Summer Nights

 Two weeks ago Tres, Elle Dub and I ventured back to the Crossroads of America to attend the wedding of one of my former bosses at Valpo.  It was the perfect opportunity to show Tres around Valpo and Elle Dub and I were very excited to get to celebrate the new Mr & Mrs Martinez.

On our way to Indiana, Tres and I stopped in Ohio to spend the night with his aunt, uncle and cousins.  It worked out perfectly because his cousin was dressing for his first college football game, and we were able to tailgate and watch the team play- which is something I never actually did in college.  I'd met a few of these family members in Florida last Fall, but for the most part they were all new to me.  They were all very sweet and welcoming, and we drove away with a new found love of Duck Dynasty!  (seriously though, why didn't I jump on this bandwagon sooner?)

Elle Dub had to stay in DC until Friday evening for work purposes, so Tres and I took the extra time to visit our friend Matt who just started his sophomore year at Moody Bible Institute, which is in the heart of downtown Chicago.  Matt did his first year of school online, so it was extra fun to see him get settled into "campus life."  When I asked him what he thought he said "there's always someone to hang out with!!" which is, of course, the part about college that I miss the most.  We grabbed dinner at Giordanos (after a much longer wait than I remember) and then wandered around my favorite big city on the most beautiful of nights.

Cloud Gate (or "the bean" as most people call it)

obligatory Bean pic

 Saturday we picked Elle Dub up from the South Shore line and wandered around the VU campus before getting ready for the wedding.  They've added a few new buildings in the years since we were students, so it doesn't seem exactly the same, but as long as there is this view, Valpo will feel like home.

waiting for the ceremony to start

First Dance (perfectly timed with the professional photog flash) 

 Nikki was our boss in the Admissions Office, which is where Elle Dub and I first became friends, and spent most of our time. In a lot of ways she was more than a boss to us- always willing to offer life advice and check in on us to make sure we were getting at least some work done. It was so wonderful to see her so happy and you could tell she was so excited to begin her new life as a Mrs.

Former students, now friends.  It was great to see everyone and tear up the dance floor with Red!

Thanks, Nikki, for throwing a great party and giving us a fantastic reason to return to Valpo for the weekend.  Best Wishes as Mrs. Martinez and enjoy your honeymoon in the Spring!