Four weeks to go...

And it's starting to feel "really real." It occurred to me that we have a total of three weekends left in Chicago. Wow. Part of me feels like I should run around do and bunch of stuff...go to the museums one last time, eat at all of our favorite restaurants...and we've been doing some of that, within reason. We went to Ethiopian Diamond up on Broadway while my mother was visiting a few weeks back, which has been "our spot" for several years now, but it was probably the last time....and for anyone who's never gone, I don't mind putting in a plug. Great food, never disappointing. The kids even love it.

The kids both went to the Taste of Chicago (separately) for the first time, so at least they got to do that. Taking them to Lincoln Park Zoo today, which we haven't done for a while but for a few years was my "dad thing" to do with them; first with Osayende and then Aniyah as well, double stroller and all. Memory may be failing me, but I don't think Charleston has a zoo...although it has a lot more of actual nature surrounding it, which I'm looking forward to.

Speaking of "looking forward to" -- Even though I worry a little about the witness-protection program style change we're about to drop on the kids (they will be seeing everything for the first time, since they haven't been to their new home whatsoever), I think (hope?) that they will enjoy the reality of walking around their new neighborhood in the street (since there are no sidewalks), going to the "real beach" (no disrespect to the lake, I'm just sayin') frequently, and being about two minutes from their new school. I'm also planning/hoping to go camping with some frequency...not that Illinois doesn't have options, but you have to go a little further.

On the other hand, we'll have to go no further than our own town of Mt. Pleasant to pitch a tent or rent a cabin. I definitely have a mission of imparting my love of nature to my kids--to know about the flow of them, to get a better understanding (from actual experience) of how things work together, which I think has been done but this will make it that much easier.

Plus, I found out there's an Ethiopian restaurant in Myrtle Beach, about two hours up the coast...road trip!

~T