One Year Anniversary

This week marks our one year anniversary in Chicago. One year ago Mark and I packed up our car, put both kayaks on the roof rack and drove for three days from Boston to PA to a stopover in Ohio and then here. It’s hard to believe that I was 12 weeks pregnant then. I was so nervous to meet my new doctor and get my 12 week ultrasound at a new hospital. I was overwhelmed with thoughts of leaving Boston and our beautiful skyline view condo to sleep in our new (empty) home for the first time.

I remember it like it was yesterday… It was such a strange feeling driving down our new street and looking for the house that we would live in. Pulling into the driveway was surreal. Opening the garage door then the door to the house (which set off an alarm—to this day the alarm says “garage door open”). Little did we know what blessings the Lord had in store for us once we stepped into the hallway of our new house.

So much has happened in one year. We settled in nicely, met wonderful people, had a little girl, and dealt with life’s blows one by one as they came…and they sure did come. (Maybe some of you remember my earlier “house woes” blogs.) I can’t say that living so far away from our families has been easy, but it has allowed Mark and me to bond like never before. I am grateful for that.

Hats off to one year!

Nature Trails and Green Bottles

Mark took a few days off last week and we made sure we took full advantage of his time with us. We visited the zoo, and took several long walks through the neighborhood and local park. But the highlight of our time was finding a gem called Fullersburg Woods Forest Preserve, less than five minutes from our house. It is a shame we didn’t discover this earlier—but better late than never.

The Fullersburg preserve is so nice and very large. There are several trails ranging from 1.5 miles to over 8 miles for bikes and runners. We took the yellow trail and probably ended up walking a deliberately slow 2.5 miles. As you can see, our sweet Carmella didn’t care much for the beautiful view of the creek below. She was too interested in daddy’s green water bottle.

Poor little Carmella ended up with an ear infection in each ear. Thankfully the doctor got her on an antibiotic right away and she is starting to feel much better. I can tell that her left ear still bothers her a bit, but the right ear seems to be fine. What a trooper.

We are past the worst of it—and I hope on to better days and peaceful nights.

Some “big” news in our little world:

• Ella sits up in her stroller. We have retired the baby carrier and she gets to ride like a big girl now.


• She goes after objects that are out of her reach. I can no longer trust that she is going to stay in the same place when I place her on the floor.


• She eats cereal twice a day and loves it! She knows that something crazy fun is coming her way when she gets strapped into her little high chair.


• She is talking up a storm. She no longer cries when she wakes up (unless she didn’t get enough sleep). Instead, she coos and babbles until I come to get her.


• Some sounds she makes: daaa, da, daaa, da (which Mark loves); mum, mum, maaaa (which I love); and sometimes laaaa, la (which is just cute).


• She wants to sit up or stand up all the time. There is a photo of her playing with the little see-through balls that Auntie Laurel got her for Christmas. She finally is able to pick them up and hold them by herself.

The latest and greatest photos, plus a fun video for you to enjoy...

["Hi Mum Mum Ma. I'm hanging with my Da Da and loving it."]

["Cool...what's this?]

["Oh, I'm just so adorable!"]

[Who couldn't love that face?]

[Our little bouncing baby girl.]