Chicago Pride-Fest Meetup - Page 2

[prettyisa]

No rain--we mostly walked around trying to win free things, which was fun (especially since Osha and Ari are such good spinners!). It was great to meet you all, too! DP and I kept talking today about how funny it is to meet total strangers from the internet and have them feel like friends in such a short period of time. Hopefully we'll be able to do more of these get-togethers--especially once the babies start coming and we need excuses to take them to parks!

[jennp85]

Isa, I second that!  It was so nice to meet everyone and feel so included in such an awesome group of people.  No one felt like a stranger by the time we made it the 4 blocks to the entrance.  I pooped out on going to the parade today but I had enough fun at the fest yesterday to constitute my Pride '11 experience.  I needed to save a little energy for my roommates Girls Rock show at the Metro.  (All the kids were fantastic and adorable.)  I'd love to keep up with everyone and I'm thinking of starting a blog for this journey of mine.  Title suggestions?  Lela & Irene, I wish you guys could have stuck around in the city and gone to the parade the next day!  It felt like such a short visit for such a long drive.  Isa, I'm okay with pictures being posted on here of me.  Okay, I think that's everything...

[AmandaHope]

Thanks again, Isa, for organizing the Pride Fest meetup.  DP and I had a great time.  It felt really good to celebrate Pride with you all and to translate a bit of this fantastic online community into real life.  I *definitely* want to do more get-togethers.  Maybe some folks could come out to our place in Geneva for a late summer BBQ once our little one makes her entrance and we all settle in a bit.  Hopefully by then several of you will be cooking up little playmates for her.  

[smilingsara]

Amanda, that sounds like good fun!

We had a blast meeting everyone!! I'm so glad we were able to make it in town for the meet up. Osha kept talking about his winning three t-shirts in a row and ari wore the beads she got all day sunday and monday! Thanks isa for setting it up and helping to get us to meet up with you gals too! You all should move closer, so we can hang out more! 

[Raynebough]

Just wanted to thank you all for a really fun time at Pride Fest!  It was so nice to meet you all and I hope to figure this message board thing out and get to know you all a little better on here! 

[DTmama1]

Bummed I just saw this thread now!  I just moved to Chicago in May and we were at Pride Sat night and Sun for the parade. 

[AmandaHope]

DTmama1: No worries--we Chicago area folks will get together again before too long.  It would be great to meet you!  Where did you move from?

[jennp85]

A little update for all of you:

I'm moving to Denver August 14th to study holistic nutrition!  I was thinking about doing that in a few years, after I've had a kid, but there is nothing holding me to Chicago, so I'm going now.  That obviously means that ttc is on hold until I get settled, possibly until next summer.  I've also found a KD and we just went over a legal agreement tonight.  We will do an at home in 2 weeks but the chances of getting pregnant on the first try (not counting the 2 tries with a different KD this last winter) are so slim that I'm not even considering that it will work (reverse psychology...).  After I move we will work with a fertility clinic in Chicago to process, store and ship to me in Denver.  Colorado law seems to be a little easier on the relinquishing of paternal rights, so I'm hoping our donor agreement will be enough and if it's not then I will work to have KD officially relinquish through the court.

Anyway, I will try to keep in touch on here and since I won't probably see any of you in person again any time soon, I wish you all the best of luck!

[AmandaHope]

Wow, Jen, congratulations on the move!  It is exciting that you are taking such a big life step and also that you have a KD!  I've worked with KDs long-distance through banks twice, now (only once successfully) and know that doing so can be really slow.  So having a year to get it all worked out and ready to go should be perfect timing.  Best of luck to you!

[DTmama1]

I moved from NW Indiana. Not far at all distance wise, but definitely a whole new way of living.  I am loving it!

[AmandaHope]

DT: I moved to IL from South Bend, so I know what you mean (though I'm in the burbs, sadly, not Chicago proper).  Glad you are enjoying the change!