Wednesday morning, 8:30AM CDT

I'm leaving DeKalb today.

Julie's at work as I type this. She's been working half-days since she got the clearance to go back to work a week and a half ago. I must say this has been a good week, even though she drove me so crazy the first day I was out here, I almost packed my stuff back up and went home the next day.

Like I said to her the other day, however, I'd rather be crazy with her than without her.

We had a good time. Went down to visit our friend, Kathy, in Joliet and saw Chicagoland Speedway. It was a cool place, and I swear my ladylove thought she'd died and gone to heaven. If we'd ran into Dale Earnhardt Jr., then she would've sworn it was Heaven and it'd be "Eric who"?

I'm only half-joking about that one.

I told you before we went to Chicago on Saturday, and Sunday was a nice day to relax. Monday and Tuesday, we went for a couple little drives, watched a movie (The Bucket List...excellent film, if you haven't already seen it) and putzed around this small and oh-so flat town.

In a few short hours, it'll be farewell hugs and kisses, moments of not wanting to let go but knowing we have to for now, and "see you soon". It's never goodbye, I told her after my first visit, but rather "see you soon".

I go back to Pittsburgh today, but my home is with her. My heart is with her.