reminiscing...

Husband's out of town for next 3 days. So, what do I do? I craft, I bake, I clean. I'm so domesticated these days. What the hell happened to Kager who used to take this opportunity to cram in some major wine sessions with my favorite wine-o's!?! I've changed.

Once baby girl makes her way into this world safely, I definitely look forward to being able to have a night here and there with my best lady friends and "pump and dump" due to the intake of Cabernet Sauvignon as we solve all the worlds problems together in an apartment in Chicago. Doing such a small thing has been one of my favorite memories of my time in in this city. I've been quite reminiscent the last few days, remembering the times I had in my 20's.

Moving to Chicago at age 22 was a leap of faith...or, rather, a leap of "I just graduated and I have nothing else to do at the moment so what the hell, why not!?" I look back at my 22 year old self and admire me back then. I had so much gumption, little fear, and an overall feeling of "it'll just work out". Nowadays of course so much has changed. The thought of even making the move out to the suburbs into no-mans land far, far away from the city is terrifying.

Adam and I have spent a lot of time recently talking about our 20's and the adventures we went on before we met a few years ago. It's funny to me that those years all seem so far away now. I'm so grateful for the time I experienced after college, discovering exactly who I am. Of course, that's a never ending journey, as I've changed so much even since we've met.

In my 20's I traveled a lot in and out of the country, took random road trips just for the hell of it, and had a fantastically awesome career in advertising where I continued my college years with some amazing people. Then when life threw me a curveball, I took another leap and left one career to start another. To think of doing that now is scary, but at the time I again seemed to look at it as, it'll just work out.

I'm happy that I can now look back on my twenty-something years as amazing memories. As we drove down Lake Shore Drive yesterday, I laughed and thought about the summers when, without a thought, a whole group of us would pack up bookbags and coolers with beverages, hop on bikes, bus or even walk down to North Avenue beach. We'd spend the whole day out there laying out, playing volleyball, and drinking until the sun went down. Now you couldn't drag me down to that beach. It's way too far, too sandy, and dirty. And, things like this can happen there once the sun sets:

No clue who he is...just hairy. Really hairy. 

I laugh to think about some of the times, shake my head at my stupidity of some times, and wonder how it is I'm still alive at other times, but all of those events helped to shape my life as it is today.

It's scary to think of already, but one day my own little girl will be thrust out into the world to explore on her own. And when she gets there, I hope she gets to live as much as I lived in her twenties.  I only hope she can walk into her thirties a much wiser, brighter, and stronger woman because of all of the adventures she's experienced.

Here are a few random snippets of my twenties in Chicago. Man, facebook sure does go back a loooong
time.

Slept under my desk at work. This was back when being out til 2am didn't seem to matter when you had work the next day. 

Won a trip to Scotland in 2007 with these crazy cats. It was a trip of a lifetime. 

One time we went to a street festival for "just one drink". The night ended at a German bar drinking out of boots and dancing on tables. One of the best nights ever. 

I went on lots of road trips to Ohio with advertising friends.

Had many trips to visit with these two west coast crazies.

Was in a fantasy football league with awesome ladies purely for the inappropriate team names and booze.

Went to Lollapalooza more than once and hated it every time.

Went to grad school. Used graduation as an excuse to party with my bests.

Went on every type of trolley you could fathom. 90's, 80's, country, St. Patricks Day....

I went on a road trip through 9 states with these awesome ladies. 

Licked a mustache. Oh, then I married this guy 2 years later.