an overdue filler inner

i haven't even been here a week and already i feel like i've been here for awhile. it just feels right. you know what i like about the city? even though that there are tons and tons of people, you can always find a place of your own. like this afternoon, for example, i went down the lake to say some prayers and found the most perfect rock. it was positioned in such a way that if sitting there you would have the best view of the lake. a view where all one can see is water and sky. if you wanted to see anything but water and sky you would have to make a conscience effort to turn your head to the side. plus, my little perfect spot was tucked away by the taller rocks hiding me from any possible people walking by. i felt completely detached from the noises of lake shore drive that went on behind me. i can't wait until summer weather comes here to stay and i can go back to the rock and paint. anyways, i know you have heard this before (at least if you read any of my siblings blogs), but evaston is great.

i feel like i should give an actual uPdating on the happening of the past week (yes, week. i can't believe it's only been a week. it feels like i've been here forever. in a good way). [but first a quick overview of my trip home. when sara, mom, and matthew came to pick me up i showed them around and then we went online to get a hotel for charleston and asheville. i only knew one street in chalreston and as it turned out (thank goodness) the hotel we got (for almost 50% off!) was on that one street i knew. charleston was great; while eating dinner we watched illinois get into the final four (it was heartbreaking to watch them lose the championship two days ago, but i had fun pulling out some of amia's toys to explain to suzanne what a screen was), increased (plus confirmed) my liking charleston by 86% and i will go back there with money for shopping (which is no time soon, that's for sure). the drive to asheville stunk. much due to the fact that mother nature desided that each time i got behind the wheel there would be not only fog, but also rain and when the fog finally clear up, it would just pour heavy rain. asheville was great also and i would like to go back someday to vacation for a week. we were suppose to stay in cincinnati, but as we were driving by it i said, "let's just go home!" and we did. and that was the vacation that was. you want more? ask katie for the letter i wrote her, it gives a more deeply insight of the trip home.]

one of the first things husayn said to me when i first got back (and five seconds ago) was,"it's kinda like you never left," and it's true; that is exactly what it felt like. i mean i knew that i had been gone for six month, but i think because i was at home, somewhere familiar, it felt like i had never left (even though when i see my children i know that it will be evident that i was not there. kids grow so fast). i wanted to move into the allmart's right away, because i didn't want to unpack in batavia and then re-pack and re-unpack again in evanston. but then i found out that when i was asking my dad to stay with them ( when i was asking if it was it was finacially possible), he thought i was just asking permission to live with them. what i am saying is that i found out i'd be living at my own expense. i got so excited about just living with the allmarts that i didn't really think about costs. so, the second i got into evanston i started looking for a job. by friday afternoon i had applied to all the immediate locations (stores within three to eight blocks). on saturday i went out with suzanne and amia to apply to the immediate locations i missed on friday and then ventured out by myself to downtown evanston. --remember: i didn't know exactly where i was going and for the last six month i had been living in hemingway, s.c. just remember that.-- when i reached downtown, my body went into a bit of shock, "so many stores, people, so many stores." at first i tried to walk off my shock, that only worsened it. everywhere i turned there were stores and as far as i could see there were stores. i turned right around and headed straight back to the apartment, not able to stop and apply to any stores. to wrap this up...on sat. i applied to panera, made it past the manager interview and was offtered a real interview. on mon. morning i had my real interview. by mon. afternoon they had called back offered me a job and asked to come in to fill out papers (making my grand walking total of the day: eight miles). on tues. went to Planet Bread, graduated, and brought home fresh bread made by me. today, i started training. it's been crazy to say the least, cra-zy.

this entry was all about updating, making it rather long and boring. so to make up for it let me tell you what one of my favorite people did today.

today, while i had my hand clamped over my cereal (to protect amia from belly ache or up-chuck), amia (after trying with all her mighty strength to pull my fingers away) bit my nose! she only has two little teeth and she managed to bite my nose! there's more. then (later) while i was telling suzanne the story i turned to amia and kissed her nose and said, "that's what you can do amia. you can kiss my nose, not bite it!" she then leaned towards my nose and bit me, again.