November 5

Adam, Brady, and I got up this morning, drove to the airport, and flew to Chicago for Family Weekend at Wheaton. (Abby is here, too, but she took the redeye that left last night so she'd be able to see some friends and attend her Thursday class via Zoom.) It was a mercifully uneventful travel day, although it began with a potential issue that wound up being a non-issue after all: when we arrived in Oakland, we discovered that our flight had been delayed several hours (Southwest strikes again), which meant we'd be getting to Midway four hours later than our original reservation stated (and to Wheaton at nearly midnight). But thanks to my compulsive need to be early to the airport and Adam's quick jaunt to see a gate agent, we wound up on a pair of flights that actually got us to Chicago *earlier* than initially intended. Thank you, Lord, for that miracle!

Anyway, we were all seated separately during leg two --LAX to Midway-- and I used that time to finish about half of a sleeve for a cardigan I've been working on. 

After landing in the chilly, rainy Windy City, we secured the rental minivan relatively expeditiously (which was no guarantee since the usual youth hockey tournament is this weekend, and the shuttle was packed to the gills with sticks and teenage boys and parents) and made it to Wheaton in good time. We rolled up to Isaac's dorm at about 7:45 and had the chance to say hello, get hugs, and hear about his day before he headed off to his 8:15 PM activity (and we went off to Culver's for dinner because boy, were we hungry by then).

As I sat there in the Smaber lounge looking at Isaac, who casually draped himself across the cushions of a small couch like he was setting up shop in the family room at home, I noticed how happy and calm and relaxed he was. I'd suspected it was the case all along, but in that moment, I knew for sure that he's where he belongs. He's in his element. He's with people who --if they're not already his people-- will definitely become his people. And that realization felt so, so good to my mama heart. It is such a blessing from God to know that your children are settled, content, and following the path He's laid out for them. So this evening, I go to bed with an extra measure of gratitude in my heart.