Welcome to Chicago

It's been a few days since I've had a chance to blog and I figure, with classes starting this Monday, it's now or never.

First, we made it. It took a total of 24 hours in the rental truck with my mom and Brittany driving our car right behind us. We got to Downers Grove on Wednesday evening and have been incredibly impressed with our entire experience thus far. Our place is lovely in a quiet, beautiful neighborhood. We are a block or two from Main Street, which is filled with great shops, restaurants, a bowling alley, a beautiful old single-screen theatre, and an express train to downtown Chicago. Tonight I went running and found out we even have fireflies! Not so few that you never see them, but not so many that they lose their novelty. We've got great neighbors who have made us very welcome, we had help getting our place put together very well (our curtains are now hanging!) and we feel right at home.

I'm two days into my schools' orientation (four days of long boring lectures of things that are important to know, but boring to learn). I hear it is better than classes, so I'm trying to avoid being ungrateful. Our class of 200 is also getting to know one another. It will be nice to get to know everyone a little better.

One thing that has been especially nice is to start feeling even closer to my awesome wife. I have been quite impressed with her and feel like she will become an even larger part of my life through this whole experience we're sharing. I am truly grateful we are doing this together. Now we just need those educations.