Our annual pilgrimage to the Chicago suburbs is complete. My father, who just turned 90, picked us up at the airport. This is just one of the increasingly surreal experiences of our visit. We stayed with my parents in my childhood home. Not much has changed here. The house appears the same and I’m in awe that a family of five lived here for so long. We quickly settled into our usual routine of organizing our limited time running errands and arranging visits with friends and family.

This trip was particularly special because we were celebrating my dad’s 90th birthday as well as my parents’ 60th wedding anniversary. My sister and I organized a large party which was appropriately set on ;a golf course. It was a huge success and my father described it as phenomenal. That was a relief as we had a bit of fun roasting him. This gathering also allowed us to see several aunts, uncles, cousins and family friends that we don’t usually get to see during our short summer visits.

As if planning the party wasn’t enough, we were able to squeeze in a quick side trip to Milwaukee. Maeve was finally able to experience seeing one of her idols, Ariana Grande, in concert. We weren’t in town when her show played Chicago, but I was able to get tickets for the Milwaukee show as a gift from my mom and sister for Maeve’s 17th birthday.

Food is an important cornerstone of our travels. We’ve noticed some significant differences in the restaurants we’ve visited this trip. Everything is so darn loud….the overhead music, the patrons, the noise generated from bused tables, etc. It seemed that we struggled to hear the person next to us at every restaurant. This has been an issue in the past, but it seemed we hadn’t found one restaurant that had an atmosphere conducive to conversation. I’m wondering if it was always like this or if my intolerance is a sign of aging. I’ll definitely be taking notes as we continue to travel.

We also enjoyed meeting up with friends. It’s great to catch up and see how their children have grown. We reminisced about days gone by and the stories never seem to get old. I’m mad at myself because I don’t always remember to capture every visit by taking pictures. We didn’t get to see everyone on our list, but I’m hopeful we will continue to stay in touch across the miles.

Our Chicago visit was successful. It’s difficult to move on, but we are ready for our next adventure. We’ll be back next year to see everyone again.