Michigan Vacation 2015-Day 1

We were so fortunate to get to take an actual vacation this year. Boy did we need one. I have this unnatural desire to fast forward to Oct 1 because I feel like marking a year of when we arrived here will somehow start re-set button for our lives. I keep praying we can have a more peaceful year. My heart is weary and bruised. 

That being said, this week was truly a balm for me. It was healing in ways I didn't anticipate, and I am certain the Lord put together the details long in advance so we could have such a special time. 

We spent our first day driving to Chicago. We stopped in Normal, IL for dinner. I promised myself I would take lots of pictures this week to make up for my lack of picture taking over the past year!

The Reedster insists on wearing his sunglasses "when it's hot out". Unusually the are upside down. 

Anything but normal 

The K-girl was having none of this family lhoto stuff. 

Caught her right in time!

Thank goodness we needed a potty break. This sunset was breathtaking. 

It just kept getting better & better. 

We arrived at our hotel in the Chicago suburbs & got the kids to bed with minimal fussing. Sleeping 5 people in a room together is always challenging. It was nice to do it for only one night instead of 2 weeks straight like last summer!