Clinking at it’s finest .. CLINK

Good morning and how about a Clink with a view from the 95th floor.

  THE SIGNATURE ROOM AT THE 95TH is an upscale restaurant and lounge high atop the former John Hancock building at 875 North Michigan Avenue in downtown Chicago. I text my niece Megan, pictured here on the right with her husband Rahul, that I needed a good CLINK pic and she certainly did not disappoint. I have said CLINKING is really about celebrating, connecting, conversations and making time for each other. My daughter Shauna, also pictured here on the left with my son in law Brant, lived outside of Chicago years back and still return there for work and always try to fit in and immerse themselves in the exciting Chi town life. I had an opportunity to visit Chicago a couple of times when they lived there and I have to say the vibe, energy and people of Chicago are as big, interesting and expansive as the landscape. I grew up with the term lakes, having been born and raised in Colorado, but nothing had prepared me for the view of the great lake Michigan.  The coast line of Lake Michigan outlines the city of Chicago so beautifully with a deep and unending border of blue and white shoreline as far as the eye can see. 

 Speaking of large, I know I have mentioned before that I married into a very large family, we are over one hundred strong, I emphasize big and strong. We are a family that Clinks a lot and comes together well. We meet, make time, celebrate and genuinely enjoy one another’s company. I often hear from others about how blessed we are to have such a big family and how awesome it must be. I use to say it takes a village but now I say it takes a City to keep us all on track.  It all started with just two, Jack and Louise Hall, whose dedication and beliefs set the forms and strength a family the size of a City can be built upon. Then it takes the BIG 12, as I call them, they are the children of Jack and Louise, seven sisters and five brothers who are the solid and firm frame work we are all able to add on to.  Then you add in spouses, we are called the outlaws, then grandchildren who marry and bring outlaws, then great grands, and then a great, great grand. There are a lot of titles we all wear and share in this family, sometimes keeping us all straight can be the biggest challenge in it for sure.  “We are family” is the song we dance to at weddings. We make a circle and then we take turns going into the middle to dance and celebrate each other.  The best description of a big family like ours is a dance. We come together in a circle, we bump into each other a lot, we step on each other’s toes often, we look and act a lot alike but we also weave into our story, individual dance moves, rhythms, personalities and styles.  

Praying today that we leave room in our hearts and lives to grow big on, room for new construction and ideas, room for remolding and changes if needed and most importantly room to reach down and build each other up so high and so well that we all can enjoy the view from the top together.  YM-You Matter, FM-Family Matters

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