Chicago trip update #2

Last post I mentioned I made the airfare and hotel reservations. Well since that time, my mother is also going. I also having been gathering info on a discount visitor pass for the El and discount cards for the tourist attractions. I made a change in our airfare tickets. Paying $10 more per ticket but that’s okay. Dean brought up a valid point when he asked why we were leaving so late (1:55 p.m.) So I backed it up to an 11:55 a.m. flight. I also checked into the routes that the El takes and I think instead of cabbing it from the airport, we are going to take the El. We can buy a 2-day visitor pass for unlimited trips for $9 a pass. I know that will be a big savings versus taking a cab from the airport plus just to get the experience of riding public transpo, ya know. I checked the itinerary and we can take a trip that involves taking 2 trains that dumps us out within 0.3 miles of the hotel and only 30 minutes to get there.

My baby girl is really starting to grow up. The girl can drive me crazy with her smart mouth but at the same time I am enjoying watching her slowly develop into her own and realizing that she's growing up.

She told me this Saturday that this trip was going to change her life because it'll be her first time on an airplane, something she is really scared to do, and that she knows that is a big hurdle for her to get over her fear of flying. She knows that it is a step toward being ready for any future airplane trips we might take. That sounded so "grown up" to me and it was all I could do not to break down crying. I think this trip is going to change my life too.