Chi-town.

After my red-eye flight arrived into Atlanta on Friday morning, my grandma picked me up.  I went home and took a long nap.  Then I repacked my bag for my flight to Chicago at 5pm.  Then I headed back to the airport.

Here are highlights from Chicago:

• I took the train from the airport to meet Michelle on Friday night.  She treated me to a fantastic dinner.  The food was superb.  The company was the best part.  
• The next morning Michelle and I leisurely prepared for the day and walked downtown to meet Trent.  He brought hydrangeas.  What a guy!  I'm so thankful for him! We walked through downtown and by the lake with Michelle for awhile, stopping for lunch and making our way to the Chicago river to buy tickets for the Architectural boat tour (which was my favorite part).  Another fave part of Chicago was the big Bean in Grant Park, which is this giant reflective piece of stainless steel shaped like a big bean.  I love that bean.

• Trent and I ended up with matching red Toms.  He received them as a gift for his birthday, and I happened to receive them as a gift because Elizabeth didn't want them!  Yes, I normally don't do red....but they're Ball State colors, I promise!  (Ball State is where Trent went to school.)
• Then we made our way back to Michelle's apartment.  We walked back downtown for dinner, where we shared the best Mexican food I've ever had.  Some Mexican restaurants can seem overdone and over priced to me, but this one was legit.  There was also live music.  
• Sunday morning, Trent and Michelle's neighbor, Joy, joined us for church.  It's a churchplant in Michelle's neighborhood.   What a treat.  I really connected with the pastor, as he was from Atlanta and a runner!  He talked about the Bible.  He gave this illustration to help us understand the BIG picture happening (Genesis 1-2: created in the image OF God; Genesis 3-Malachi: God AND man; Matthew 1-Acts 1: God WITH man; Acts 2-today: God IN us).  
• Trent and I shared a short, light brunch with Michelle before parting ways.  I was so encouraged by my time with Michelle.  Trent and I headed back downtown to meet his parents for lunch.  I think I broke the ice by spilling his Dad's beer.   We shared some deep dish pizza for Trent's birthday and then walked to the lake and back.  
• Trent and I then met up with his best friend Christopher (who has an uncanny resemblance to Taylor Hanson) and his fiance Jenna for dinner.  We got to hear about how they became a couple and vice versa.  What a treat! 
• Also, the Renegade Craft Fest was happening on the street where the restaurant was, and I kept my eyes peeled for a Red Velvet tent, but I missed them! I was only a little sad though, because my company was so great.
• I got to stay with Jenna at Moody Bible Institute that night.  She is a doll. 
• On Monday, Trent's birthday (!), Trent and I met for a short run through downtown Chicago.  Then we walked to Trader Joe's to pick out some food for a birthday picnic at Navy Pier.  It was such a magical day. 
• The whole weekend was just magical.  The most trying part however, was, after we decided to drive to Ikea out by the O'Hare airport, we realized that we'd be cutting it very close for me to make my flight on time (I was flying out of Chicago Midway, which is closer to downtown).   We prayed that I would make my flight and tried as best we could to enjoy our last few moments together in the car.   As we approached the airport, it came to a point when I said "I think I'm going to miss my flight."
• (Time for a new bullet point)  After Trent dropped me at the airport, I rushed to the check in desk and asked if I could still make it.  They said I could if I ran.  So, they printed my boarding pass and off I went.  I'm sure I held a panicked look on my face as I ran up to security.  Praise God that they allowed me to pass through the priority line.  Once I got past security (it had to be less than 3 minutes that I was in security), I SPRINTED down the terminal, causing a scene as I went as I yelled "excuse me!" and "On your left!" as I went. I was at once thankful for increased lung capacity from running, my rolly bag, and moving sidewalks. 
• I also made a friend when I was running.  This guy who I passed on the terminal yelled at me, "Are you late too?" Me: "Yes!"  Guy: "Where you goin?" Me: "Atlanta!"  Guy: "Me too! Let's run together!" Me: "OK! Come On!"
• The gate was at the end of the terminal and as I ran up, I heard the gate agent say into his walkie talkie that they needed to close the gate.  When I got there, I asked, "Did we make it?!"  He exclaimed, "You made it!"  I replied, "Oh, Praise GOD!"   A bystander sitting in the terminal waiting for his flight was laughing at the scen, so I obliged him by giving a curtsy before I made my way down the walkway to the plane.
• When I plopped down in my seat on the plane, I was dumbfounded that I had actually made it.  Then I laughed to myself as I remembered the scene from Home Alone when the family was running through the airport.  That was me. On the flight home I got to see a glorious sunset.  Grace abouds every day.  Poor Trent had no idea until I got back to Atlanta and called him from my Dad's phone  (as mine was dead) that I had made it.  His response was "that means that we squeezed out every possible second together!"  #truth