residency (despite knowing that I was called here, I'm not ready to call this "home") and I get to visit them whenever I feel the itch to do so!  So instead of this being a boohoo session, I'm turning it into a "Welcome to Chicago" blog for all my dearly loved friends who are going to come and visit me!

Reason #1 why you should come and visit me:

I live within a 5 minute walk of the Lincoln Park Conservatory.  I know you're thinking, "I don't really care about Conservatorys..."  Well SHUT-IT!  Have you ever actually been in one?  I didn't think so....

Reason #2 why you should visit me:

 

I live within a 6 minute walk from the Lincoln Park Zoo.  I know that that is enticing to all of you!  If you come anywhere between now and Christmas, you can enjoy "ZOO Lights" which is a light exhibit set up throughout the entire zoo :).

Reason #3 of why you should come and visit me:

 

That my friends is a far off picture of my new church... The Moody Church.  While it isn't Southland, it is Biblically based with a pretty passionate pastor (Dr. Erwin Lutzer...look him up, he's got a few books about Jesus under his belt)

Reason #4 why you shouldn't wait to come and visit me:

 

Maybe, if you're lucky, Stephen will give you some of his 5 lbs (that's right, 5 lbs - that's the equivalent of 1400 Gummy Bears!!!) Gummy Bear that his co-worker got him as a belated wedding present...

Hmmm...I gotta be honest, I don't think he'll let you eat his "baby"...

And the last reason why you should come and visit me:

I just may give you some of my winnings from Publishers Clearing House...

DON'T WAIT!  COME TODAY!!! :)