By this time, next week, we'll be the official owners of a brand spanking new townhouse. Hot holy crap.
Basically, we will finally own the house we decided to buy, on a whim, right after I found out I passed the Bar in October.
We've watched the lot go from bare dirt, to concrete slab, to bare studs, to finished house. We took pictures along the way, and I hope that when we decide it is time to move, the next owners will appreciate the photo album we'll hand to them.
I'm absurdly proud that we've been able to do this all by ourselves - no financial assistance from our parents. Of course, my parents have very generously given us a washer and dryer as our housewarming present, and TheMan's parents gave us some money to buy some furniture with, but the house is OURS.
We've come a long, long way from when we first moved in to this apartment together. When I arrived in Virginia, all my worldly possessions fit in the back of a pickup truck and inside a 1986 Mazda RX-7. Now, all our pretty, pretty things are going to require multiple trips with a moving van.
When we first moved in to our apartment, I was just starting law school, and I was lost. TheMan had no job for months, then unpaid internships, and he was lost. Thank goodness we had loving, supportive families who were able to give us a financial and emotional boost when we needed it most.
Eventually, we both found our footing, surer with each step forward. We adopted the cats and made ourselves a little family. I figured out that law school was designed to make you miserable, and TheMan found a job, then another, and finally, a great job. In this apartment, I graduated law school, studied my brains out for and passed the Bar, and found a satisfying job.
As I'm packing up this place we've called home for the last four years, I can't help but feel a little sad to say goodbye to a place we have most certainly outgrown. We went from being engaged to married in this place, and it's fair to say this apartment will ever have a special place in my memory.
And now, we're buying a house, all by ourselves, to fill with new memories and, with luck, more family.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Day of Love
Seven years ago, TheMan brought me potted mini-daffodils (while my favorite flower blooms in February in my California hometown, hothouse was all that was available in the significantly more frigid New Jersey).
Seven years ago, I wore a seasonally inappropriate, but cute, outfit. I got into TheMan's car, and felt my left spaghetti strap break. I was, fortunately, wearing a jacket. I waffled between trying to discreetly fix the problem and just telling TheMan what happened and hoping he'd laugh. I went with the latter, and, fortunately, he did too.
Seven years ago, we went to a great (and potentially mafia run) Italian restaurant, where I spilled pasta all over my lap, and a big, burly man came up to our table and serenaded us. We both nearly died of stifling our gigglefits.
Seven years ago, we went for a walk through the charming Ivy League University town. I should have froze all night, given my outfit, but I can't remember noticing. I turned my ankle on a curb and I nearly died of embarrassment.
Seven years ago, we stopped for coffee and hot chocolate at a cute independent coffee shop. TheMan was hilarious and literally made my hot chocolate come out of my nose.
Seven years ago, I knew he was it.
Seven years ago, I wore a seasonally inappropriate, but cute, outfit. I got into TheMan's car, and felt my left spaghetti strap break. I was, fortunately, wearing a jacket. I waffled between trying to discreetly fix the problem and just telling TheMan what happened and hoping he'd laugh. I went with the latter, and, fortunately, he did too.
Seven years ago, we went to a great (and potentially mafia run) Italian restaurant, where I spilled pasta all over my lap, and a big, burly man came up to our table and serenaded us. We both nearly died of stifling our gigglefits.
Seven years ago, we went for a walk through the charming Ivy League University town. I should have froze all night, given my outfit, but I can't remember noticing. I turned my ankle on a curb and I nearly died of embarrassment.
Seven years ago, we stopped for coffee and hot chocolate at a cute independent coffee shop. TheMan was hilarious and literally made my hot chocolate come out of my nose.
Seven years ago, I knew he was it.
Monday, January 7, 2008
Resolved
So, usually I do just one New Year's Resolution. This year, I've calculated that at the rate of one change per year, I'll never get to all the things I'd like to do better...
