Out and About

On our way home after hanging out with Joseph on the north side last week, we remembered that we no longer live along a train line that runs all night. Here is the view from the bus stop downtown where we waited from 2:00 to 2:45 a.m. Thankfully, it was a beautiful night.


At the Alhambra Palace with Andy and Lewis and fellow Albionite Rachel. Rachel and her boyfriend, Nico, were visiting from Barcelona for a few days.


Last Saturday, we drove down to Indianapolis with Jesus, a member of Lincoln Church, so he could visit with his two daughters, Fabiola and Mariela.


On the way down, we got to experience merging five expressway lanes into one! Several miles of eastbound I-94 were shut down because of extreme flooding. When we passed the same place about 13 hours later on our return to the city, we saw the 2-3 feet of water sloshing around just on the other side of the concrete barrier. Piles of sand kept the water from taking over the westbound side as well. What power water has.

It has been great to get to know new folks. We've begun to attend a weekly community meal with Mark and Julie and people they know from different parts of the city. Yesterday the meal was hosted by Sonja, who lives really close to our old apartment in Rogers Park. We have just enjoyed these gatherings so much. We also joined a lovely group of about 20 folks at a park at UIC (Univ. of IL Chicago) to play ultimate frisbee on Sunday afternoon. Though the location and people have changed over time (and 20 was an unusually high turnout), this fluid group has been gathering Sunday afternoons for ultimate frisbee for more than 15 years! It was a great mix of friendly competition and casual intensity; some great athletes and some of the nicest people ever. We will definitely be back.

We are super excited about this weekend, when we will travel to northern Michigan for Carl and Anna's wedding. We will get to spend some time with my dad and grandpa while we're in their neck of the woods and we'll be sharing lodging with some of our favorite Garrett friends! I think the last time all the Guys-Ohs were all together was for Mark's wedding two and a half years ago. Not everyone could make it to Justin's...and now the last Guys-Oh is tying the not. Here they are--Merle, Lamont, Olaf and Slim.

Some pics from weeks past

Lewis and I after dinner at Karyn's Cooked. We miss our Eastlake neighbors!


A week ago Sunday, I made it to the Holy Covenant Women's Group. It was Jen's last meeting before moving to Austin and Linda gave her this print of a beautiful image of the church by fellow Holy Cov'er Nancy King Mertz. We got kicked out of the coffee shop at closing time and stood outside and talked for another hour!


A few days later, Jen came down to see our place and have brunch. Goose made waffles with fresh strawberries for us all! We'll miss you so much, Jen!


We also spent a day at Wesley Woods a week or so ago--the final day of filming for the camp promotional video.


Can you spot the Gooseman?


A week ago Saturday, we joined my parents in Naperville for VeggieFest, where my mom was one of the featured speakers. Vegetarians unite!


Here I am wishing a feliz cumpleanos to Eliser on speakerphone:


We also had a lovely meal last night with the weekly dinner group we've been invited to join. We are so thankful for the wonderful new south side friends we've made already!

Country Roads, Take Me Home...

Here are some pictures from our family reunion in West Virginia a few weeks ago.



The Brothers Conklin from oldest to youngest--Scott, Mike and Eric.


Some of the bunch on a picnic:


Hanging out--what this family does best!


Young cousins showing off their dance:


Hanging out in the Conklin cabin:


Tanya makes s'mores for two (she and Mike are having a baby!):


Goose, Brody, Jeff and Nicki surprise a person-with-camera in the wild and prepare to defend themselves:


Cool Kids tennis team:


Youngens receive coaching from the old-schoolers before the infamous never-ending game of Capture the Flag:


Shooing the geese off the field before a game of Ultimate Frisbee. While we avoided collisions with actual geese, the Gooseman somehow ended up with goose poop on his shirt.


Hilary, Brody and Mike beside a mysterious green pond on our hike.


"Almost heaven, West Virginia." Sing it, John Denver.

Playing

Mira here. Last Sunday, Eric and I flew to DC where we met his parents and brother Mike and drove four hours to an incredible conference center in the mountains of West Virginia for the Carlson family reunion. Family members came from as far as Sweden and Spokane and nothing was planned but play! Though I had to return to Chicago on Thursday (Eric doesn't come back until this Tuesday), I did get in some good play while visiting with folks. We hiked, swam, played tennis and ultimate frisbee and ate lots. There were heaps of people there (maybe around 60?) divided into cute little cabins along a cute little road and each night, a different cabin hosted dinner and donated their lawn for a giant game of capture the flag or Kubb (a Swedish game) or BlongoBall. I had such a fabulous time seeing everyone. I've never known a family that gets along as well as they all do for such long periods of time! I left the camera with Goose and am hoping that he is taking lots of pictures! When he returns, we will post some.

The past few days in Chicago have also been more full of play than usual. On Friday and Saturday, I helped out with Lincoln UMC's Vacation Bible School, and because I wasn't officially in charge of anything, I got to just hang out with the kids. Last night, the niece of a church member celebrated her 2nd birthday in the church fellowship hall and this afternoon, Rafael, another church member, had a big party for his 7th birthday! The day was full of great water games and prizes and amazing tamales and birthday cake. I laughed so hard watching the excitement and intense concentration during the balloon-between-the-knees and the running-backward relays. I wished several times today that I had the camera. It's amazing what hanging out with kids can do for your spirit!

I also had a supernice visit with Abby on her way back from west Michigan to Arizona yesterday. I can't believe we hadn't seen each other for over three years! We had delicious minestrone soup, then an invigorating jog-with-bags so Abby could make the train to the suburbs. And she made it!