Seven Quick Takes

Because linking up is the fun thing to do ...

- 1 -

Our trip to Chicago went very well.  Jacob's paper was well received, and he made some good academic connections (it was such a world-of-academia-networking weekend).  The conference was focused around the theme of the importance of the liberal arts, and it was nice to sit in on so many interesting panels.  I felt like the weekend gave me a refresher course of all my undergrad philosophy and literature classes.

Upon arriving to the Chicago O'Hare airport ...

- 2 -

Unfortunately, however, the weekend did not afford us the leisure we were expecting to allow us the opportunity to explore Chicago.  In fact, most of the Chicago that we saw looked something like this:

The view from our hotel window.

We were later informed that the conference's location was a most unfortunate one, and I will agree with this fact since after the first 48 hours of our being in the area Jacob confessed to never feeling so unsafe in all his life and professed a decided dislike of the city.

However, by the end of the weekend we found ourselves with a few hours to spare before catching our plane, and we were able to make it into a less-sketch part of the city and found ourselves marveling over the Art Institute's extensive Picasso exhibit.  It was an amazing exhibit, despite the fact that we had only a very brief amount of time to take it in.

Our last few hours in Chicago made us decide we would, indeed, need to return in order to give the city a chance to redeem itself.

- 3 -

Our flight back to Texas meant we didn't collapse into our bed on Sunday night until 1AM before we hit the road Monday morning to drive to Florida.  Despite being exhausted it was amazing to see this site as we crossed the Mobile Bay Bridge and prepared to cross over the Florida state line:

View from the Mobile Bay Bridge

- 4 -

Being back home in Florida has been great.  There's been lots of family time.  It's spending a low key evening with one's little brother who is rocking an eclectic fashion mix of camo and sports-themed pajamas that makes me excited to have a little boy ... in only seven (or so) weeks???

- 5 -

Been fighting a sore throat all week.

Have you ever taken those zinc lozenges called Cold-eeze?  My mother swears by them to avoid a cold or to nip one in the bud, but let's just say I take one if I decide I want to vomit.  I just cannot stomach them.  That being said, mother is still forcing zinc into me but through a different way -- numerous reminders each day to take the Cold-eeze throat spray.

Ugh.  I'm still gagging.

- 6 -

So, remember these articles of clothing?

The complete vision has not yet been attained but we're getting there ... slowly.

I'm wanting to add some details to the neck and sleeves, which (hopefully) will be along the lines of this Pinterest inspiration.

- 7 -

Last but certainly not least (and rest assured I will go into more detail in a not-so-distant-future post), Jacob and I received the fantastic news this past weekend that he has been accepted into his top choice of English PhD programs!  He was offered one of the six positions available.

I could NOT be more proud of the man.  This of course means so much of life is going to change and be affected in the six years ahead of us, but we know it is providence considering how everything has fallen into place.

Thank you for all your prayers in this regard.  I know many of our family and friends have been praying for the success of the application process and now the results have really turned out better than we ever could have expected.  Like I said, more on this later.

Praise God!

Now go head over to Jen's land of linkups and read some real Quick Takes.