“Would you ever want to live here, honey?” the Cowboy asked his daughter on a whirlwind trip to Chicago.   We were in a cab on the way back to our car, cutting it close to the time we needed to be heading again for home.“No way,” she replied, with a slight chuckle for emphasis.

The Cowboy’s little girl just celebrated a birthday.  While preferring a country lifestyle, ever since I have known her (and most likely long before that), she has expressed a fascination with the city.  Not just like a small city.  Big cities.  Skyscrapers.  People.  Things going on. She’s been to a few others.  But for her birthday, she told us she really wanted to go to Chicago.

We weren’t quite sure we could make it happen.

But amid the chaos of work, a horse show and other commitments .. we made the most of what little time we did have, and made a run to town.

It seemed as though a long line might thwart our plans to visit the Shedd Aquarium, but the wait made for some great photo opportunities.

Sharks, dolphins and jellies on the wish list to see.  Check.  Check.  

And check.

Back to the Cowboy’s question.  None of them said they would ever want to live in the big city.  But when we were closer to home again, the Cowboy asked, “Hey kids, what was your favorite part of that trip?”

“All of it,” replied one of the boys.

“Yep, all of it,” the other two echoed.  “When can we go back …… “