Hello, Iowa!
So Jason and I flew into Chicago yesterday. His dad picked us up and dropped us off at a car rental place closer to their home (it was a few hundred cheaper than picking the car up at the airport) and then we got right on the road to Iowa. Much to my relief (and that of my mild headache) Jason got stuck with the worst of the traffic on the first half of the drive, and things were considerably clearer for my latter half. We are now settled at my parent's place and, thankfully, my sister has been kind enough to bunk with the exchange student and give us her room for the visit. This means we are not stuck in the basement, listening to the kids tromping around upstairs as they get ready for school around... oh... 7 am.

Anyway... hello, Iowa! Most of this trip will be spent with family, but we should be finding some time to get out and about a bit..