Rosh Hashanah

Happy Rosh Hashanah.  For us on Chicago's North Shore attending public school, that means NO SCHOOL.  What did it mean for the Little family?  A last minute dash to Illinois State Beach in a desperate attempt to go camping.  Our friends in Portland warned us that to really leave Chicago you have to drive three hours.  Nah...don't believe it.  Last night, after only one hour in light traffic, we went to sleep under a starlit sky listening to the sounds of nature-crickets, a gentle breeze, and two roaring power plants that framed each side of our campground.  After the camp director first assigned us to a "quite beautiful site" (his exact words) in a PARKING LOT (no joke), we requested to move a little down the road where we found some beautiful dunes, wildflowers, and only a few cigarette butts.  The girls were giddy with excitement to be eating S'Mores, sleeping in a tent, and exploring our small patch of nature that was delightfully void of any other people.

Sometime during the night Jason woke up to the sound of a zipper, only to see the backside of Roscoe trotting out of the tent into the night.  Our crazy dog somehow figured out A ZIPPER!!  While Eleanor and I slept relatively soundly in the tent next door,  Jason and Rynn had a more challenging night with our 95 lb dog doing pirouettes in their two man tent.

We woke up this morning to a sparkling autumn blue sky and tired but surprisingly happy children.  Jason and I felt mildly victorious that we had actually gotten out and gone camping.  I realized last night, as I lay awake in my nylon sleeping bag, that last night was the first night I have spent away from our new home since I arrived here over two months ago.  It was fun.  It was an adventure, and I am reminded again that it isn't always where you go, but with whom you travel that makes all the difference.  Rosh Hashanah is the Head of the New Year for the Jewish Calendar. For some Jewish traditions it is also a celebration of God creating the world or God creating Man.  I can't imagine a better way to have spent it.

And one more thing...  The last 48 hours have been filled with some special people who have been traveling companions at different seasons of our lives.  We got to share a beer with Troy & Jaimie Bash, some dear friends from HOPE in Portland.  That very night my cousin, Andrew Morrissett, in town for the CCDA (Christian Community Development Association) international conference, took the train up from the city to stay with us for the night.  We LOVED having you visit us!  Hurry back.  It makes Chicago feel all the more home.  I'm sorry we didn't get you long enough to steal a picture for the blog.  So, you have to come back soon!

*If you live in Chicago, check out this park!  We discovered it on our drive home through Waukegan.  It was unbelievable.  Not only is it a park built in a beautiful, hilly setting, but it has this amazing climbing structure they call "the spider web."  We all had so much fun climbing all over this two story rope web.   Even the swings were different!  Find out more @ Bowen Park.