On the road again

Somewhere between Illinois and Iowa

Although I arrived to Chicago last Sunday afternoon, I was back on the road on Tuesday night after work to head to Omaha with my good family friend, Jane. Contrary to my last visit, this trip has been planned for a while. My two good friends from undergrad, Jen and Brennan, are getting married to each other this Saturday. I think it's fair to assume that this might be the wedding of the year because it's not everyday that you know and admire both individuals saying "I do"-- I can't wait!

I decided to come back to Omaha a few days before the wedding festivities will commence so I can have a minute to regroup before my upcoming academic school year. During the fall I have to teach 9 sections of classes to first-year college students. As you can imagine, I literally crawl home every Friday evening after work because first-year college students always keep me on my toes. I know I may get presented with "the most corny award" but I am so thankful that I am in a position where I love my job and the people I work with. In fact, yesterday I told one of my closest friends from work, Courtney, that I have missed seeing her and the rest of our colleagues the past two weeks. I've kinda been MIA due to the time I've spent working from home and traveling. However, I often talk to my students about the importance of creating work-life balance in their lives. So I decided to put my money where my mouth is, packed my bags, and embraced the country interstate roads that were going to take me home.

Jane and I had a relatively smooth ride. Since I live in the city, I sometimes forget the beauty of nature and wide open spaces. Aren't the pictures below peaceful and beautiful?

We talked about our experiences moving from Omaha to Chicago, we listened to some great music, we smiled when we passed the Megabus on the interstate, and we took the time to be quite/relax and live in the present. The only bump in the road is that Jane may or may not have gotten a speeding ticket.