Planes, Trains, Automobiles

Hello from Wheaton, IL! Every day is an adventure, and as Paul celebrated being alive for one month yesterday, we have a lot to be thankful for. Here is a little update from us... oh, and photos to come as soon as I can figure out how to download them on Phil and Judi's computer!

Our little traveler

PLANES:
Paul and I survived the Southwest Airlines flight last weekend from Louisville to Chicago Midway with flying colors. He was such a stud! My mom filled me in that babies need to be sucking on something on the way up and down -- to pop their little ears with the altitude changes -- and Paul did just that. Would you believe he fell asleep as soon as we boarded the plane and didn't wake up until we got into the car at the airport parking lot. I was so proud of him, and people were really nice to us. I think part of it was that I didn't have my wedding ring on and Mark was already up in Wheaton for meetings, so I looked like a single mom with a three-week-old baby... poor thing. :)

TRAINS:
We took the Metra train to Chicago on Monday so that we could get Paul's passport expedited at the downtown Chicago passport location. What a day! The woman at Walgreens who snapped his photo days before told me that he was the "tiniest human being she'd ever taken a photo of..." --- so cute. We rode to Chicago with our friend Cam and then walked the ten blocks to the passport agency. It turns out that little Paul loves sound... you always hear that white noise is key with babies, but with him it's really true. City streets, roaring oceans, busy restaurants, moving trains... all mean calmness in the Haugen family now.

Paul's first time on the Chicago Metra

Paul with his buddy, Cam Williams
(our friend and fellow Chicago commuter)

Paul and the famous spitting wall in Millenium Park

Paul and Stephanie in front of the Silver Bean

Paul and Mark looking at their reflection...

AUTOMOBILES:
Paul is getting used to the commute to and from Willow Creek for meetings, that's for sure. Thanks to Mark's mom, Judi, for letting us use her car the two weeks that we are here... and to my mom for buying the handy-dandy car seat.

We are heading back to the DR this Saturday. Please pray for all three of us as we transition back to our home there, and especially for Paul as he is going to experience even more changes (a long plane ride through Atlanta, climate, meeting more new people, Spanish! :)