What??? You’re Here????

So, Eddie & I are hanging out getting ready to make dinner on Sunday about 5:00.  All of the sudden my phone receives a text message so I look to see who’s pinging me.  It’s Agnes!  She says, “Hey Lan, are you going to mass at the cathedral today at 5:15?”  “Um, no, why do you ask?”  I’m thinking she’s at home and wants to talk or something, but for whatever reason knows that there’s a 5:15 mass at the cathedral in Chicago and doesn’t want to bother us if we’re going … I mean, what else would it be?  She hasn’t told me that she’ll be here or anything.  Ping – “Just wondering.  We’re here and I have been sitting here in the pew just looking around for you guys just in case you were going to be here.”  Ping – “WHAT?  You’re here and you didn’t tell me!!”  Well after many more “pings” we got it all hashed out.  Carlos, Agnes, and Matthew were here for a college tour of some of Matt’s favorites that started at 7:00 a.m. Monday morning.  They “didn’t want to bother” us but then she just had to know if they would run into us!  Holy Moley!  Ping, Ping, Ping – “Ok, you’re coming over and you can’t say No!”

An hour later (cuz mass is only 50 minutes long!), the Salazars are here!  What a wonderful surprise visit for us!  It was so great to see them and Matt.  We are “2nd Generation Compadres” with the Salazars by way of the Hallers!  We are Godparents to the boys, and Coco is “Sponsor/Godmother” to Matt for his confirmation … so that makes us related!  Haha!!  You know us Mexican families … we just love to add to the familia by way of any reason whatsoever!

After a quick tour of our little casita and Agnes declining our invitation to get dinner or, at least, grab dessert (“no, no it’s too much trouble!”), I decided to ask Matthew if he was hungry.  Well, what do you expect a 17 year old growing boy to say??  Heck yeah he’s hungry!  So, does anybody want anything specific?  CHICAGO DOGS!!  That answers that and off we walk down the block to … (remember??) … Devil Dawgs!  And did they do a number on their dogs!  Carlos and Matthew loved their Chicago style dogs!

“A couple of your Chicago Dogs, please!”

“I’m so excited!”

I always forget to take pictures of these crazy looking hot dogs, mostly I think, because I’m not interested in them.  But next time, I’ll take some pictures of them so you can at least see what they look like!!

So after our dinner that we weren’t going to have, we decided to take a walk.  They really wanted to see “The Bean” so off we went.  With perfect weather on our side, we ambled through Grant Park, enjoying the scene along with all the rest of the tourists.  It really was a beautiful evening, just catching up with our friends, and pointing out the significant parts of the park for them.  When we finally reached “The Bean” we did what everyone else does … pictures!!  Matthew took this picture of us and I love it that it’s black and white … a totally different look but completely in perspective since we got there at about 10:00 p.m.

Carlos, Agnes, Lani & Eddie at the famous “Bean!”

If you look closely into the Bean, you can see our backs reflected in the mirror-like quality of this sculpture.  If the top of the Bean was 12:00, look around 11:00 and you’ll see us … Eddie has his arm around me … can you find us?  This is the game that everyone plays when they come to the Bean.  Pictures with reflections, the skylines, the gazillion other people around, under it, touching it, kissing it!!  It’s really funny to watch all the different ways people take pictures with this thing.  The Bean (properly known as Cloud Gate by the sculptor) is one of Chicago’s Top Ten tourist attractions.  I’m guessing that there’s nothing like this anywhere else in the country?  I don’t know, but it’s a BIG DEAL here!  So far, I’ve probably had my picture taken at least 10 times with the Bean!  I should do a “Bean Collage” of all my pics!  haha!!

Since the Salazars had a date with a shuttle at 7:00 a.m. the next morning, we had to say goodnight.  It was a fun (albeit too fast) visit with our friends.  I scolded Agnes and said, “next time let us know so we can spend more time with you!” … and that goes for all of you!  If you’re here, you better tell us!!  Unless of course, you don’t want to see us, then ok!  But you better hope we don’t run into you like we did the Arevalos!!  haha!!

Talk to you tomorrow!