We had a nice long weekend in downtown Chicago.  The people were very friendly, and despite the chilly weather and the rain, we managed to do some sightseeing.  I really enjoyed meeting many of my husband’s relatives.  A wedding is a great reason to celebrate!

Another reason I had for celebrating is that I did not have any chest pain the whole trip.  Not on the plane, not during social situations (which is when it usually hits me), and not during any of the many meals we ate.  I praise God for that because the previous week I had several days when that afternoon chest pain settled in.  Sometimes I have to go to bed, prop myself up on pillows, and get lost in a book before the pain begins to abate. I can only thank the Lord for protecting me from that pain during the trip.

My husband and daughter went up to the 103rd floor of the Sears Tower (now called the Willis Building).  They stood on a glass observation deck 103 stories above the earth, and while my daughter giggled and loved the giddy experience, my husband felt, for the first time, a twinge of panic.  He told me last night that he now has perhaps a little inkling of what it is that I go through.  I went to a before-the-wedding party on the 44th floor of the hotel and gritted my teeth the entire time.  The super fast elevator messed with my inner ear and made me dizzy…but I did not let that fear conquer me.  He was proud of me.  I was glad the Lord gave me a strong man whose hand in mine gives me courage I didn’t know I possessed.

Before I met my husband, I did not take elevators.  Ever.  Seriously — I walked ten flights of stairs instead of taking the elevator. So…taking an elevator up to the very top of the hotel was a huge accomplishment for me. Growth is a good thing even when it comes hand in hand with growing pains.