Our trip to Chicago was a complete surprise to me! We had discussed going about a year ago to visit several of James� family members that live there � this was before Megan and her family even knew they would be moving there.

So anyway! I found out about this trip less than a week before our departure date! We still had Christmas presents to buy and wrap, a Christmas meal to cook and host, tons of family coming over and a house to clean! I remember thinking � when in the world will I find time to pack?! Well, our trip ended up happening 2 weeks later than we had first planned because of respiratory illness that went through all of us.
This ended up working out better for everyone involved!

I didn�t start packing for the trip until the night before. I was up till after midnight and woke up at 6am the next morning AND didn�t finish packing until 1pm. It is hard to pack for freezing cold AND warm weather too. James and I were in shorts packing the van - it was 74 degrees here on Friday Jan 12th. We knew it would not get above freezing on some days in Chicago and that it was scheduled to snow � so we had to pack not only cold weather clothes, but snow gear! Our plan was to drive to Atlanta (7 hours driving) to spend the night at my parents house, then drive to SC on Saturday for a family get together (5 hours driving) and then leave sometime Sat night to head toward Chicago (5 hours driving.) We were going to stop at a hotel on Saturday night. We had planned to arrive at Megan�s sometime Sunday and stay with her for two nights and then stay with his cousin for two nights before starting back toward Pensacola. It all worked out JUST like that too.

From start to finish we put over 2500 miles on the van! In one week!

The kids were amazing in the car. Really, really amazing. I would NEVER have even hoped they would be as content as they turned out to be. James and I agreed that we were not in a hurry and that we would get there when we got there. BUT there was a winter storm approaching and we had to beat it for safety reasons. And we did! The kids started to lose it in the last 40 minutes of a 10+ hour car ride on Sunday. And who in the world could blame them?? I was starting to lose it too! Who did we think we were to even TRY to make it from Knoxville to Chicago in one day with a 2 year old and a 6 month old? But we made it!!!!!!!!! I felt myself unraveling in the car, wondering whether my overly tired boy would have a complete meltdown as soon as we got there. We pulled into their driveway at about 7:30 or so. Al and Megan greeted us outside on the porch with warm hugs and happy smiles! I think Alex may have been outside too, but she took off inside as we entered her domain. Once I found her she was all smiles though, peeking around corners to check us out. She even gave us a tour of the upstairs!

Megan looked amazing (as usual!) And meeting her husband, Al, for the first time was such a pleasure. He acted as if we were old friends coming for a visit after being away for a long time. I adored him and felt very comfortable with him from the get go. I think he must just have that effect on people. He has a welcoming soul! He is just amazing. His personality? He is charming! He keeps a beautiful smile on his face (like 24 hours a day!) So nice, so helpful. So interested in others. So pleasant and joyful and smart. FUNNY! Really funny. I love to laugh too, so he was quite therapeutic to me. Right from the start, within minutes, I could see why Megan fell in love with him. He is SOOOO great with kids too. He was Nathan�s favorite person (besides Alex). He asked where Al was if he wasn�t in the room with us. He STILL asks me, �Where�s Al, mama?� Al loved holding Ava too. And she loved being held by him. I have a great picture of the two of them.

Just as soon as we got there the freezing rain started! I do believe the Lord allowed us to arrive safely at their home before the weather started getting rough. Praise God!

Let me just tell you � if you want to experience a relaxing time, go visit Megan and Al. I don�t really like being waited on and fussed over. I really don�t. My personality is such that I want to help because I don�t like when others are busy and I�m not. BUT Megan and Al want you to sit down, relax, drink wine and just BE. James had no problem with that :-) I gave in though � and it wuz niiiice.

Their house is just beautiful! So open and roomy, yet cozy and comfortable at the same time. Megan�s kitchen is so awesome! I am SOOOO envious of it and hope to one day have something like it. No wonder she is in there so much. It has tons of counter space and a bar area with 4 large comfy supportive bar stools to sit on and keep the cook company! Megan just shines in her kitchen. She prepared some yummy hot roast beef sandwiches soon after we arrived and within a few minutes we were ALL sitting around the table getting to know each other and savoring the first few minutes of togetherness.

