Chai, work, chai, school, chai, unpack, chai...

Hey, everyone! I can't believe two weeks have flown by since the last post. Life has been pretty crazy. We're still making our way out of our final few boxes, but it finally feels like a home now - pictures on the walls and everything. And we're enjoying getting go know our area a little more....in fact, for our Naperville-find-of-the-week....

Blueberry Hill (technically in Aurora, but close enough!). We had breakfast there yesterday, and it was pretty superb. In honor of this most marvelous season of fall, they're serving various pumpkin products, including pumpkin french toast. De-licious. I still have a breakfast loyalty to Egglectic in Wheaton, tied into many wonderful college memories....but I do look forward to visiting this place as well, and it's only a few minutes away from us. It was about a half-hour wait at 11 AM on a Saturday morning, but well worth it.

It's been mostly all about work, classes, and unpacking for us lately, as well as all the little details of a new home (like registering vehicles, getting new drivers' licenses, and so on). But we've had fun, too - like our Blueberry Hill outing, a night of bowling and wonderfully greasy food (you have to do it every now and then), and visiting Rockford's IrishFest two weekends ago to hear my cousin Ted's band play (I also won a basket full of Irish tea products in their raffle - woo!). Last night I babysat for Dr. Black's daughter, Anna, who is just adorable and so much fun. I hadn't seen her since she was just over a year old. And at the age of three and a half, she's already having theological discussions at the dinner table - could never tell that she has Wheaton profs for parents! ; ) It was a lot of fun.

And, of course, there's been lots of chai drinking, in honor of the season; I have some great loose-leaf rooibos vanilla chai from the local Adagio Teas.

Work has been great - really a blessing. This last week was my first full week, though I did 20-25 hours a week the two weeks prior to that as well. I'm really enjoying it - the work, the people, the shorter commute! ; ) And Chase and I get to drive together, which is also lovely. : )

Well, I'm off to celebrate a free Sunday afternoon - going to bake cupcakes and watch Love Actually, which was kindly lent me by my coworker. Adieu!

Shannon

P.S. Here's a clip of Ted (at the mic) and DFS at IrishFest. Not Irish music, but my half-Gaelic, half-Garlic cousin is definitely Irish and also is a member of St. Bridget's Parish, so it works. : )