This past weekend my husband and I were blessed with the opportunity, thanks to Moody Publishers, a featured partner of Start Marriage Right, to head to Chicago for a little bit of business and pleasure. Having visited it before, we were ecstatic to head back to the Windy City.
We kicked off the weekend by heading to the famous Gino’s Pizza East to meet up with two of the Moody Publishers’ team to talk some business. Enjoying the yummy and filling deep dish pizza and good conversation, our weekend began perfectly. Following dinner, we took a tour of the Moody Bible Institute, which was both exciting and beautiful.
My husband and I said goodbye to our new friends and headed out to explore the city. We had so much fun absorbing all of the sights, sounds, and smells (well, some of them) the city had to offer. 
Our night included stops at the identifiable vertical “Chicago” sign; The Drake Hotel (from My Best Friend’s Wedding); the Water Tower; the Vietnam Memorial (one of our favorite spots) where the river ran alongside of us, Trump Tower stretched endlessly above us, and the beautiful architecture of The Chicago Tribune and the Wrigley Building enchanted us. Of course we had to end our night with the delectable Chicago dog at Portillo’s, which was both peculiar and delicious.
Saturday was another bright and early day, but one promising more excitement. We drove to Medina, Illinois, for Dr. Gary Chapman’s marriage seminar: The Marriage You’ve Always Wanted. I was especially excited for this considering how influential Dr. Chapman is in an area so near and dear to my heart – marriages and relationships. The seminar was packed full of fantastic information, humor, and practical solutions. The highlight of the day came though when my husband and I were given the opportunity to enjoy lunch with Dr. Chapman during the seminar break.
It was so surreal sitting beside someone I had so much respect and admiration for. He was a gracious and genial man, and I left lunch with even more reverence for who he is and what he does.
After the seminar, our “business” was taken care of, so we plunged head first into the pleasure part, heading back to downtown Chicago. Saturday proved to be another night of walking. Some stops included the culinary genius of Rick Bayless’s restaurant Xoco, the famous Italian beef sandwich from Big Al’s, and the unique Millennium Park, which was host to a graceful ballet performance at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion.
Sunday was our last day in the city, and we started it off right by taking a Wendella boat tour. Winding through the city’s river, the tour was filled with fun and historical facts about Chicago. Finding ourselves in Lake Michigan, we were dazzled by a panoramic view of the city that left us both amazed and camera happy. The boat tour was a must for anyone wanting to see the city’s many sides while learning its rich history. Of course our walking then continued with the exploration of Grant Park. There’s nothing like soaking your feet in Lorie Garden or taking a gazillion pictures at, and of, the Buckingham Fountain – the official starting point of historic Route 66.
As we headed to O’Hare early Monday morning, we couldn’t help but bask in the incredible weekend we experienced in Chicago. It was informational, inspiring, exciting, beautiful, intriguing, delicious, and all around idyllic. Basically, I was blown away by the Windy City – sorry, couldn’t resist.
