I'm here!

I have arrived in my new home...CHICAGO!!

Let me first start off by giving a tid-bit of background info on this new move of mine. My name is Jennifer Champion hence the "story of a Champion". I am a third grade teacher and love everything about it, well of course the money could be better. But as a whole it is perfect for me: I love children, helping, teaching, being creative & silly, and love summers off for my other love - traveling. I am also born and raised in southern California back and forth between the LA area and San Diego, but always near the beach. I love the sun and have never really experienced living through a cold and snowy winter. My wardrobe mainly consists of dresses, tank tops, bathing suits, flip-flops, open toed heals, and sunglasses. So with all of the above said, I completely shocked my mother, friends, and co-workers when I announced that I was basically quiting my job and moving to Chicago.

I like to call it my quarter life crises. In reality though I am just pursuing a few of my other passions. I've always wanted to live in a city city. I love organizing and planning fund raising events. I want to help children in Africa. I love Oprah. When I added these all up, it equaled Chicago. And between my three Chicago visits to see one of my best friends Becky, I just felt right and at home in Chicago....

So as most of you know, my departure day had always planned to be on July 2nd. Well when my movers showed up on July 1st three hours late and without boxes my plans changed. And yes I paid the extra to have them do most to all of my packing due to the fact that I had just boxed up and closed down my classroom, not to mention how extremely busy I was with goodbye parties and bachelorette weekends. So when I literally pointed out my "full service package" on my contract, mover man realized he'd have to come back the next day...my flight day. Well thanks to wonderful new Chicago friend Yanelle (pronounced Janelle) a flight attendant, I was able to use one of her buddy passes allowing me to change my big fly off to the 5th. Although I had originally really wanted to spend our Independence Day in my new home town of Chicago, it was secretly really nice spending it with my fabulous friends in Manhattan Beach. These friends mean the world to me so spending my last night with most of them surrounding me and fireworks in the sky was perfect :)

"We are now landing in Chicago. The sky is clear with a temperature of 85 degrees. If you are catching a connecting flight, the information is to the left when you exit. If you are returning home...welcome home." This is when not only do I smile but also tear up a bit. An even larger smile and yell come out of me when I go down to baggage claim and find Becky and Dee standing there holding my welcome signs.

And now the journey begins....