Welcome to Evanston

We're here! It took us 2 days to move. Joel and Brian were nice enough to help us out on Thursday night, and Brian brought a strong friend. The move started at 6 p.m. and ended at 4 a.m.--All the boxes I carefully packed and labeled and sorted throughout the previous week gave way to me frantically throwing random things in trash bags because I was just too tired to think anymore! And I don't know why I thought we wouldn't need childcare on Thursday. Denise and Kim stepped in last moment.

I left the house at 1:30 a.m. with a car packed to the hilt with boxes, 2 kids, a dog, a plant and a snake. It had rained all evening, so it took us an extra long time to get to the empty apartment for our 1-night camp out (All the furniture was going to stay in the truck overnight). The boys were wound up and decided it was play time after we got here--Zen chased Zion through the long, empty hallways while Jedi sniffed around nervously. We were so exhausted by the time Sam crept in at daybreak that we could have slept all day, but we had reserved the loading dock at our building for 9:30.

It was such a welcome sight when volunteers came pouring in to help us--Uncle Joel showed up again, and a crew of folks from Sojourner. It took about one-tenth of the time to move everything upstairs than it did to move it out of our old place. Our day wasn't done--I still had to make a run to Schaumburg to clear the house of wet leaves and fridge food, as well as pots and pans (whoops--maybe I left them there subconsciously so we could eat out every day). Back in Evanston, we spent the early evening exploring the building and the neighborhood. We found our bike storage spaces and parking spots and figured out which elevator took us where. I found some good, close places to walk Jedi, and Zion decided that he really liked livng in the same building as a Barnes and Noble bookstore and right down the block from Panera.

I had to stay up late, late, late doing lesson plans and grading papers so I could teach class the next day. Sam and the boys had a very productive Saturday--by the time I came home, almost every room had been at least partially set up. Jedi and I had a glorious walk on the beach and met some nice people and friendly dogs. Jedi is still healing from an incident with a Great Dane earlier in the week. A few staples and over $200 later, she's wearing Sam's old T-shirts so she doesn't get blood on anything. Great Danes have big teeth...

Anyway, I'll download pictures when we take some. I am ecstatic that we have the computer back up and running--send us some happy emails, and we'll keep y'all posted. xoxoxox

Dreaming of Mexico

We've been using our computer as a digital picture frame--we're able to have pictures from the past 5 years flash continuously across our screen; it's really nice, kind of like having all of the photo albums you ever made hanging around and triggering warm memories. Anyway,these pictures are from our last trip to Mexico, when I was pregnant with Zen. The way the economy is going, it'll probably be awhile before we get back down there. We all really miss it. I can't wait to introduce Zen to the pleasures of riding on mommy's back while snorkeling. Maybe it's a good thing Zen can't go yet--he's still very much in the "eating sand" stage. We didn't start this blog until a few months after our trip, so here are some old pics--enjoy.

Zeni's Little Nippers

We're up to 4 teeth now--he's showing off 3 of them in this picture taken last week. The last one just made an appearance over the weekend. We've been super busy here. Our move and closing on the house are in 10 days. Sam is entering his VERY busy budget season at work, plus playing fall baseball. Zion is doing gymnastics and an ADHD social group downtown at Children's Memorial Hospital once a week. I am finishing up a 3-week intensive online class (1 semester's worth of work in 3 weeks. Insane, yes), plus I just started teaching 2 classes at a community college in Skokie. The classes are adult ESL--almost all of the students are from Poland and Russia. It's been interesting so far. I've never taught adults before, and it's been interesting to figure out the similarities and differences between adult students and teenagers. Anyway, give us a shout at our new place--we'll be keeping our cell phone numbers and not getting a home phone. This may be our last post for awhile.

View from Our New Home

We stopped at the new place today after church to bring over a few boxes...moving day is October 23. We are SO EXCITED! Here is a view from one of our balconies.

Zion's Best Friend

Zion and Ben, always together. It will be hard to be further away from Ben; he's like a part of the family. Both families are committed to making the effort to get them together as much as possible after the move.

Kristin and Jen

On our trip to the apple orchard last weekend. One of our favorite fall rituals together. I know I will soon receive some of her yummy homemade applesauce.

We ARE---ND!

Zen is a canvas for Dad's sports alliances, including the Bears, Notre Dame and the Sox, who pulled off their win this evening despite Zen's having poopy caca all over his White Sox onesie before the game.