It looks like I have some catching up to do...
It would probably make sense to start where I left off, but I'm going to work my way backwards instead. Yesterday began with a national American Cancer Society conference that Brad and I were really lucky to have had the opportunity to speak at. The group we spoke in front of was small, but definitely important. Everyone was extremely supportive and interested in what we had to say about the organization and our own experiences. We are often encouraged by people we meet along our journey, but our interactions with significant medical researchers and/or high level donors are minimal. This conference made it clear that our efforts were appreciated on a higher organizational level as well.
After the conference we headed over to Millennium Park to wait for the rest of the team to roll in. They rolled in later than expected, but luckily avoided the extreme rain. Millennium Park was followed by errands around the city, an awesome dinner of nachos, sweet potato fries and a chocolate chip cookie dough peanut butter vegan milkshake from Chicago Diner, and a slumber party with Christine.
Here is where my memory turns splotchy and pasta dinners, Jesse's mom, swimming pools, and broken spokes all mesh together. Jesse's mom is definitely > broken spokes and I look forward to seeing her again in Portland. That equation may seem like a given, but having broken spokes meant that I got to spend a day hanging out in the van with Saebin, which as everyone who knows Saebin would say was the best part of the ride : ) The point is that Jesse's mom is best!
That's probably a good place to stop, food coma is kicking in...
Tomorrow: Bagels for Breakfast! Gotta love Panera.