Today ...

Is an exciting day! I spent this weekend trying to get ready to leave. Last night I scrubbed my bathroom and kitchen (I want to do all I can to make my apartment less appealing to cockroaches, since I'll be gone for over a week) and wrapped presents. I still have a couple more things to do, but the major stuff is done.The best part of today is that I get to pick up my friend Sheila from the airport. She's flying in from Italy, and we get to hang out in Chicago for the day. It's opportunities like this that make up for some of the inconveniences of living in the city.

Tomorrow I'm off to South Dakota, which makes me very happy! I've submitted my requests for the food I want, and I'm really looking forward to spending time with family and seeing friends that I haven't seen in at least a year. I'll be trekking through Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and South Dakota so I'm praying for good weather and the ability to stay awake while driving through some flat places.

For those of you who need a visible reminder of what this season is about, I would recommend The Nativity Story. I was pretty skeptical about it, but I really enjoyed the movie and the perspective it provided.

"But the angel said to her, 'Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.' 'How will this be,' Mary asked the angel, 'since I am a virgin?' The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God."
-Luke 1:30-35