CHICAGO

In my opinion, Chicago has to be one of the most beatiful cities in the world in the summer. Lake Michigan up against the enormous skyscrapers is a sight to behold. We really love going downtown. There is always so much to see and do. You could spend all day just people watching on Michigan Avenue, if you had the time.

Over the last few months, we have known there was some change coming but we didn't know exactly what that change would mean for our family, until a few weeks ago. Rick was offered a really exciting opporunity with his company to open a new market in Florida. Which means, that we will be putting the house on the market in the spring and moving when the kids get out of school.

I'm excited for Rick and I know that he will do a wonderful job but, we are all a little sad. It's hard to believe that someone (the someone is me) who was very sure that they would never really 'like' Chicago, is sad to be leaving. Sad to leave dear friends, sad to leave our ward, sad to leave our house, sad to leave the kids school, sad to leave this beautiful city that has been our home. I'm not sad about leaving the snow, but I feel as though I need to make the most of this last winter here.

We had a family meeting to tell the kids. We told them that daddy's job would be changing and that they wanted us to move. I told them we wanted to play a game to see if they could guess where we would be moving. First, I showed them a picture of downtown Orlando. No one knew where it was. Second, I showed them a picture of the Orlando temple. No one knew where it was, although Ben did notice that there were palm trees. Third, I showed them a picture of Universal. Ben started jumping and saying "There is one in Florida, and one in California. Are there any more? Fourth, I showed them a beautiful picture of DisneyWorld. Complete pandemonium broke lose is our house. Screaming, running, chearing, jumping! To say the least, they were very excited. I think Ben thinks there won't be any chores, school, or homework once we live close to the 'happiest place on earth'. We will just go to Disney everyday in his mind but I was very relieved that they were happy. I had this vision of crying children saying "how could you ruin my life like this!"

That night we asked the kids individually if they were sad or nervous about leaving and both Ben and Olivia teared up. Both said the same thing, "We are going to miss our friends". Which is exactly how Rick and I feel too.

My Nana sent me this poem she wrote, with a note that read "I felt inspired to write this because of all the kindess shown to each of you." I can't agree more!

People of Chicago!
You are really tops,
And so impressive
Your kindness never stops.

We are so grateful
For your friendship to our kin.
How do we thank you
Where so we begin?

With our sweet southern charm
We thought we were surely best,
But your kindess surpasses us
With each and every test.

Therefore, we concede.
You are the perfect friend.
You have loved our children.
You are definately a "Ten".

So thank you, thank you
For all that you do.
You are super in our minds,
And in our hearts too.

Love from Florida

A year later

Yesterday marked a year that we got on a plane and left Georgia and moved to Chicago. In some ways it has gone so fast. We were so sad to be leaving Georgia and when we walked out of the airport in Chicago last year, it was cold and really windy. The weather was like a slap in the face. We stopped to get lunch at Subway on the way to our townhouse. Rick parked the car and as I opened my car door, the wind swung it open and slammed into the car next to us. I remember thinking, this is just an awful, awful place. It was harsh and unwelcoming.

Fast forward to this year, April 1st, 2010. We spent the day at the park with a lot of my closest friends in Chicago and their kids. It was a beautiful bright, blue, sunshiny day and it was a record high of 83 degrees!! Later that night, we grilled and ate dinner outside and then the kids rode bikes. I feel so different about Chicago this year. Although I still don't appreciate the weather (and I'm pretty sure I never will), everything else is really great. I feel lucky to be here.

Last year we weren't sure if we would have a third baby and this year I'm a few days from having a new baby boy. Last year, we didn't know where we were going to live permanently and this year we have a house that has become our home. Last year we didn't know anyone and this year we have wonderful friends whom we love. We feel happy and very very blessed.

