Family Day in the City

Today we explored Chicago as a family - minus Jenna, of course. 

First we went to the outreach I will be helping out at for my PCM (read about what PCM is here), but we couldn't find anywhere to park, so we only drove by. 

Then we went down to Moody's campus, and I went on a little adventure around campus (my first time walking on the grounds!) to find someone to ask about parking our van there. Once we got it parked, we went inside the ASC (Alumni Student Center...kinda the hub on campus?) to use the bathroom and explore a bit (including a little walk around the museum), but we weren't able to do much with just our visitor passes. It's all about having a key fob, which I'll get when I check in tomorrow. 

After waiting for the rain to pass in the Commons (the dining area on campus that is mainly used by faculty), we walked over to Portillo's, which is where my first picture comes in! I only had the chicken noodle soup, because my stomach was hurting a little bit (I'm fine! Promise!).

Then we walked down to Michigan Avenue, but couldn't quite figure out what to do, until we saw a sign for a trolley to Navy Pier. We found the trolley and ended up walking down to the end of the pier, but only after a lot of stops. 

Today was this lovely couple's 25th wedding anniversary! They've been together over 31, though!

Then pater wanted a picture with me, except I haven't quite figured out how to smile.

The flag of my new city!

View of my side of town from the end of Navy Pier.

Then, tired and just wanting to get things seen, we took a taxi to Buckingham Fountain, which was much larger than I imagined.

231/365

The place in Grant Park we paid way too much at for only three drinks...but oh well.

Mom made a friend.

The Art Institute of Chicago. We went there four years ago, the last time we were in Chicago, and I'm looking forward to the day I'm able to go again!

The bean, of course!

Then we knew we wanted to finish the day at Giordano's, but definitely did not have the energy to walk to the one by Moody. After a little Googling, we found out there is one just a block from Millennium Park, so we walked over there and had this view from our table:

Now we're back at the hotel and everyone else is asleep, and I CANNOT BELIEVE I MOVE IN TOMORROW. I have not just been looking forward to this day since my acceptance letter this year, or my acceptance letter last year, but more like a year before that, so you can understand why I say I can't believe it's finally here. While on campus today I started to get worried about how maybe I just won't fit in and maybe I shouldn't go here, but
a) it's a tad too late for that!
b) I chose this school, having never been to the campus, but I still love it and love the heart I've seen through people's posts online that are attending Moody, and I'm with them on that, so I think I'll be fine.

Maybe none of that made sense, but it's just what I'm feeling, ten hours shy of moving into my dorm!

- rl

(p.s. this is part of my 14 goals for 2014. You can view all my goals here.)