God has blessed me with many friends over the past few years.
Several of my chums live in the Chicago area (either to go to school, work, or just live). Last weekend my friend Annie and I took a megabus from Detroit over to the Windy City to visit our friends there. Our bus left early the Friday morning and we arrived to Brittany's place (our friend at Columbia) by noon. B was heading off to her photo class so Annie and I explored the area and strolled up and down Mich. Ave. The wind was quite strong and chilly that day so we stopped for some hot drinks at Starbucks and sat down to chat for a while and warm up. We ended up sharing about what we've been reading lately in the Word, and it turned into a little Bible study. :) That night we arranged for a few of our friends in that area and us two to all meet up for dinner. The six of us went to Tamerind (a very eclectic, cute little asian food place), where we all enjoyed eachother's company and some tasty Indian & Chinese food. After we ate Annie went with Brittany to go to a band show and spend the next day and half with her (they did a lot of really cool, fun stuff, including looking at apartments with Luke, and finding one! Yay!!). And I headed to Moody, with Kelsey and her friend Elaina (who had joined us for dinner), where we were going to watch and movie and make brownies with some other girls from their hall. I spent Friday night with Kels. We slept in Saturday and had a late breakfast of scrambled eggs and rice chips (you might think it sounds weird, but it was very good!). We spent the afternoon walking and shopping, then Qdoba's for dinner. Kels and I entered the lottery/drawing to try to get last-minute tickets for the 8pm Wicked show, but our names didn't get pulled...we were both a little disappointed...but instead we went to plan B...we hopped on the blueline train to Logan Square to go meet Luke and watch a movie with A & B. Luke and his buddies live in a nice big old house with wood floors, and they have a piano. And a cat named Geppetto. ;) Sunday we went to church and got some lunch at Corner Bakery. Then Annie and I said our goodbyes to Kels and Britt and the two of us headed out on the 2:40 Metra train going out to Wheaton, to visit Hannah!! An hour later and we were with Hannah at her nice little house her and her three roommates are renting out this year just off campus from Wheaton College where they all attend. Anyway, we saw the house then went to get groceries to make stirfry and rice for supper. We also stopped at La Spiaza coffeeshop for an hour to chat and enjoy some hot coffee drinks. Annie, Hannah, and I had fun cooking dinner back at the house and pretending we were on a cooking show. ;) Marie (the housemate from Alaska) joined us for dinner. Then we cleaned up, boiled some water for tea, & settled down to watch a movie. It was done around 10 and we were all very tired so headed straight to bed...we felt like old ladies. Ha ha! After a great night of rest, we got an early start. By now it was Monday and Annie and I were heading back home that day. So we got up at 6:17 and got our bags packed up. Then at about 6:40 Hannah, Marie, Annie, & I headed out to have a nice breakfast at a little cafe in town before we left. The name of the place slips my mind now, but's something like Egg-centric or Egg-celent! ;) Anyway, so we enjoyed some coffee, omlettes, and hashbrowns. We said our goodbyes and the two of us took the Metra back into Chicago arriving a little after 9am, then on to our megabus ride home which left Chicago at half past 10am. On the bus there was a couple (M & R) who had also rode to the City with us, so we all kinda told eachother about what we'd done over the weekend. Annie and I talked a lot on the way home, then we both slept for a while. The bus stopped once along the way home and we arrived in Detroit at 5 ish that evening. Our adventure wasn't over yet. We took the people-mover to the Ren Cen to meet my Dad (after his day of work, cause He works near there) then we rode the Smart bus home with my Dad. We had to wait in the cold for it to come. Even though I got cold waiting, I enjoyed having that experience to know what my Dad does every day (riding the bus to/from work each day). So we arrived back home to my house at about 7 o'clock and warmed up with some dinner, and Annie went home to her house. We both had a fantastic time visiting with friends, seeing new places, and just being off in the big city! Annie is excited to go back there soon, in fact she's moving to Chicago next month with B & K! I look forward to going back again too. Hopefully to visit in the Spring over break...and maybe move there in the next couple years...God is so big, it's exciting to think about His plan for my life. I don't really know, but I am excited!
[For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11]
