Spring Forward

Every year my family takes at least one trip together. The trip is a time for us to meet and discuss the Limited Liability Corporation that the four of us have together. It's a business, or sorts, and at least once a year we need to go through the past happenings, current doings and future endeavors we plan to partake in for the coming year. More importantly, it's an opportunity to be together somewhere fun and we hold the meeting in a different location annually. This year we went to Mexico and spent time at the Grand Bay resort at Isla Navidad. Very divertido. Here's a picture I took of exactly where we stayed, as seen from the plane as we departed. Boo, back to Chicago and all its frigid glory.



It took two days to get home from Mexico. Our flight from Manzanillo to Houston was delayed due to weather in Texas. We, therefore, missed our connections and I spent the night in Houston. My parents, my brother and my brother's wife all were able to get on a later flight to San Antonio. The last flight to Chicago, however, was sold out. Luckily, my old good friend Crystal and her husband live in the Houston area and I was so glad to spend an evening with them. I met their beautiful two month old daughter, Ellie, for the first time as well. Less than 24 hours after getting to their home I was off to the airport again. Leaving behind a really warm and pleasant trip to Mexico and an old friend I hadn't expected to spend time with.

Whenever I get home to Chicago from a trip south during the winter time, I have such love/hate feelings. I take at least 3 days to re-adjust to the cold dead winter again. Chicago is such a happy place in the summer. Though I love the change in seasons, winter is just about 2 months too long here. I'm always surprised at how ALIVE the city comes after winter is over. Energy pumps through the streets and people flock to the outdoors, appreciating what they haven't had for so long and will lose again in a few short months. It's just sad to know that it is early March and we're still not exactly "close" to dining al fresco, jogging by the lake, and wearing shorts. March is always the hardest month for me. In December, I'm excited for the cold and Christmas-time seems more festive in the snow. January and February are SUPPOSED to be cold, they don't bother me one bit. But this month signifies "spring" in my mind and growing up it was when people began to swim outside again. Bar-b-q's began to happen. Sweaters were put away and everyone geared up for summer. My parents told me today that they planted in their garden this weekend at home. Winter is over for them.

Here in Chicago, however, we hold our breath and peer into the distance; looking for a sparkle of light through the darkness that is winter. Somewhere, far off, the sun is rising on summer but my God it is truly darkest just before dawn.

M.db