No longer a rookie :)

It seemed quite fitting to write this post today since as of today it has been exactly ONE YEAR since we moved to Chicago. I have to say that it has been an amazing adventure so far, and despite the fact that at first I was terrified of this move, I really believe it was one of the best things that has ever happened to me. Chicago has overwhelmingly exceeded my expectations, and I am really lucky to have the chance to experience all it has to offer.

Huz and I renewed our lease here in Hyde Park for one more year, so we will be here until March 2014. I recently accepted a full-time (with benefits! YAY!) position downtown with Northwestern, and Huz and I are most likely moving to a different neighborhood next year. We're looking at Andersonville, Lincoln Square, Ravenswood, or Lakeview right now. We have met some wonderful people here in the city and have discovered some wonderful places. We're looking forward to the next chapter of our lives here in Chicago, and I want to thank my faithful readers who journeyed by my side through the last year. I bid you all adieu, for it is with this final post that I am going to end this blog, because I really don't feel like a rookie in this city anymore. :)

I am toying around with the idea of starting another blog, and if I do, I'll come back here and post the link for those who are interested!

Farewell,

Emme

Happy 2013!

Whew! It's been awhile! Happy New Year all! I hope that the new year is treating you well. I'm *FINALLY* getting over a super nasty bug that seems to have infected the majority of the population in the city within the last several weeks.

It is the truth that I have been more sick than ever before since we moved to Chicago last March.   I imagine it has to do with the monumental increase in germs I am exposed to here versus what I was exposed to while we lived in the middle of a cornfield in a town of 10,000. ;) heh heh. Ah well, I guess you have to take the bad with the good, right? This most recent super bug caused me to cancel plans with two different sets of friends which I was extremely bummed about, however we have rescheduled with both sets of friends, so I will survive.

I have some exciting news to share involving school. I have begun what is to be my final semester at the University of Illinois Springfield! I graduate on May 11, 2013, and I am SO excited! I am going to be extremely busy this semester as I am taking 5 labor intensive classes, 2 of which require many hours of community service. I'm a little nervous as to how I'm going to have time to sleep and eat between work, volunteering, and other class requirements, but I'm sure I'll work it out. I always do. ;)

I will be volunteering for the next few months with the Hyde Park Art Center as well as with New Moms Inc. I am very excited about both of these opportunities because I believe that both organizations are doing wonderful things for the people of Chicago. I think giving back is SO important, and though I have done a bit of volunteer work in the past, I admittedly could (and SHOULD) do so much more. I invite you to check out the websites of the organizations I'll be working with at www.hydeparkart.org and www.newmomsinc.org, and I look forward to sharing my experiences through this blog.

Til next time,

Emme