Goodbye, Chicago!

My time in Chicago has come to an end!  And what a month it has been.  I hung out with friends, tried new restaurants, and worked alongside some of my favorite coworkers.

And not surprisingly, I even walked away with a few takeaways.

Living out of suitcases is not our thing.  In line with this, Vishnu and I do not well in very small spaces.  We like our space.  But you do what you have to do I suppose!

Being away for a month, even when it means that you get to hang out in a great city with friends, is hard.  You have to relinquish a lot of control.  And as I’ve discussed before, giving up control is not my cup of tea.  But if anything, I’ve learned to live outside my comfort zone and thrive (somewhat!).

A person can only eat out so much before even their favorite foods start to sound a little unappetizing!  One of the things I’ve missed the most over the past month is my kitchen.  I can’t wait to meal plan, grocery shop, and cook again!

As much as I love living in Miami, I miss experiencing all four seasons.  While I would prefer never to live through below zero degree temps, the slightly cooler weather over the past few days was a welcome change.  And now I’m back in a city where there is only one season and it’s called summer.

I’ve said this before, but we are very very blessed to have some amazing people in our lives.  Not only did our friends share their homes with us, but they made us feel like family.  No number of thank yous will ever be enough but that doesn’t mean we’ll stop saying those two little words!

In order for me to feel good from the inside out, I need regular exercise in my life.  Let’s just say I sort of fell of the wagon a little bit and didn’t do as much as I could have.  Lesson learned!

Overall, I feel lucky.  Lucky because I was able to work from another city without any issues.  Lucky because we were able to spend time with great people.  And lucky because Vishnu and I didn’t have to spend two months living apart.

These are just a few of my thoughts after living in Chicago for a month.  As much as I’ll miss it, I’m excited to get back into a routine, sleep in my own bed, etc.

Miami, I’m back!  Chicago, I’ll see you soon!