Hello

Hello! Here I am.

Starbucks on Delaware St. is a new little favorite of mine.
Take a peek around, if you'd like.

This sign speaks to me.
I tried the toffee mocha frappachino today, and it pretty much tastes like drinking liquid candy.
I'll let you decide if you feel that's a good or bad thing.
Let's not judge one another.

I am in love with this sign.
This Vespa looks just like ours, orangey-red and all.
There was a time we tried to take Starbucks drinks ON our Vespa.
I won't tell you how that ended.
Ok, I will.
It ended with coffee all down the front of Neal.
But then, you probably could've told us that before we did it.

Right now, can I pretend you're sitting in the chair across the table from me? How are you, friend? I hope you'll stop by and say hello on the blog. If you've been reading for awhile, or are a new reader, I'm so glad you're here!

If you were here at this Starbucks table by the window, I would reach across the table and squeeze your hand and ask you how you are. And because you are just so lovely, you'd probably squeeze my hand back and ask me how my doctor appointment went last week, since so many of you texted, facebooked, called, emailed, and prayed.

It went better than any of my expectations, and was most certainly an answer to prayer! I was so encouraged.

The doctor, the director of internal medicine at Rush Hospital, spent over an hour with Neal and I. She never broke eye contact with me or interrupted me once while I told my story. I so connected with her, and I think she connected with us. She ordered a few more tests for the sake of being thorough, and then wants to work with me on my quality of life until this plight, that doctors are still having a hard time exactly pinpointing, takes off for good.

At this point (a year now into this journey), I'm so thankful to have such a prestigious doctor who has taken on my case, will walk with me until this is over, and who I can feel so connected to. While she can't walk this road for me, her genuine expression to walk it with me is comforting. I'm already convinced that the world would be a better place with more doctors with both the personality and medical intuition of Dr. Wang.

Thank you for your prayers! I am so grateful. For those of you just joining, this all may not make sense to you, but flipping through previous posts may put together some of the pieces for you.

I have some fall posts coming with apple picking, apple pie, book recommendations, and more of our Chicago loves.

All my love to you, dear readers!