I am reporting from the wilds of the Chicago suburbs, sipping a latte and trying not to blow my nose so loudly as to gross out the other coffee shop patrons, but I know it's hopeless and they all hate me. Such is life. I'm not going to leave just as they put on the Pride and Prejudice soundtrack, that's for damn sure.
I'm here in Chicago attempting to help my sister as she approaches the birth of her second child. I say "attempting" because I feel pretty useless most of the time... Mainly, I find myself playing with my niece a lot, as my poor sister gets burned out on reading her the same books and playing the same games over... and over... and over...
My niece will be two in May and is the cutest and sweetest little thing you ever did see -- except that she's just figuring out how to be verbal, and occasionally it's just easier to scream. I get it, sweetie, I get it. Sometimes I just want to scream to get my point across, too.
But I love being an aunt. I get to invent awesome games that she loves and make her laugh and play and have fun, all without having to make any of the big decisions or educate her or ever discipline her for anything!
My stay has no set end point, because it all depends on when that nephew of mine decides to show his face (likely by next week, we are told!). I work from home* so I don't need to be back by any certain date. Which is getting me lots of wonderful quality time with my sister, niece, and brother-in-law, and enables me to be here when they will most be in need of help, but I certainly am getting homesick, and not knowing when I will return makes it harder. I miss my husband, I miss my dog, I miss my -- friends? Do I have friends, now? I think I do, and I think I miss them! And... I miss my adoptive home. This is the third time I've gone away from Minneapolis since moving there in April, but it's the first time I've been able to think of it as home when I'm not there.
Chicago finally got its first snowfall of any significance, so it feels a little more like home now..!
Did you know that our dog Brian escaped the other day? He went for an adventure in sub-zero temperatures because somehow both of our front doors blew open and Dan was in the other room and didn't notice. Very luckily a kind stranger took pity on him and caught him after he was almost hit by a truck, and kept him safe and warm till Dan could come get him. Thank you, thank you, stranger. You have no idea how much that dumb little mutt means to us.
This afternoon I get to accompany my sister and niece to a toddler dance class. Apparently the little one gets a tutu to wear and gets really excited about it. Oh lord, the cuteness.
*Although I technically work from home, it's kind of not going so well -- see how I came to a coffee shop to work, and instead I wrote a blog entry? That's pretty much how working from home has been going for me. And other work bullshit that I don't care to address. And probably we won't be able to pay our rent and will be evicted onto the street and everything will be ruined forever, the end. Or, perhaps more likely, we'll scrape by till I can get my act together (...) or find a new job (yes!).
