One of the most awesome things about Chicago is that there is a ton of free things to do and see.  The Lincoln Park Zoo is one of those places.  As you can see, Tommy had a great first zoo experience.  We even saw belly dancers (at the zoo?!) and Shirleen experienced her first Chicago style hot dog with everything on it (mustard, onions, relish, tomato, pickle, and peppers).  Since I am taking my sabbath on Saturdays (I don't do any school work), we are trying to do something fun every weekend.  Next weekend we plan on going to a once every 5 year festival in Chinatown!

Good news!  The test results came in and I do not have Swine Flu.  I am still sick, but I am already feeling a little bit better than yesterday.  I'll be back on my feet in no time!

The excitment of my day has been getting tested for the Swine Flu (the H1N1 virus).  I went into the clinic with a fever of 101.8...lots of fun!  I am the first suspected case of Swine here at North Park this year, so I feel pretty special (or maybe I just feel woozy from the flu...who knows?).  The test results should be in within 24 hours, so I'll let you know how it goes.  Please do pray for Baby Thomas and Shirleen that they remain healthy.  Anyways, I should go rest...Doctor's orders and all.

   Well friends...it has been a while!  I have been pretty busy lately, as you may know.  After I last blogged, I went to serve at Bible camp in Unalakleet for a week, and that was a blast!  There weren't as many campers as usual, but it was fun to get to know them and also to reconnect with some of the staff.  It was a great energizing time for me (and, as you can see, it was also a good time of fishing). 
   A day after camp was done, Shirleen, Thomas, and I flew to Colorado to visit family and our new neice for a couple of days.  Then off to the windy city!  We arrived in Chicago on August 18th and tried to adjust.  It was 94 when we got in, so it was HOT for us.  We had a fun adventure moving into our basement apartment and getting ready for school.  I started orientation the next morning and it was intense!  I thought it would be a laid-back, get-to-know-you kind of orientation...WRONG!  They had us doing paperwork, tests (yes, I said tests!), and various other things...even throughout the weekend!  So I had absolutely no down time from when I got into Chicago to when classes started.  Then we moved 2 more times in the next week due to flood and mold damage...but you can read about that on Shirleen's blog.
   That all being said, God has been great to us here.  We have good friends and I have been learning a lot.  I am taking 7 classes throughout the week, and I have had a lot of new ideas thrown at me concerning how to pastor a church.  It has certainly been a stretching time!  I am glad that I know God has called me here to equip me for ministry.
   I will try hard to give a little more of an update in a couple of weeks...until then, enjoy this video I got off YouTube in honor of today's date: 9-9-09.  I used to watch this show when I was a kid.  Go PBS!