I'm Not Dead Yet

Gotta love the P!nk Reference in the title, huh?!  I love her music and her "take me as I am or back the F off" attitude.  No, this post is not about one of my favorite chicks.  It's just been a minute since you have heard from me [again.  sorry!].

I still want to share some photos from February (i.e. my birthday/the Chicago blizzard), but I can't seem to find the camera cord.  I'm hoping it hasn't been packed yet.  Speaking of which...

Our life has been cRaZy lately...and it's only going to get crazier.  We have stopped saying we have to get ready to move...and have officially begun the process.  Boxes have already been packed, a moving truck has been reserved, etc. etc. 

To make the next 6 weeks even more interesting, cause that's how we roll, my husband is graduating with his Bachelor's degree.  Yay!!  Of course I am beyond proud and so excited at this accomplishment!!  On the other hand, it brings a whole other list of things to do.  A Graduation party, a ceremony to attend, my parents flying in to support him...lots of stuff...and then we move 800 miles away...4 very short days later!  (Since we are moving back to my neck of the woods, he jokes that if I could, I would be waiting in the Penske truck in the school parking lot, and we'd leave town right after he walks across the stage...so funny!)  We can do this though, we make the best team :)

I have to say that a wave of emotions that I never saw coming have crept into my heart.  I will miss Chicago sooo much.  3 years ago, when we moved here, I came kicking and screaming.  Not really, but almost!  I was excited at what could be, but I missed the D.C. area with a passion.  It's what I know, ya know?  And I missed my family, dogs, and closest friends more than words could ever describe. 

Now, I am realizing that once I embraced our time here (we knew it was a 3-year temporary type of thing), I actually allowed myself to be present in Chicago.  I allowed myself to enjoy our time here.  I was a girlfriend, a fiance, and am now a wife to the most incredible man.  We adopted our first pet together here.  We became a stronger unit, on our own.  We explored the museums, the parks, the food (oops!  I have a few lbs to lose!), and the scenery.  I am going to miss those late-at-night "let's drive down Lake Shore Drive" spur-of-the-moment drives, just to take in the city.  I will miss seeing the film crews in our neighborhood and waiting to see the finished product in the theatres the following year.  I will miss the broadway shows and the festivals.  I will miss Chicago.

I know that we have a lot to look forward in the years to come and that this is best for our future family, but Chicago will always have a very special place in my heart.  It will always be with me.  I will look back fondly and will know that although we have had some rough patches here, Chicago has been very good to us.  I can't wait until we have kids and we can bring them to visit and show them where Mom & Dad used to live.  Hopefully, some of our favorite spots will still be here and they can breathe in this city as we have.

I will close for now.  I have to make this more of a habit (blogging).  I am realizing it can be a bit therapeutic.

Perfectly in transition,
Danielle

02.01 recap

As mentioned in my previous "catch-up" post, I promised a re-cap of my "offically in the late-20s birthday."  The Mister had planned the entire day for me.  (This is something that he enjoys doing for me, and what girl wouldn't love the romance in it?!  Well, the control freak in me screams inside, but the helpless romantic has has learned to go with it.) 

He woke me up singing Happy Birthday (adorable) and then handed me 50 bucks.  He had to go to one class that day, but instructed me to get up, get ready, and go get a mani/pedi.  Niiiice!  I kept telling him that the day was going to be cut short because of the predicted weather, but then of course this is Chicago; life still goes on, despite the weather.  He gave me a kiss and was off on his way!

We met up again at about 1PM.  The weather was already getting bad.  (more on that in a future post.)  He picked me up from the nail salon and proceeded to our destination.  We got on Lake Shore Drive and headed Southbound.  (The view from LSD is something that I will terribly miss once we move.  It is so beautiful and magnificent, anytime of day and in any season.)  We got off the exit and I knew where we were headed...promptly exclaiming, "the Shedd Aquarium!!"  I was so excited.  I started talking about the rescued sea turtle that I adore and want to cuddle that lives in the massive tank (learn about her here) and the time that we went with my parents.

And then we tried to park in the parking garage.  DENIED!  There was a scroll sign that read: All museums closed due to *Blizzard!!*  Yes, complete with a bedazzled 'Blizzard.'  All we could do was laugh, cause they weren't going to open it for this birthday girl.

My husband is quick though.  If he couldn't get me next to my sea turtle friend, he'd get me next to the next best thing, given the circumstances.  So we went to the Rainforest Cafe, and sat next to one of their huge tanks.  We made the best of the situation and really had a good time.  The place was practically empty because we were the only idiots out that didn't have to be and we took our sweet time eating and chatting with the waitress who was a doll.

Once we finished, we played with the idea of going to a movie, but decided to head home since the snow was falling at 4 inches per hour.  We grabbed a redbox movie and snuggled on the couch the rest of the evening <3  It was quite nice to just take it all in and celebrate my first married birthday.  I feel so blessed to spend every.single.birthday with this man for the rest of my life.

**Side note:  Since the plans got ruined, my birthday was celebrated throughout the month, since Sergio later took me to the places he had planned that day (i.e. the movies, dinner at my fav tapas restaurant, etc.).  It was good to be me in February :)

Perfectly ready for another year,
Danielle