HOME--Pinky & Me

BOY, do I love home!  When we flew in tonight, I picked out the Lake Murray Dam, the intersection where Hites used to be, Lexington Baptist Church and TREES!  Glorious, GREEN TREES.  It looked like a carpet.  It is HOME.  Home is where you hang your heart, I guess.  Building on top of building and house on top of house provides many opportunities and lots of cultural experiences?!  But I'm SO THANKFUL to be home where my heart hangs out with the peeps I love.  :-)

11:43 -- left the apartment, Pinky & me, "swinging into action" (as Pop Pop would say)
12:08 -- on the train to O'Hare
12:38 -- arrived at O'Hare
1:21 -- waiting at Gate B6 -- plenty of time to spare
3:00 -- boarding plane
5:45 -- landing at COLUMBIA airport

I didn't get all turned around at the airport this time!  Check in & Security were smoother processes.  Practice makes "better?!"

Thank you, again, for your many prayers and happy thoughts!

Wrapping Up

I wrapped up the fourth day of training, and Maria and her husband were waiting to take me out to eat!  We had a fun meal at Ed Debevic's!  http://www.eddebevics.com/  Gram would have loved it!  I had a Route 66 Burger in her and Pop Pop's honor.  :-)

I survived teaching the tall people, once again! It was easier this time, and I'm thankful that folks enjoyed my teaching style .  .  . always afraid to let too much of me out on the general population?!  I think I need to decide to get over that because people don't seem to mind me too much when I do.

One of the participants offered for me to stay with her next time.  She's a psychiatrist and lives near Little India.  Whew?!  It'll be a whole new part of Chicago to explore.  Only thing is I might need to figure how to take a taxi .  .  . AAAHHHHH!

I had a scare tonight.  They are doing repair work on the Blue Line!  Thankfully it effects trains going to downtown from my station (Western Stop) not to O'Hare!!  God is good.

Lookin' forward to home!  Thank you, again, for your prayers.  My flight leaves tomorrow around 2:43, and I should be home for supper time!

Read about Day 2 & 3 on my Zip-a-Dee-YOGA blog!  http://zipadeeyoga.blogspot.com/

Day One Class Completed

YEA!  I've completed "Day One."  Think I'll eat a bite (ate half of my sandwich at lunch) and then go for a walk.  The weather is clear and 65 degrees.  

I met Carlo (the second house guest) this morning.  He offered to share some of the cake he was eating for breakfast.  :-)

I'm increasingly fascinated how yoga helps the body achieve the balance it naturally tries to find.  Tuning in and being aware of what's not in balance is so much better than not noticing until "the wheels fall off!"  We practiced several mindfulness exercises, and the lesson today was "Let's Go Camping!"  My friend Maria recently shared the book Wild by Cheryl Strayed with me.  The author hiked the Pacific Crest Trail, the western version of the Applachian Trail in 1995.  As we talked about connecting with nature, this book came up in the conversation!

Good stuff.  Hope y'all had a good Thursday too!

Chicago 2X

2nd trip to the Windy City was a "piece of cake!"  All except the part where I had to walk around the police cars and caution tape .  .  . and then the story Jessica told me about a train operator falling asleep at the wheel and running into the escalators at O'Hare .  .  . AAAAAHHHHH??!!

The weather is pleasant.  It's 60 degrees right now.  NO SNOW --YEE HAW!  But that sidewalk is rough as a cob .  .  .  I'm so thankful the suitcase rolls so well.  :-)

The other guest is "Carlo" -- he is Italian.  I'll meet him tomorrow!

My class is at 9:00 in the morning!  I'll have time to get cleaned up and breakfasted and NOT be in a big rush.  I'm just a couple blocks away from the training location!!

Thank you for your well wishes, happy thoughts and prayers.  I'm so thankful for this opportunity, and I appreciate all your help and support to make it happen.

Here's a pic from the first go round in January:  

Chicago and Pop Pop

I survived my adventure to Chicago!  WHEW?!  Planes, trains, snow .  .  . it's like walking around in a FREEZER?!  I thoroughly enjoyed the training, and I'm signing up for the next 30 hours of instruction in April.  I told Pop Pop, I was thankful to have the opportunity to follow this dream.  He said you'd always would have wondered if you could've done it .  .  . I'm thankful for parents who continue to encourage me to THINK and DREAM in BIG WAYS!

Pop Pop asked me to the Daddy Daughter dance this past weekend.  Of the 915 participants, most kiddos were five or so .  .  . but we were one upped?!  There was a dad who was 80 years old with his daughter!  Happy Valentines Day, Pop Pop!  I love you.

We weren't going anywhere . . .

We were locked out after church today!  It was a beautiful afternoon at the Broam Home .  .  .

We enjoyed a visit to the State Fair tonight!

Ride the Feverball!

Eat a Donut Burger?!