OUR FIRST MONTH IN ILLINOIS

If you didn't already know, we moved this month! We've been residents of Wheaton, Illinois for almost 4 weeks now and are down to like...3 boxes unpacked? That's not bad if you ask me. ;)

Moving is H A R D work. This was my first big move ever (let alone to a new state). Two days before the moving truck was scheduled to arrive, my 80 year old Mamaw came over to help with (what I thought was) the final boxings. Heh. Let's just say she was NOT convinced we were going to be ready to move and she kicked out butts into high gear. Don't underestimate her, y'all. We really needed her help that day.

The moving day itself didn't go without a few hiccups, of course. Let's see....first the moving truck showed up a day EARLY. They came back again on the right day and all was well, but then we ended up leaving at a different time than we expected which made things a little hairy for a minute, but we were glad we left when we did.

We pulled out of Louisville, Kentucky around 7 p.m. on Thursday, July 29 with 3 cars caravaning and my in-laws along for the adventure. It's a 5 hour drive without stopping, but 6 hours is more realistic especially with a baby. But the drive that night took 7 hours. It was probably the worst trip we have ever made up here to be honest haha. It was 1) getting dark,  and 2) we drove through a heavy thunderstorm which slowed us down pretty significantly in the middle of the night. My husband had the wonderful idea of getting a hotel for the first night in town so that we wouldn't show up to an empty apartment at 2 a.m. and it was suchhhh a blessing to have showers and comfy beds after the long drive. At 7 a.m. that same morning, Samuel met our landlord and the movers at our apartment and we were officially moving in!

We were so thankful for Samuel's parents who drove with us and helped us get the place livable that first weekend. I don't even want to imagine what it would have been like without them. They even made a quick trip with us over to IKEA (which is only 20 minutes away *cue hallelujah chorus*) to buy our new living room furniture, and THEN helped put it together. Like I said, it was a tremendous help to not do this alone.


Here are some highlights from our first month in pictures:

Our new neighborhood 

Charlie's first parade on the Fourth of July!

Deciding which IKEA couch he liked best.

Checking out once of the many parks in our town.
There are only 23 different playgrounds in the Wheaton Park District. So fun!

Looking into our little backyard. :)

Adams Park, right behind the library

Classic car show on Friday nights in the summer

Backyard playtime!

Don't mind that roughed up coffee table - it's my next big project. :)

90% of why I love this little condo: this big sliding door in the kitchen/dining room. If you knew my last kitchen, you will understand my excitement. 

 Geneva, IL 

Geneva Air Fair

Way to go if you made it to the end of this long post! We miss Louisville, but we are enjoying our new adventure here too. We are even coming back for a visit at the first of August because CHARLIE IS TURNING ONE. We're so looking forward to that!

Thank you all for the help, prayers, and FaceTime calls in the last little bit. We are giving so much thanks to the Lord for His gracious hand in it all. Praise the Lord for his good gifts!