chicago

oh my...chicago is a grand place to be!

chicago was beautiful, fun, new, exciting, and full of brand new experiences that i will never forget.

a little background info first...

my girls, and since i am blessed to have many of those, i'm talking about the ones that i grew up with michigan.

i am talking about the girls that i have known since three years of age or at the latest, 6th grade. the girls i have shared most of my 'firsts' with. first time on the playground together sharing secrets on top of the monkey bars, first slumber party, first kisses, first boyfriends, first drink, first heartbreak, first days of school, first party, graduation, first time being away from home and missing it so much it hurt. phone calls, then email became our way of sharing new experiences from afar.

now we share things that adults share because now, even though we don't act like it, we are grown-ups. meaning we share new kinds of firsts like finding the 'one,' or, "I'M HAVING A BABY!!!"

so instead of calling each other to borrow clothes, or to coordinate our schedules to make it to the next house party in the D7, (or i can go waaaayyyyy back..."hey, can you come to school early and rat my hair in the bathroom???? my dad took my Rave away again." damn-hated when he did that. don't think he like the waterfall bangs that stood 6 inches off our heads) now we call, email, text, or facebook one another questions like, "how often should she poop?" "the little guys been crying for two hours straight...did i break something. what can i do?"

"does your husband watch espn as much as mine?"

we are a tight knit group, determined to never lose touch, making sure to have an annual christmas dinner each year. in addition to that, we decided a few years ago that we would have an annual girl's trip. why not? most men have one, and now we do too. this is only our second trip, but with most of us having a baby every other year...we make it work somehow. so even though a few girls couldn't make it this year...we had a ball.

~

it all started with a ride on the L (train) from o'hare airport to downtown. i was alone because my friends and sister took the amtrac train into chicago from michigan, so I traveled alone learning to find trains, hail cabs, and try to NOT look like a tourist. a tad hard since i had luggage, a huge camera snapping away at all times, with a deer caught in headlights facial expression. i smiled warmly at everyone...even at the guy i thought was staring at me through his darkened sunglasses while plotting his move to a. mug me or, b. kill me then rob me, or c. hurt me, kill me, rob me. so smiling warmly was my only defense against all evil. never know. could help.

the city was buzzing with excitement and fast walkers...i pretended i was in NYC walking fast along side all the other important people going to important places...

:).

this was one of my favorites. so beautiful.

the lines and height of the buildings surrounding you is incredible.

after a full day of shopping.

i loved seeing all the artistic people on the street.

chicago lit up at night.

this picture so does not do this church justice...it was stunning!

i think it was a church ;0

after a few pictures, coctails, and dinner...it was off back to the wyndham to rest up for the st. patty's day celebration the next day.

this post will be continued ...