Blank Walls

I can't believe we are moving this week. It's two different concepts: moving to a new place, and leaving an old place. I have thought a lot about moving to the new place, but not much about leaving this place.

I am 100% sure that we are ready to leave this place. We have outgrown this apartment. Literally. We were overflowing. Things were no longer always in their place because there were too many things and not enough places. But still, I have enjoyed this apartment. I would have loved it even it were just me here. I like the layout, I love the closets, I love the creek outside... I love the old man in the office, Bud, who tells me good job every time he sees me out walking. Everything about it is a good fit for me. But more than that, it was our first home, Brett and I. Tonight, I was packing in the kitchen and stopped to smile while I washed our utensil holder. It was one of those "little things" that we "needed" when we first moved in. I have a list in my purse of things that we need when we move into the house. Some little, some not so little. But in a few years, they will be insignificant non-essentials that I pack in a box with the last of the Tupperware and my non-stick skillet.

I am sick this week. I have been trying to deny it, but it's true. I've had a low grade fever the last two days, and my right tonsil is so swollen it grosses me out to look at it! I have been checking it every morning because we've had a few kids turn up with strep at the school. I don't really know what I am looking for when I check my throat, but I've been told that strep would show white spots. Today though, my tonsil no longer looked like a brain, it looked like a melting brain because it is swollen so much that it is going towards the back and down my throat. Ew. I just have to make it one more day though. One more day of work and then the move!

We thought we were going to have a good group of movers. Me and Brett, then my mom, all three sisters and two brothers-in-law. But one of my sisters dislocated her knee, another is working all day, and the other is working til noon. So it will be me and my mom, and then Brett and the brothers. I'm sure we'll be okay, but it's not the most comfortable group of people... I am off on Friday though, so I may be able to give us a good jump start. I hope. Either way, it will all be over soon.

Who knows when I will be able to blog again. We won't have internet in the new house until next Wednesday. Is that right? Maybe Tuesday. I forget. But I'm sure I will report on the move, and give way too many details, like I tend to do.

Peace out players!

A Song For the New House:

"You make me feel like packin'! I wanna pack the night away."

This is seriously what was going through my head while I packed tonight. What a weirdo.

I do feel like packing, but I'm at a weird place where I've packed most of the non-essentials... this weekend I am going to buy plastic plates and cups so I can pack our dishes, but for now, I only have a few other things in the kitchen that are ready to pack, and I need a smaller box for them. I wish I had kept the box for our stand mixer. That thing is a beast! Looking forward to having more room for it in the new kitchen. In our current kitchen, it just sits in the corner holding dust. If I pull it out of the corner, it will take up the whole counter. So I have used it twice since we got it... almost two years ago.

I could take pictures down, but that would make me sad. I can't live with completely blank walls for two weeks. I need to go through the closet... there are probably some clothes I could donate. Our closet space will be shrinking, so I shouldn't take anything that I don't think will get worn. A lot of Brett's shirts need replacing, but I don't want to get rid of them until we can afford some new ones, ya know? There is still a book case to pack, but they are all Brett's books, and I think he would rather pack them himself. I could finish unloading the DVD player, but I'm not in the mood to listen to the video game that Brett is playing right now. I'm listening to 500 Days of Summer, one of my current faves. Not sure it will cross over into the all-time favorite list, but I really like this movie right now. I practically have a seizure during the dance scene. I love it so much, I just don't know how to react! And I didn't have a great day today (probably just the PMS) so I would rather listen to this right now.

So, I pretty much just spent this blog talking to myself, but I wanted to think about what to pack next! I came to the following conclusion: pack later, watch movie now.

Hope everyone had a great Valentine's Day!

A Wonderful Weekend =-)

Man... I'm not sure why, but I sure feel like I am in a much healthier place mentally today. After a week full of uncertainty and some confusion, today is one of those days where the future is less daunting, and more exciting. Probably because it's Sunday. Being in God's house is an excellent reminder that He is in control. We spend so much time worrying about the details of life, when the details are really already planned out. All we have to do is continue the journey.

