Hey, guess what, it’s my thirty-third birthday. And being that it is my thirty-third birthday, I get to write in first person AND I get to write about anything I want. Let’s see, first how about a story:

Once upon a time there was an incredibly handsome, downright dashing, young man with an adventurous spirit who made his way to California via Wisconsin, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts from Illinois. We shall call him Matthew. Matthew enjoyed living in other locations but he said he liked the Bay Area the best – because of the food. After several years in California, Matthew met Hava who had only had an adventure out of California once – for a month. Hava wanted to see the world. She wanted an exciting career. She even wanted to be cold. So when Hava’s company started to take a nose dive, she began to talk of new fangled places far away. This talk sparked the adventurous spirit of our hero, Matthew. One year ago today, Hava and Matthew and their wee Simon took the first step - a plunge into the unknown that was big city life in Chicago (also known as a job interview).

So, in addition to it being my birthday, it is our Chicago-plunge anniversary (of sorts). To celebrate both, I’d like to sing you a song and it goes something like this…

I’m not sorry we came here but I am happy we are leaving. Chicago is an incredibly interesting and attractive place. We’ve gone through the family guide books and covered almost everything at least once. Of course, there are a number of things I don’t like about Chicago – waiters always ask before adding avacados to meals, the grocery store produce is frighteningly bad, six way intersections need some rethinking, nearly everyone smokes, and the rain drains are, more often than not, at the highest point in a street - but the most important thing is that this isn’t home and it doesn’t even measure up as a cheap immitation. So when Moto reorganized a few groups and some new jobs went to Sunnyvale I asked to be sent back. Starting December 22, 2006, they are granting that wish (thank you Moto - everyone, go buy a phone, now).

We are both relieved to finally, officially, know our fate but there is much to be done. We will be putting this gorgeous enormous home up for sale in the next week or two and leaving before Christmas. We will most likely rent on the other end to get our bearings.

And, yes, a good portion of this can be blamed on Mike and Cindi for visiting us and causing Simon to perpetually ask “Miiiiike? Where are you? Cini? Ciiiiiniii!” Because it is just really sad.

So Happy Birthday to me. Thanks to Matthew and our families for making this possible. One day this will be funny. I promise.

Love,
Hava