I am NOT a traveler!
I am a homebody.
I love being in my comfort zone with my family sleeping in my own comfy bed.
But when my sweet BFF invited me to be her first guest in her new townhouse, I put my fears and anxiety aside, packed my bags and hopped on a plane headed for Chicago, Illinois.
I have known this beautiful lady for over thirty years!! We oriented together at the same hospital in S. Florida. We were both newly married, new nurses, starting new jobs. As soon as we met, we became fast friends.
After our first meeting, my sweet friend, I’ll call her Miss L, invited me over for dinner where I met her husband and her pet cat. We talked through the meal and beyond, never running out of things to talk about. From that day on, we have always made it a priority to get together.
(This is us four years into our friendship. I’m holding Son #1 and Miss L is pregnant with her first beautiful girl)
We have been through four moves, eight children, a divorce, family deaths, sending children to college, an engagement and we’re still going strong!
Miss L has moved from Illinois, where she grew up, to S. Florida, where we met, back to Illinois, then to Atlanta, and finally back to Illinois again, this time to take care of her ailing mother.
She is an amazing, strong, smart, beautiful lady and I’m proud to call her my friend! And when she invited me up to visit, I didn’t hesitate.
I survived the flight, despite a two hour delay because of bad weather in Chicago. I kept hearing about how awful the weather was where we were headed but when we landed, it was sunny and warm. I couldn’t have asked for a prettier day! It was wonderful to be greeted by my sweet friend. Anxiety gone!
We spent the first evening talking and talking and talking. I think we stopped to eat but then we got back to the talking and talking!
I’ve been to the suburbs of Chicago a couple of times but the second day of my visit we headed into downtown Chicago to visit my beautiful niece who just moved up there about a week ago! Miss L and I took the train down to Union Station on a beautiful sunny hot morning (the weather was supposed to be thunderstorms the whole time I was visiting). Union Station is a beautiful station with interesting architecture everywhere.
While we were walking through the city heading to Michigan Avenue, and never living in a city (I’m a small town girl!) I couldn’t help but continually look up!
My beautiful niece.
On the third day we had brunch with my sweet brother-in-law and sister-in-law in Wheaton, IL which is about thirty miles north of Miss Ls place. After a great meal at Egg Harbor Cafe, we enjoyed yummy cupcakes that my SIL brought for dessert. SOOOO not on my keto diet!!! Notice what is in my hand!!
We toured the Wheaton College campus while we were in the city of Wheaton. What a beautiful campus!
The college had a display of Mastodon bones that were found in a nearby town in 1963 and was donated to the college. The display shows the bones of the “elephant” on one side and what it would look like with skin.
We tried to tour the Billy Graham Library which is on the Wheaton campus but because of the holiday weekend, it was closed. We did walk around the foyer though which had the most beautiful wall hanging made from broken colored tiles.
I had a wonderful time in the beautiful city of Chicago and I was blessed to spend it with my best friend Miss L, to visit my beautiful niece, and visit with my BIL and SIL.
Hope y’all enjoyed your Labor Day weekend!
Love y’all,
Linda