Yesterday was a good day, which is saying a lot considering it started with a funeral. My uncle's mom passed away. I didn't know her very well, but she was one of those older ladies who you couldn't spend 15 minutes with without walking away hoping that she is what you are growing into. Somehow full of grace and pizazz at the same time. It's a sad and special event, a funeral. It was incredibly moving yesterday to watch the legacy that is this family enter into the sanctuary to say good-bye to it's matriarch. Starting a family is an intimidating concept to me, but thinking of an end result is so appealing. I want children, yes, but I also want grand-children. And great grand-children. It's a nice thought =-)

And though it was a sad occasion, it was nice to see those family members. I love my aunt Carol. How can I not, when she is so much like my mom, who is my all time favorite lady! And my cousins are sweet kids. I like them all very much, though I don't really know them very well.

After the funeral I met my husband and mother-in-law, along with her best gal pal, for lunch. It was a quick lunch because the funeral lasted longer than I had anticipated and I had to be at a baby shower at 1:00. Of course, I had not yet bought a gift for said baby shower. I don't ALWAYS buy the gift on the way to showers, but this isn't the first time I have either! hehe.

It was a baby shower for the wife of one of my oldest friends. It was SO good to see these friends. I care so much for him, even though as adults we don't stay in regular contact. He lives in the same state, but not close. And his wife is just plain awesome. She is funny and smart and beautiful, and I am so happy that he met her and married her. They are truly meant for each other. I am thrilled that their first baby will be here in less than a month!

I left the baby shower at 3:00 and had to be at our Sunday School class's Valentine's Party at 6:30. Not only had I not prepared the baked Italian dish that I had signed up to bring, but I hadn't even bought the ingredients at this point! So I left the shower and headed to Kroger. An hour later, I left with LOTS of groceries and just enough time to make the dish, which everyone was generously complimentary of.

And I am THRILLED to say that we had a great time at the party. The thing about newly-wed classes is that they are always changing. People keep getting married, so new couples are always coming to the class. From the beginning, there were couples that we admired and hoped to build relationships with, but recently, some new couples have come to the class that, for whatever reason, we are having an easier time connecting with. We just have compatible personalities. It's been great!

After the party, we went to Kohl's because the MIL gave us a gift card at lunch. Check this out! There was a book case that is regularly $130. It was marked 55% off, so the total with tax was $62.77, and we had a $50 gift card! So we got a super cute bookcase for $12.77! And Brett said it can go in my craft room. Woohoo!!!

After that we were beat, so we came home. Church was awesome today, and we went to lunch with half of our care group afterwards. So fun! I am so thankful that God is giving us the opportunity to meet such wonderful people, and bringing us closer together!

So my point is, good weekend. =-) Brett has Bible study in a couple of hours. He is leaving for it in 30 minutes, so when he does, I am going to go do some window shopping and grab his Valentine's present, then come home to watch the final episode of the first season of Glee, and do some packing! Yessss!

The reason for the weird week was that I talked to the owner of the school that I work at to see if me teaching there next year was a possibility. My heart is kind of set on teaching in the community where we live. Right now, we are living in the city where we both grew up, and I just feel pulled towards giving back to this community that raised me. But this city has had HUGE budget cuts in the school system this year, and though public school is really where I want to be, I know that the job opportunities for the coming school year will be extremely limited, if they exist at all. But when I originally applied at my current job, I applied for a teaching position. It is still my goal to be in the classroom, so I wanted to communicate that to the owner. It was a good conversation, but I felt uneasy about it in the following days. Not entirely sure why....

But today, it is bothering me less. I am SO excited about moving into the house, and SO thankful for the space and opportunities that it is going to provide us with. I am ACHING for a creative outlet, and I know that one is coming =-) It feels so good to say that! It's a good reminder that my life is not equal to my job. They are two different things. And whether I get a teaching job next year or not, I am going to spend more time doing what I love. It will be a good year. I know it.

I hope everyone had a great weekend! I am headed out to go do some drooling over accessories!