2,520 hours later...

In case you're too lazy to do the math, that's the number of hours that we've now lived in Chicago. And despite some very, very long days in the beginning (anyone remember that I worked for a bakery?) the days have flown by. M is done with his first semester and- after a crazy week this week- I'll be able to rest and relax a little next week and into the New Year!

To celebrate this 2,520 mark, I've put together some of the funny (and horrible) things that have happened to us since our arrival.

• It took three men an hour and a half to figure out how to get our couch up our very narrow staircase.
• I worked at a bakery for a week and was then cussed out in French when I quit for a job that paid a lot more.
• I worked at the University of Chicago law school for two weeks, where people thought I was related to the "Laird" part of the "Laird Bell Quadrangle" at the law school. I sort of let them believe it. But we might be!
• I cried every night for the first two weeks that we lived here.
• I somehow landed the most amazing, rewarding and fulfilling job I could have ever imagined.
• I bought a champagne stopper that has changed my life.
• We traveled to Georgia twice to attend weddings.
• M saw Oprah.
• M went on a fun Chicago scavenger hunt while I worked.
• We went Mac.
• The Gators lost to Alabama. Gross.
• We realized that most people outside the Beltway don't think every day about policy or politics.
• I learned how to use Skype.
• I was greeted nearly every day by a butt-dancing, whistling crossing guard.
• The car battery died.
• We went to Iowa. Almost as exciting as the car battery.
• 40 degrees now feels like spring.
• The car slid on ice when I was driving and I got really scared.
• We successfully hosted Thanksgiving.
• We're still here.

Nothing too earth-shattering, but quite a few of these are accomplishments that I think we can be proud of, or at least are things that we can now look back on and laugh or say, "Remember when..?" These three and a half months have literally flown by. And while I probably miss friends back in DC now more than ever, we're being provided for and learning to make our way in the Second City. That's all we can ask for. Oh, and a little warmer weather.