I've arrived

Well, I made it. I am in Chicago. To stay. For 3.5 months. Don't miss me too much. Or do. That'd be okay, too.

Not the best picture in the world... cloudy day.... kind of snowing.... but the el and the city none-the-less.

We are in a really nice hotel for the week, although we picked out our roommates and apartments today. Tomorrow morning we are going there to sign the lease, so hopefully it all works smoothly. We don't move in until Saturday, but facebook message me if you want my new address and I'll send it your way. The roommate process was interesting.... Essentially, we just started talking to people that we had never met and asked them if they had a roommate yet. I'm praying that it all works out well - roomming with people that I don't know anything about. Not that I've ever had to do that before. Haha.

Katie and I went on an adventure today. This morning we got our U-Passes (aka, train/bus passes that work unlimited for the whole semester) and we got a 1.5 hour lesson on how to navigate the city's public transportation system. So this afternoon, Katie and I had a 2 hour gap and decided to test out our developing skills. So we took the el. We started on the blue line (they go by colors) and by the end of our time we had ridden every el train (except the purple express because that one is different than the others). There are like 6 or 7 and we surveyed them all, seeing the city from the train that runs above it. Some of them we were only on for a couple miles, but hey, we rode them anyhow. It was definitely a great adventure. Maybe tomorrow I'll check out the bus system.... that makes me a little more nervous than the trains.

It has been busy busy busy, and I expect it will continue to be that way for.... well.... the whole semester. But I'm going to do my best at updating and keeping current on this blog, but no guarentees. The semester will have flown by before I know it, I'm sure.

And prayers on Thursday and Friday. That is the start of my internship and I get to begin with classroom/training/tests and stuff. And I really want to get there without too much difficulty.

Miss you all lots! Hope everyone is doing well! I'll let you know when exciting things happen in my life - and don't forget, Chicago is a great place to visit!!

Let's Pack Up and Move to....

I prefer to post when the inspiration strikes. However, the inspiration is currently not really striking, yet I wish to post anyhow, since, well, I started this blog kind of about Chicago stuff and since I move tomorow, I thought I should mention it.

That's right, I'm moving to Chicago-land in the morning. Dad is taking me and dropping me off... and coming back in a week (less than) to bring me my car, which is required for my internship but I don't intend on using much for other purposes. Sometimes it is great to have a daddy that travels a lot - he needs to be in Chicago anyhow so it isn't really out of his way toooooo much!

I hope God talks to me a lot while in the big city.... but even more I hope I'm open and willing to listen.

I feel my heart torn in so many different directions right now, I simply have to remember to be one place at a time. At this time, Chicago is that place.

So LOOK OUT Chicago! Here I come!!!

Let the Good Times Roll

Chicago??? The big city???? Ahh! What was I thinking!?!?!?

Umm, not so sure about this whole thing. I already miss my SAU friends and I haven't even left the state yet. And the distance between Matthew and me is already too great.... so here I go making it even greater. Bah humbug to that. However, we did both get Skype and webcams set up.... So hopefully that will help a little. It has so far.

Well, I hope to use this blog in my free time in Chicago (ahem, not that I'm sure I'm going to have any free time) to keep track of my life and to let other people in a little. We'll see how it goes.

I'm so excited for 2009. It is going to be a great year:
1) Living in Chicago for a semester (Yes, I'm nervous now, but it will be a great experience)
2) Graduation (I will miss all my friends terribly and will probably be a teary-eyed mess, but it is time for a new step in my life)
3) Vacation to the Grand Canyon with my mom
4) Wedding planning! It is quite fun to be a "bride-to-be!"
5) GETTING MARRIED!!!!! (Not that I'm excited at all.... ha.)
6) My neice's first birthday
7) Having a place to really call home..... rather than the (almost) 4 homes that I have now. It'll be nice to have at least most of my stuff all in one place.

God, walk with me this year through all the big life changes, joys, and sorrows. I don't handle change well, but I'm so excited for what is to come. Woo! Bring it on, 2009!!

What's in a Name?

First post.... first post..... writer's block on the first post.

I was surprised at how long it took me to come up with a name for this blog. I couldn't just choose any ole thing; it had to be perfect. I knew the perfect words were out there, I just had to find them. And I think I did. At least for now.

"More than Vows" is from the song "This Day" by Jason Lavik. Great song. All about how 2 people come together on a wedding day to demonstrate God's love for us. "I will give more than vows, and words could ever say...." And yet, over and over again the deeper meaning behind this whole wedding thing runs through my head. It isn't just about my fiancee and me. It isn't just about family and flowers and pretty dresses. It is about so much more than that. It is about God and his ultimate, undeying, unconditional love for us. It is about the cross. It is about the daily love that God has for us, "for better or for worse." So cool. So exciting. I can't wait to walk down the aisle hand in hand with the love of my life to demonstrate the profound love of my Savior.
"I will give more than vows...." both to my future husband and to my Lord. He deserves so much more than words could ever express. He deserves my all.