We are heading home!

So, the last two weeks have been some of the craziest for Pete and I. We have been trying to decide the entire summer where we are headed next. We have loved the ward out here and we've really enjoyed living close to so much to do. We were both very open to the idea of staying out In Chicago for 2-5 years.
Pete started applying for jobs in Chicagoland area, and last Sunday he was actually offered a job with a Hearing Aid Company that would have been a really good opportunity for him. We got really excited and started planning our life in Chicago. We went apartment shopping and I told my boss I was here to stay.
Only a few days later Pete had a long talk with the company and they told him that they were not going to be able to pay him as much as they had originally said which forced Pete and I to reevaluate everything.
We decided that cost of living out in Chicago was not going to make the job worth it, and we starting planning on heading back to Utah. I put in my two week notice at work, and Pete started searching for jobs in the Salt Lake Area.
On Friday morning, Pete told the company that our plan was to not take the job , and they offered him the original amount if he would stay, but the company needed to know by that night. Again, Pete and I were forced to reevaluate everything. We ran to the temple Friday night, and at 9:30 pm, after the session, we made the phone call and let the company know that were headed back to Utah for sure.
It's been a little bit of a rollercoaster for us but it has also been very exciting. We would have had a nice time in Chicago, but it will be good to be back close to our family and friends! We plan on moving back on Aug 30 which is just over a week!!

New York

Pete and I had the chance to go to New York City with the Ackermans. It was so fun to spend time with the family. We started the trip by visiting New Jersey and seeing all of the places that Jim grew up. We also were able to hit a Yankees came, see Lady Liberty, walk through Central Park, Time Square, see the Metropolitan Art Museum, and so much more.
I was able to meet Pete’s brother Mark for the first time! Mark has been on a mission in Taiwan for the two years that I’ve know Pete. I have finally met the whole gang. The trip short and sweet, but it was an unforgettable experience.

Tornado!!

Monday night around 7:20 Pete called and told me to look outside. I was at home cleaning house, and Pete was still out knocking doors. I opened my blinds to find that it was PITCH BLACK. Usually it does not starting getting dark until 8:30 or 9:00. It was raining really hard and the wind was picking up. Pete told me that the clouds had moved in really fast, and he thought it was best for him to start heading home.
Ten minutes later it was pouring harder then I have ever seen it rain and the thunder and lightning were hitting every few seconds. I started hearing a lot of ambulance and fire truck sirens so I called to make sure Pete was alright. Pete said it would take at least another 45 mins to drive home because the rain was so hard he could not see 3 feet in front of him.
The storm started making me really nervous. They tell you to watch for fast clouds during tornado weather but I could not see a thing because it was so dark outside. When the lights starting flickering on and off and the thunder and lightning were hitting at the same time I began to panic, and only moments later the tornado sirens starting blasting through the town.
I called Pete in a frantic and he told me to be a big girl. (Thanks Pete) I ran down to the basement of the apartment building ….I half expected everybody to be down huddled in a corner singing church hymns…but there was nobody down there. I figured I was overacting… so I went back up to my apartment and prayed!
After an hour of the most frightening weather of my life, Pete arrived home safely and I was able to relax. The next morning we heard on the news that two tornadoes had touched down. One in Bloomingdale (The city we live in), and one in Bolingbrook (the city next to us). Traffic has been pretty crazy for the last few days because a lot of the stop lights in the area are not working. There are a lot of trees, telephone poles, and road signs knocked down, and the latest news says about 25 houses destroyed.
If nothing else, it was an adventure! I’m just glad we are all safe! The Lord is watching out for us! I guess this is one more thing I need to get used to in the “Windy City”.

Our Wicked time in Chicago

My sister Karen was able to fly out and spend a long weekend in the city with us. We spent Saturday in downtown Chicago. We got to see sears tower, the city "bean", walk the magnificent mile, and

spend some time in the Chicago art institute. We spent the evening eating Chicago's famous deep dish pizza then watching the Broadway production of Wicked. Wicked was amazing! The music, dancing, story, acting...even the theatre itself was just incredible. We loved every moment of it! It was so fun and relaxing to take some time off work and spend some quality time with my sis and husband.