We gotta get to a higher place and we gotta leave by night

The picture and title of this post go hand-in-hand. I'm getting REALLY excited to take me and Dan's anniversary trip to Chicago this year. Not ONLY are we hitting up "Chi-Town" (I hate when people call it that), but we're going to see Tom Petty in concert. So...a picture of the Chicago River (from almost two years ago) and Tom Petty lyrics. I call that my excitement in a nutshell.

I feel like I've been updating less and less frequently. I won't lie - I haven't been doing my devotions regularly, which causes a SERIOUS lack of important and intellectual things to share with the world. Ever since getting back from our Schumaker family trip to Mackinac Island, it's been almost impossible for me to rise at 4:45 and gym it up. And I'm not gonna kid you...when I don't get up to go run, I sleep until the very last possible minute...and I can't drag myself out of bed any earlier to do my devos. It's sad. And embarrassing. I feel myself (with more and more frequency) fretting about Dan's job possibilities and agonizing over scenarios in my slightly obsessive compulsive/neurotic mind...and I know it's because I'm lacking the peace I get from daily being reassured of God's promise and provision. So cheers to new motivation and God's faithfulness!

Nothing new has been going on around here, really. No new news on the baby front from my sister. She's due on the 14th and I think she'd like to induce the following Thursday if nothing has happened. Sad, because she'd really like it to happen naturally. And I think she wants to take a stag sans-epidural this go-round...and I think maybe it's harder when you're induced? It's hard to believe that my sissy is going to be a mother of THREE when me and Amanda are still childless. (I have this dream that God will give Dan a job, then lead us into huge amounts of money to pay off our college debt and that we'll be able to have a baby ridiculously soon. Maternal instincts? What maternal instincts?) :)

My parents bought their tickets to N.C. for July, so we're all on our way! Having exact dates makes things seem so much more real. I can't wait for the southern summer heat and to sweat my tooshie off running in it. YES! July 23rd, here I come! (Sadly...we're still leaning towards Dan staying home. It all depends on what happens job-wise. Heidi...calm down. Do your devotions tomorrow and don't panic. God has something AWESOME for you.)

This past weekend Dan and I were treated to a family trip to Mackinac (pronounced Mackinaw) Island. Dan and his mom got in a fight at one point...which was kind of sad, but kind of funny too. It's good to know that my family isn't the only one that has at least one dramatic fight when we're all together for long periods of time. All-in-all, it was a good time. I'm glad me and Dan got to spend time with Ramon before he heads off to Basic Training. (Good luck, Ramon! See you on the other side, brotha!)

Me and Dan in Mackinaw City

First view of the "Mighty Mac" (such a cheezy name...) It's the fifth longest suspension bridge in the world and 500 feet from the two towers to the surface of the water!

Crossing...MUCH scarier than it seems

View of the Grand Hotel from the ferry on the way to the island. This hotel is one of the island's big attractions.

Beautiful flowers! (I took lots of pictures of them for Amanda...the landscaper who's obsessed with plant life.)

BEAUTIFUL houses on the island!

View of Lake Huron from a high point on the island

Dan doing an uncanny impression of a picture that we have of Amanda on our fridge. Seriously...it looks shockingly similar.

We found out you have to pay $10 to tour the Grand Hotel. So like any good tourist, we snuck in the back way!...and almost ran into the lady who kicked us out for trying to get in for free.

Shout out to my soon-to-be nephew, Ben!

Dan cooling off in the CHILLY water

CLEAR water of Lake Huron...unlike the murky Michigan :(