Heading East towards Michigan!

Hey everyone!

Just want to say thanks to all of you who are checking the blog.  I guess if you aren't checking it, you aren't seeing this, but whatever...

A little housekeeping.  

I am trying to update the blog once a night, but it is getting a little hard, because it takes about 2-3 hours to get it all done, and that leaves me sleepy.  Wah, wah, wah...I'm too tired because of my vacation...(disgusting, I know).

Enough about me,  let's talk more about...me!

We left Chicago Monday almost exactly at noon.  Lou's conference was over, and our family's vacation could resume.  We were all happy that Mommy was back with us full time.  I mean, I'm fun and all, but it is more fun with Lou around.  We discovered that  staying in the River North district of Chicago (a real swingin' area by Billy goat Tavern, Trump Tower, and the Magnificent Mile) is waaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyy better than being near O'Hare, which is 45 minutes (at best) from all of the cool stuff.

Anyway, we left Illinois and headed into Indiana.  It cost us over three dollars in tolls to leave the state!  Then it cost us $2.75 in tolls just to get to South Bend!!!  By the time we left Indiana  and got into Michigan, we had paid over $8 in tolls!  To drive on INTERSTATES, no less!!!  UGH!!!!!  

Backing up a bit...

We went to South Bend to visit the University of Notre Dame.  None of us had ever been there before, although we passed right by it two years ago while on our cross country trek that summer(my stupid choice so we could keep on our "schedule"), and I had regretted it ever since.  Lou was born Catholic, and changed as a teenager, but she still holds some fond feelings towards the more "beautiful traditions" of the Catholic Church.  Obviously, there are many things about the Catholic Church that she disagrees with, also.  I always grew up despising Notre Dame (no real reason).  Then, about 15 years ago, there was a little movie I like to call, Rudy.  Every time I have watched this movie I have cried.  I'm serious!  If I watch it all of the way through, tears flow.  If I watch it from about half of the way through, I still cry!  I can even watch only the last twenty minutes or so, and the waterworks just flow.  To add to the pitiful-ness, I have seen Rudy at least 20 times (completely or partially).  Now, because of that movie, I really do like Notre Dame.

So we walked around Notre Dame.  We saw the Philbin theatre (yes, that Philbin).  We saw the football field.  We looked through the gate at the end zone and could actually see the field.  We saw "Touchdown Jesus."  

      

The "Dome" was gorgeous.

  

The Grotto (where Rudy lit all those candles) was really special.  It was very moving for Joe.  

Even the "Eck" visitor's center was beautiful!

Most beautiful and moving was the basilica.  Now, we've been to a bunch of missions in California, and none of them moved me at all.  We have also been to St. someone's in New York City and the National Cathedral in D.C.  Neither of those places moved me.  I gotta tell you, when we walked into the basilica at Notre Dame, I literally overflowed with a huge love for God and Jesus.  So much so, that a prayer actually jumped out of my heart.  This was a very odd experience for me.  That's all.

After leaving South Bend, we headed into Michigan and more specifically, Ann Arbor.  We were on a quest to find "Krazy Jim's Bimpy Burger" (as seen on TV's Diners, Drive-Ins,, and Dives).  It is on the campus of the University of Michigan (more about that horrible campus tomorrow).  Anyway, the food was really, really, really tasty.  If you find yourself in the vicinity of Ann Arbor, you gotta visit this place.  I recommend the quad burger.  

After leaving Blimpy Burger, we made it to our Hampton Inn in Belleville.  This hotel is great!  Clean, nice, comfy, personal service, FREE breakfast, FREE internet!  (Did I mention that this blog is brought to you by Hampton Inn?  Hampton Inn, leave your house and sleep there tonight.)

All is good.  We are happy.

-Dave