Something Good

Obviously, this post is long over due. I have been neck deep in boxes and busy with everything that goes along with moving into a new house. Since this is our family journal, I feel like I need to back up a little and write this all down so I don't forget. It's funny how life takes you to places you would never expect. Last July, we decided to stay in our house in Atlanta for a few more years. Rick had just finished grad school and we were feeling like things might lighten a little bit. It had been a tough and stressful three years for everyone.
In October, I had a another miscarriage. It was really sad for Rick and I. Then three weeks after that, Rick was laid off. Although they gave him a severance it was completely a surprise. I was scared. The thing that kept running through my mind all day was 'What are we going to do?' and 'What is going to happen to us?'. It was a long holiday season. I frequently asked Rick "What is going to happen to us?". He always said "Something good". Then on December 30, one day before his severance ran out, Rick was offered a job in Chicago. Something Good. We didn't even go one day without a paycheck. I was relieved and thankful but really, really didn't want to move to Chicago. I mean, what were we going to do with our house in a horrible housing market. Rent or sell?. Where were we going to live once we got there? So many questions!
The next Monday, Rick was on a plane to Chicago to work. He came back home the first few weekends but for the next 3 months it was every 2 and then 3 weeks between trips home. We had a lot to decide and I was pretty much by myself with the kids.
We needed to sell his car since the company gave him a company car. We decided that when he was home for the first weekend we would decide what to do. When he got home our friends offered to buy our car from us. We went to dinner, they wrote us a check, and just like that, without any effort, the car was sold. Something Good.
But there was so much still to worry about. 'What are we going to do with our house?' After meeting with a realtor and a management company, we decided that we were going to use a management company. They took pictures of the house and put it on the market. We decided that the kids and I were moving to Chicago April 1st whether the house was rented on not. We had a few showings a week but almost none of them I would know about more than a few hours ahead of time. One night, the management company called to say that they had a showing the next day at 1:30. I was happy. I could drop off Ben at preschool and I could have the morning getting things ready. At 1 :15 the house was perfect. I had even baked cookies. At 1:25 they called to say they weren't coming. After having a little break down (Rick hadn't been at home for 3 weeks, the kids were crazy, I was the Enrichment leader and the R.S. birthday dinner was in one week.) I thought "This is crazy, we are moving in a few weeks and no one has rented our house. What is going to happen to us?"
Almost every night Rick and I would talk on the phone. Every night I would say 'What is going to happen to us?". Every night Rick would say "Something good." I said it so often, it kind of became a joke. Everytime I would say it, we would both start laughing.
The management company called to tell us that we had renters and they had passed all of the background and credit checks. Over the pasted three months Rick and I had been praying for the right people to live in our house. We felt like these were the right people. They wanted to move in April 1st. Since we were having the house and carpets cleaned on April 1st, we asked if April 2 would work. It did. So the day after we moved to Chicago, people were moving into our house. Something good.
We moved into the townhouse and mostly the storage unit. Almost everything except clothes and kitchen stuff went to the storage unit. We immediately started looking for houses to buy and rent. We had been praying to know which one we should do. Although we would rather buy a house, we really didn't care which one we did. I just wanted to do the right thing. We felt like buying felt right. After looking at a million houses we had found one that we liked, we couldn't make a decision though. We just didn't feel good about making an offer. Which meant, we were back to the drawing board. I was so frustrated. I just wanted to be were ever we were going to live. I don't like 'not knowing'. I need a plan.
Rick started looking online for more houses to look at. We found one that we liked (at least from the pictures) and had just come on the market a few days earlier. We called our realtor and set up a time for me to go see it in two days. I took the kids and I loved it. Rick went and saw it the day after and loved it too. We made an offer, we countered back and forth for a few days, and we came to an agreement. We had a place to live. Something Good.
On June 11, we closed on the house. Something good.
Sometimes I stop and think, eight months ago I was living in Georgia with plans so stay there, and now I live Chicago and almost everything in my daily life is different. It's crazy. But the important things are the same.
I have learned so much over the last eight months. Some things are new and some I already knew but were reconfirmed to me.
#1 - Every step of the way, we had to step in the dark before our prayers were answered. This is so hard for me. I'm risk adverse. I know that Heavenly Father was helping us every step of the way, he answered our prayers and he loves us.
#2 - I know that our family is supposed to be in Chicago at this time. I don't know why yet but I know it.
# 3 - Patience
#4 - I'm so grateful for my sweet husband. He is perfect for me and (I think) I'm perfect for him.
#5 - The hardest things in life give you strength and experience that hopefully you can use to help others.
#6 - Even the faith of a mustard seed is enough. I felt like Laman and Lemuel on most days during this experience. They went but they weren't happy about it.
#7 - Heavenly Father prepares a way.
#8 - I'm so grateful for my family

I feel like I have been holding my breath for 8 months and I can finally take a deep breath. Although it has taken a while, now I know for myself, that being here will bring 'something good'.

Update

The last few weeks have been hectic. I'm not sure why because right now I don't even have a house to clean. The kids have been fighting a lot and we are all growing tired of living in a townhouse with almost none of our stuff. I was giving Olivia a bath the other night and she asked me where one of her toys was. She immediately replied to her own question "It's in storage". That's pretty much my answer to everything the kids ask for these days. The good news is, that we close in two days. We will be moving on Friday and Saturday. Rick also took Monday and Tuesday off too. Rick and I are anxious to be unpacked.
We met with the principle at Ben's new school last week. He gave us all the information we need to get him registered, how things work for kindergarten in Illinois, and gave us a tour. Ben is really excited about it. We got to meet one of the kindergarten teachers too. I can't believe that Ben is old enough for kindergarten but I know he is going to love it.
Last week, I took the kids with our friend and realtor, and his kids to The Art Institute of Chicago. They just opened the new modern wing of the museum so they had free admission for the week. Although crowded it was great. They had a huge impressionist exhibit that the kids and I really enjoyed. Ben's favorite was the real suits of armour and 'the kings stuff'. Olivia's was a painting of ballerinas. Mine was the Monet's. I just love them! We went down to the kids touch museum and then headed home. I can't wait to go back with just Rick and I, so that I can look at everything.

