After landing at O’Hare in Chicago, we didn’t waste a minute—there was a long to-do list waiting for us, and we were determined to get life back to normal as quickly as possible. From registering our (new-to-us) minivan to moving everything out of storage and into the condo, we knew the first couple of weeks would be nonstop.
One thing we weren’t entirely sure about that day was where we’d sleep that night. Our tenant was supposed to move out by midnight, so staying at the condo seemed unlikely. We had a few backup plans but hadn’t committed to anything yet. The idea was for Uncle Filip to pick up Sylwia and me from the airport, while Ciocia Anetka took the boys to her place for the night. That way, we could hit the ground running the next morning, moving boxes without extra distractions.
Before heading home, though, Filip had a couple of errands lined up. First stop: picking up a relative’s car parked near the airport and getting it back to his place. Once that was sorted and Sylwia took the wheel, we swung by one of Filip’s recently completed job sites to gather some tools, shift around a few pieces of furniture, and do a bit of cleaning before the owner moved in the next morning.
After all that, we’d worked up an appetite. Fortunately, there was a local Mexican place right across the street. First meal back in the U.S.? A success. Full and happy, we finally left the city, made a quick stop to visit Babcia, picked up the minivan from Jeff—a neighbor just a few houses down—and eventually landed at Filip’s house for the night. It was a long and exhausting day, but we made it.
The next morning, we were up bright and early. I couldn’t resist sneaking in a quick test ride on my new motorcycle (which had been waiting patiently in Filip’s garage—more on that later). Then it was straight to the storage unit to load up the van with our things. When we arrived at the condo, we were pleasantly surprised. After being rented out for two years, it was in great shape. The tenant had clearly put in the effort to leave it clean. Aside from a small hole in the living room floor and a cracked fridge drawer, everything looked move-in ready.
Of course, just when things seemed to be going smoothly, we got a message from the tenant: "Also, the hot water heater wasn’t really working the last couple of days." And just like that, our priorities shifted. Figuring out the hot water situation instantly jumped to the top of our to-do list. Because nothing says “welcome home” like an unexpected plumbing project—or two. A few days later, we discovered a leak under the kitchen sink, and the entire drain assembly had to be replaced. I guess it's better to deal with it now while we're here than after we're gone and another tenant moves in.
A couple of months ago, while we were still in Poland, Filip sent me a link to an auction he thought I might be interested in—a 2025 BMW F900 GS Adventure with just 420 miles on it. Practically brand new, with minor cosmetic damage and a solid engine. It immediately caught my eye.
Ever since I sold my SWM Superdual X 600 a few years back, I’d been missing the thrill of an adventure bike. This BMW was in a whole different league—bigger, tougher, and ready to tackle just about anything from cross-country rides to weekend escapes.
When the auction went live a few days later, I tossed my hat in the ring with a $5,500 max bid. Unfortunately, the reserve price was set higher, and the bike didn’t sell. A week later, it was relisted. This time, I raised my bid to $7,250, hoping to get closer to the reserve. Still no luck.
Then, a third chance: it came back on with a lowered “Buy It Now” price—$7,700, likely matching the reserve. After a quick discussion with Filip, I asked him to have his friend (whose account we were using for the auction) go ahead and grab it at the buy-it-now price. A couple of days and one wire transfer later, the bike was mine. Arrangements were made to ship it from Florida straight to Filip’s house.
Once the bike arrived, Filip stopped by a local BMW dealership to order the parts needed to restore it to its full glory. Most of the damage was to the plastic fairings, but the real kicker was the headlight—a brand-new one from Germany would cost around $2,500. That wasn’t going to fly. So, we scoured the internet and found a used headlight in great shape on eBay—from a seller in Lithuania—for a third of the price. A week later, it was in Filip’s hands.
With all the parts now gathered, we just need to carve out a couple of days to put everything together. Since the bike will have a rebuilt title, it’ll need to pass an Illinois State Inspection before I can officially register it. One step at a time.
I also ordered a full set of hard panniers—two side boxes and a top case. Unlike my old SWM, I’ll be going all-in with hard cases on this one. This machine is going to be a beast, built for serious adventure. I can’t wait to hit the road.
The boys having some fun in the rain at Babcia's house.
It’s true what they say: you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone. Hot water might not seem like a big deal—until you’re suddenly without it for several days. Safe to say, I won’t be taking that luxury for granted anytime soon.
When something breaks, there’s only one person we call—Filip, our go-to jack of all trades and master of just about everything. Once again, Szfagier came to the rescue and saved the day. Thank you for pulling us out of yet another jam!
We upgraded from a 30-gallon to a 38-gallon water heater—and let’s just say, it was a tight fit. There was zero wiggle room, and we even had to remove a bit of drywall just to squeeze it in. Fingers crossed we never have to pull that beast back out of its cozy little cave!
After months of navigating approvals, permits, and a few gentle nudges, another long-anticipated project finally came to life—a new storage shed right next to our condo unit. The process began back in February when I reached out to Sean, a local contractor I know who’s built a few of these in the community. He wrapped it up just in time—literally the weekend we arrived—giving us the perfect spot to stash our bikes and all the random summer gear.
We picked up this gem sight unseen back in April from a Volvo dealer in New Jersey—a 2017 Toyota Sienna XLE. After finalizing the paperwork and sending a wire transfer, it was shipped to Illinois at the end of the month and safely stored on Jeff’s property until we arrived. He even swapped out the battery for us after noticing the old one wasn’t holding a charge anymore.
With just 48,631 miles on the odometer and meticulous Toyota dealer service records, it’s about as clean as they come. A low-mileage, rust free, well-maintained Toyota minivan at a fair price? Not easy to find.
We got everything registered and legal, ordered the new title, and took it to Toyota of Fox Lake for an oil change and a tire rotation—the van came with brand new tires. Then we added some vinyl to promote Sylwia’s business. Now we’re just waiting for the new rear WeatherTech mats to arrive in the mail.
All smiles when ice-cream is involved.
We made it back to the States just in time for the boys to join Home Depot’s monthly kids' workshop, held on the first Saturday of every month.
No family minivan is complete without a bike hitch. This one from etrailer looks great—clean and seamless, just like a factory install.
Relaxing at uncle Filip's place.
Filip recently built an extension onto his garage to store hardwood he had milled from a couple of trees on his property. I was able to lend a hand with the second-level attic space—an ideal spot for all the extra boards that had been taking up a good portion of his garage.
What was supposed to be a routine dental cleaning and check-up for the boys turned into two cavities for Damianek. Thankfully, they’re only in his baby teeth—but it was a good reminder that we need to stay on top of brushing and especially flossing.
Just two days before his fifth birthday, Damianek learned to ride his bike without training wheels! Out of curiosity, we looked back at old photos to see when Grayson first started riding—and it turns out he ditched the training wheels a month before his fourth birthday. Proud of both our boys! Can’t wait for all the bike adventures ahead.
We’ve all been excited about the pool—it’s one of the top perks of living here, and it’s just steps from our door.
You’d never guess from this photo, but I was just coming off a rough bout with some kind of intestinal virus. It had hit me a couple of days earlier, and this was the first time I finally felt well enough to relax by the pool with Sylwia and the kids. Whatever I ate or came into contact with, I was the only one who got sick. It was brutal—waking up every couple of hours, running to the bathroom, and passing nothing but water. By day three, it cleared up, but the experience left its mark. Definitely not something I ever want to relive.
