Entering Elgin

This is a looonnnnnggggg time overdue blog post. My original plan for this blog post was to write this in September after I had been in Elgin for a little over a month. As I was considering my next blog post now, I considered a few other ideas instead of my original "Entering Elgin" title, but as I continued to think about it I realized it took me way longer than a month to get adjusted to living in Elgin (and some days I still feel like I am adjusting to life in Elgin). So while this blog post isn't quite what I initially planned, it still contains all the new experiences I have encountered in the nine (!!) months I have been living in Elgin.

Before I get too far into the bulk of this post, I am realizing that many of you might be thinking my time in Elgin is soon coming to an end, since it has been close to a year of being here. But I am excited to share that I will be in Elgin for another year, serving as a 2026 National Youth Conference coordinator! So my time in Elgin isn't even quite half-way over yet!

Now back to business, I have encountered a ton of new experiences, some being fantastic new experiences, and others being extremely challenging.

I will start with the challenging things I have encountered, because despite taking up the majority of my time (aside from work), they are only a part of my year, and I'll save the best parts for last! I did not anticipate having to find quite so many doctors while I am here in Elgin, because I was planning to hold off on my doctors appointments until I was back in PA. But being here another year and encountering some health issues along the way has contributed to finding doctors here in Elgin. Prior to moving to Elgin, I had already found a Neurologist because I have chronic migraines and didn't want to start having migraines again. Other than that, I didn't have a plan to find any other doctors in Elgin because I figured for any minor sickness or injury I could just go to an urgent care. But in December I had an ankle sprain that did not get better. So I did the adult thing and called my dad to help find an orthopedic doctor that takes our insurance (which is what I have done every time there is a new doctor in the picture). I ended up in a boot and physical therapy for a few weeks, which is where I thought my doctor needs would end.

However, I ended up seeing quite a few more doctors right around that time. I found a mass on my thyroid mid-January, which freaked me out, so I went to urgent care, where they confirmed it was on my thyroid. So then I found a family doctor to go to where I got blood work and an ultrasound, which led to a biopsy. Which then led to seeing an Endocrinologist, which led to another test (that I didn't have to physically go to, they just sent my cells from previous tests...so I guess I have been two places at once? haha!). All that to say, the mass seems to be mostly harmless, but I am meeting with an ENT in a few days to talk about possibilities of surgery or routine tests to monitor my thyroid. So, I have had to find and go to multiple new doctors in the past few months, but I have been very grateful for the community of people here in Elgin that have gone with me to doctors appointments, and my parents for making multiple trips from PA as well.

Speaking of community...since moving to Elgin I have also started to integrate into the Highland Ave CoB church community. I joined the choir that has been a great way to meet people in the church and have the opportunity to sing with others once a week. I also have been involved volunteering with Soup Kettle that takes place at the church. In addition, I helped to plan Love Feast this year, and have been part of the Worship Life Team. I have been amazed at how much the church community has welcomed me!

In addition to church here, I have also been learning about the larger community in Elgin. I started going to weekly farmers markets when I first moved here (and am very much anticipating the start of the farmers market again in a few weeks). I also found my favorite taco place, that I would visit every week if I could! There are also sidewalks in my neighborhood, which is new to me, and I have enjoyed my afternoon and evening walks. Plus the Fox River is a short distance from the BVS house, so it has been nice to take walks along the river when it is warmer.

Quite possibly what I am most proud of doing since moving here is taking multiple trips into Chicago! The first trip I made was about a month after moving here. I took two fellow volunteers into the city to show them around. This kind of makes me laugh to this day because I had never been to Chicago and had never taken public transportation (where my parents weren't just telling me where to go). Since then I have taken my parents and brother into Chicago at Christmas time, gone with a friend to see a game at the United Center, gone in with friends to see the Chicago River dyed green for St. Patrick's Day, and gone with my parents to see a Cubs game.

I have had a ton of new experiences since being in Elgin. Some good, some not as fun, but it has been 9 months of lots of learning and realizing that I am capable of more than I think sometimes.