Mia, Aidan, Ben & Olivia in a garden outside the museum

Rick and Ben went to a Father's & Sons camp-out a few Friday's ago. While they were away, Olivia and I had a girls night. This means one thing to Olivia....playing Beauty Shop. I painted her nails and did her hair but she insisted on doing her own lipstick. This is a picture of her after we were done. Thankfully, there was no one around to take a picture of me. I looked much crazier than she did.

On a side note, I was in Costco this morning. The cashier was very friendly and was talking to the kids. As I was leaving he said "Stay warm!" in a very friendly manner. I couldn't believe on June 2nd, someone told me 'stay warm.' If that doesn't tell you a lot about the climate here, I don't know what will. I didn't know if I should laugh or cry.

Georgia on my Mind

On Sunday March 29th, our friends the McWilliams, Sorensons and Bakers had a going away open house for us. It was really sweet and we got to say goodbye to a lot of friends. We are missing our sweet family and friends terribly.

Monday and Tuesday, Rick and I were at the house all day with the packers and movers. It was pretty sad to see everything empty and leaving the house for the last time was unbelievably hard. There has been so many memories there. The last few days we were at our house I found myself wanting to hug our walls. We brought our sweet babies home from the hospital to this house. We have had sad times and many more happy times there. It was our first house and it was perfect for us.

Tuesday night we were supposed to meet at my parents house at 5p.m. for a farewell family dinner and didn't make it until 8:30!! The movers had taken longer than expected. I fully expected that most of my brothers & sister-in-laws would have gone home because of the time. When we pulled up, everyone's car was still there!

The next morning we got up and headed to the airport. It was awful saying goodbye to my parents and I cried (big surprise) and Ben & Olivia kept asking 'why I had tears?'. We made it through the airport and on to the plane with no problems. When our plane took off I cried again. Somehow, the plane taking off, meant we were really leaving and moving to Chicago.

Here are some pictures of some of our friends, family and favorite spots in Georgia.

So here goes our next big adventure...Chicago!!

Chicago - Day 1

So sad...lots of tears:(

Freak....it's cold!!

Last weekend I went up to Chicago to go house hunting. The weekend was very productive and we think we have found an area that has good schools, nice houses and (from what we hear) a large ward. Rick took this picture of me to show Ben how much snow there was.
Even though we weren't doing anything fun, it was really nice to just hang out with Rick. It hasn't been fun for anyone since he has been gone.
Thanks to Grandma, Papa, Aunt Gina & Nana for watching the kids while we were gone. You guys are probably still recuperating.

This picture is just funny to me. This move to Chicago is going to have many firsts but I have never seen snow on a beach before. It makes me laugh that they have lifegaurd stands out in a foot of snow.
I brought my new Ugg's on this trip and they are officially my new best friends!! Sorry to all my sweet friends who I love and have been friends with my whole life. You have been replaced! JK! I will do anything to stay warm.

A Big Decision

I honestly don't know where to start. Our family has made a big decision. After living in Atlanta for 8 years, we are moving to Chicago, Illinois. Rick has accepted a great job there with National Vision and has already started working. He is there during the week and comes home on the weekends. The kids and I are staying here until our house is rented and then we will move officially. For the last two weeks, I have been in total denial. My emotions range from so sad to leave Georgia and my family, excited to move to a new place to explore, and disgust that I will have to deal with arctic weather and huge amounts of snow (I get cold in Atlanta). I really don't know how this southern girl is going to last. Saying that, I know that once we get there, our family will adjust quickly.

When we told Ben about our move he was very excited. We showed him a map and told him about fun things to do there. He was most excited that it snows. He will have all the snow he can imagine. He also is glad they have two major league baseball teams to go to.

Now I am just trying to clean out closets and get rid of things we don't need or use. Part of the relocation package includes me going to Chicago with Rick for house hunting trips. I will be doing that in the next few weekends. Which by the way, sounds like a dream come true. I haven't been on a plane by myself since college. No kids to entertain and no one to talk to sounds great!!

Since we don't know anyone in Chicago or know our way around, we would love any suggestions about great restaurants, good neighborhoods and fun family activites.

The next few weeks or months are going to be very chaotic for us but we are thinking of it as an adventure.