It was so nice for the adults to visit after the kids went to sleep. I found myself constantly thinking that Ava would be up any second � but she remained asleep. (Until it was time for me to go to sleep - the little stinker!)

We woke up to a couple of inches of REAL SNOW!! Nathan�s first snow! I felt so happy that we got to share it with Megan and her family. Megan cooked an amazing breakfast casserole and we had some yummy fresh fruit to go with it.

After breakfast we ALL bundled up and headed for the great outdoors. Nathan was cold at first (his hands
especially) and wanted to go inside after about 5 minutes but Megan and I managed to get TWO pair of mittens on his hands and he persevered in the long run. In fact - he was out longer than any of us! Alex would have stayed out longer but she decided she didn't want to wear her mittens while playing in the bare snow and was ordered in by her father. I took my gloves off for JUST a few minutes while I gave our snow man thing some eyes and a nose and my hands were killing me. Alex is a tough little
cookie.

Lunch was amazing! THE BEST CHICKEN SALAD I've ever tasted. And yummy corn muffins. The recipe was from Paula Deen - but Megan altered it quite a bit and really made it her own. I feel like I need some now!

Alex was SO sweet with Ava - she saved most of her kisses for the top of Ava's head. She wanted to hold her (and she did), play with her, fetch her pacifier. Such a sweet little helper. I really enjoyed seeing Alex fuss over Ava. Alex would make a great big sister and I'm confident she will be babysitting before she's 10!

One of the things I was concerned about was Nathan going up and down the steps on his own. We don't have stairs here at our house and he hasn't had much practice on them except when we go out -and that is while holding hands with me. He did a great job though and was very slow and safe. I LOVE this picture because it says it all. Nathan was heading down with Alex but as you can see he was barely getting started and she was almost finished.

It was just like Megan to have an activity like PAINTING planned for the kids on Monday afternoon (she is so much fun, that Megan.) Let me tell you, she was prepared for it too. Both kids had smocks on, there was a drop cloth on the carpet under the table, a tablecloth on top of the table and HUGE sheets of paper to paint on (hard to miss with a paint brush.) If it was me, I would have had a stack of color wonder paper and paint. It was neat though - for the most part. I need to venture out of my safety zone and
let him get into fun stuff more often. An example is when I let him outside to play. He has rules and can even state them for me. "No playing in Blossom's water or food" "No hitting windows with toys" and most important for me "NO PLAYING IN THE DIRT". OK,
I know. It is cruel - to let a little boy outside and keep him from doing what
comes so naturally. I can say that I allow him to play in the dirt MOST of the time now.

My favorite part of the visit was getting to spend some ALONE time with Megan on Monday evening. The guys did a great job taking care of Alex and Nathan (while Ava slept) - they got off easy if you ask me! Megan and I discovered more about each other that night while we chatted and chopped in her lovely gourmet kitchen.
I just wish we had had a little more alone time..... Dinner was amazing! I can still taste it. My mouth is watering right now just thinking about it.

We had to say our goodbye's to Al that evening because he had to go to work early the next morning. I was just so happy to have him home all day on Monday.

Breakfast on Tuesday morning.

The kids played together so well - I don't remember them fighting over toys. It IS TRUE that Nathan wanted to lather Alex with hugs and kisses. She did indulge him after lunch on Tuesday.

Bubble bath: Stay on your own side!

I was bummed that we had to leave while Alex was napping on Tuesday but Nathan
decided he didn't want to nap that day. We hoped he would nap on the way to James' cousin's house (he did not).

What else can I say? I am just SO grateful for this family. I know my life is better with Megan in it. There would be an empty place without her. She is a true friend and an excellent role model for me in SO MANY WAYS.