Chicago sans children!

 First flight without the kiddos...wait, whaat?! Yes, its been about 5 years since we've traveled anywhere further than 2 hours driving distance without the kids. But strangely, when the husband comes home and tells you he bought tickets to Chicago for $30 roundtrip per person, you consider bringing the kids; or maybe just one child. He told me I was crazy, but the thought of leaving both children at home (with grandparents of, course) made me anxious. Part of me was jumping up and down at the thought of a getaway without having to worry about packing and toting the kiddos with us, let alone scheduling our days to work around nap times and bed times. Another part of me worried about whether or not they would survive without us-- i.e. sleeping and eating plus fear of Mommy and Daddy never coming back.

They were all valid concerns, some may have been irrational, but I'm sure every Mama runs through a list of "what ifs," anytime they leave their little cubs behind. After checking in with my in-laws, and having a pep-talk from Mike, I agreed to the idea (it didn't take too much convincing). He reminded me of our past marital counseling sessions, when our counselor had told us it would be ideal for us to plan a mini getaway yearly-- without any children. Of course this isn't always doable, considering the time, money, energy and babysitting that would be involved in order to make this "getaway" possible. It is an investment, and is something to consider for the sake of our marriage. Fortunately, we were blessed to have willing grandparents who were able to stay at our place with the kiddos for a few nights (I may or may not have left them with a 5-page instructional...), and thankfully no one starved or ended up in the ER. There were however, bouts of tears the first night, in which they told us not to call or FaceTime again for everyone's sake!

All in all, our little getaway was a good refresher for the both of us. Even though neither of us could really sleep in or stay up late (our bodies have been kid-trained), we found rest in other ways. The time spent focused on each other helped us to better appreciate the other person, and reminded us of the reasons why we were together in the first place. Sometimes in the midst of all the busyness and chaos we encounter each day, it's easy to forget that we are one team, playing for the same team. I would highly recommend this for any weary parents out there!

Came here for a goat milk latte - can't say it wasn't all too bad...

Can't leave without trying a Chicago dog!

Caught a Cubs game at the legendary Wrigley Field

These budding tulips were all over the streets of downtown!

For some reason, both of us never came across this fountain the first time we visited Chicago.

Can you spot us? : )

Narcissism at its finest.

A little tip for Au Cheval: Come early and have their burger for breakfast instead of waiting several hours for lunch or dinner!

Sawada Coffee - Eclectic coffee shop with ample seating and a delicious matcha latte

Finding a little piece of Paris wherever I go...

Wormhole Coffee Shop - Transport back to the 80s with an actual DeLorean chilling on top, play Nintendo in the back and admire all the kitsch 80s memorabilia; a must for any 80s child!

- Fin -

Celebrate Love

 

For those who may be wondering, I ended up taking a never-been-worn dress my younger sister handed down to me, and had a tailor convert it into an A-line dress. I was quite happy with the results! It was collecting dust in my closet for years, and now I finally had a purpose to wear it.

This past weekend was perhaps one of the biggest celebrations of the year. It was the day we all witnessed my cousin getting married to the love of his life. I consider him one of my closest guy cousins, growing up together as children, even though we lived on opposite ends of California. In college he took good care of me: Driving me around town, feeding me and fending off the boys (with the exception of his best friend, whom I ended up marrying). He has been waiting for this moment pretty much his entire life. So when it came time for his Bride to walk down the aisle, I could not help but feel overly emotional. While some anticipate seeing the Bride, one of my favorite moments in a wedding is seeing the Groom's expression while his Bride makes their appearance down the aisle. The look and expression on their face says it all in words that cannot be expressed. 

Weddings, as it is for most people, has me feeling all lovey-dovey. One of the reasons being that it reminds me of the day my Hubby and I exchanged our vows and devotion to one another. As beautiful and romantic as weddings appear, no one but married people understand the challenges that come with a marriage after the glitz and glamour has faded days or even years after the wedding day. Those promising words spoken at the altar are not merely empty words, but words that will cost you all that is within you to hold onto those promises.

 Now, none of us are born with a supernatural ability to love, but we have a Creator who can, and gives freely to those who seek it. I cannot recount the number of times I have asked for more patience or love, only to realize that I was the one that needed to change. If there is a word I would use to describe marriage, it would be humility. The opposite would be pride, an ugly word that could send a marriage to its grave. Without humility and selflessness, "love" is not love.

The world will tell us it's all about us, what we can attain from a marriage, what contributes to our own happiness. I've learned that it is anything but that. Not to sound like a Debbie Downer, but the happily ever after ending ceases to exist on its own. Fairytales end once you close the book or the credits roll in. True, marriage can add a whole new dimension of joy in one's life, but not without a cost. In order to find it, we must learn to die to ourselves, for that is what love is. And the greatest example of love is written in the oldest book of all time. 

After six years of marriage, I am still a work in progress and sometimes I fall flat on my face. But I am eternally thankful to have a Husband who is full of grace and loves me enough to accept me as a whole package, flaws and all. 

Happy 30th to the Hubby!

Cheese!

Celebration at Ye Olde Ship

insta-photo!

Whiskey steak and ale within a pastry puff -- a British classic

Owned by a 5 year old

Tried a local joint in honor of the Hubby's 30th

Roasted pork belly on top of wasabi mashed potatoes and shitake mushrooms

Tender venison steak and blueberry venison sausage with bleu cheese/red sauce gnocchi

Last month involved the celebrations of the Hubby's 30th birthday -- a shocking reminder that we are no longer children pretending to play house. I've known the Hubby since he was 17 and much has happened since the day we met. From being friends to best friends, lovers, spouses and future parents-to-be, its been a never ending relationship that has only deepened through time and circumstances. You would think that years of getting to know someone would become boring, but I find that it is quite the opposite. I am still learning new things about him each day and hope to never stop discovering. He has taught me what it means to love as Christ loves us; not only through words, but by his actions and faithful commitment to our marriage. I am truly blessed.