So, 2008, check out my big-picture resolutions:
1. Be nicer to TheMan. He, as the nicest person in the world, puts up with a lot of my crap, and during stressful times, I can get a little salty. While NOTHING will ever be as bad as my Bar Prep saltiness, I need to keep the snapping in check. Also (and, sorry dear Internet, for the TMI), part of the plan is to put the moves on TheMan at least once a day. We used to have some, uh...fun...twice a day (ah, college, when I could wake up at 10 am...). Then we grew up and got married and got jobs and got stressed out and sort of fell out of the habit. I'm not 19 anymore, so twice a day is a bit much to shoot for, but at least an attempt every day seems worthwhile. So far, I'm 7/7 on attempts, and 6/7 on completions. TheMan and I are both a lot happier, and the not snapping resolution has been a lot easier...coincidence? TheMan has no idea about this resolution, I wonder what he thinks has sparked the new increase in funtime...
2. Be nicer to myself. Like every woman, I have that horrible tug-of-war raging constantly- must be the perfect wife/daughter/employee. I need to cut myself some slack when I screw up. I need to realize that nothing I do is as bad as I think- no one is thinking about my mistakes as much as I am. I need to be nicer to my body, too. Years of completely ignoring it, with some sporadic check-ins, has taken its toll. I'm thinking about making the transition to vegetarianism, but slowly, I think. I'd still like to eat cheese and milk and seafood, but the idea of meat is sort of grossing me out right now. I need to make sure we make the elliptical machine a priority when we finally move into the new house.
3. Be nicer to my family. I have the greatest, most understanding family in the world. They deserve at least a phone call once a month, for goodness sake.
4. Be nicer to the planet. I know, I know, dear Internet, my California is showing, but hear me out. (although, it's fashionable to be "green" now, right?) I need to remember those cute reusable bags when I go to the grocery store. And, really, why should I just use them for the grocery store? Why not take them to the Target or PetSmart, too? I need to think about my errands and trips and combine them to save some emissions. I'd like to focus more on buying local, organic produce and groceries (and really, they just taste so much better). I'm way stoked that there's a family farm next to our new community that sells eggs and produce, I plan on stopping there weekly on my way home from work. Just don't ask me to take a 5 minute shower, that's pretty much never going to happen.
So, 2008, check out my big-picture resolutions:
1. Be nicer to TheMan. He, as the nicest person in the world, puts up with a lot of my crap, and during stressful times, I can get a little salty. While NOTHING will ever be as bad as my Bar Prep saltiness, I need to keep the snapping in check. Also (and, sorry dear Internet, for the TMI), part of the plan is to put the moves on TheMan at least once a day. We used to have some, uh...fun...twice a day (ah, college, when I could wake up at 10 am...). Then we grew up and got married and got jobs and got stressed out and sort of fell out of the habit. I'm not 19 anymore, so twice a day is a bit much to shoot for, but at least an attempt every day seems worthwhile. So far, I'm 7/7 on attempts, and 6/7 on completions. TheMan and I are both a lot happier, and the not snapping resolution has been a lot easier...coincidence? TheMan has no idea about this resolution, I wonder what he thinks has sparked the new increase in funtime...
2. Be nicer to myself. Like every woman, I have that horrible tug-of-war raging constantly- must be the perfect wife/daughter/employee. I need to cut myself some slack when I screw up. I need to realize that nothing I do is as bad as I think- no one is thinking about my mistakes as much as I am. I need to be nicer to my body, too. Years of completely ignoring it, with some sporadic check-ins, has taken its toll. I'm thinking about making the transition to vegetarianism, but slowly, I think. I'd still like to eat cheese and milk and seafood, but the idea of meat is sort of grossing me out right now. I need to make sure we make the elliptical machine a priority when we finally move into the new house.
3. Be nicer to my family. I have the greatest, most understanding family in the world. They deserve at least a phone call once a month, for goodness sake.
4. Be nicer to the planet. I know, I know, dear Internet, my California is showing, but hear me out. (although, it's fashionable to be "green" now, right?) I need to remember those cute reusable bags when I go to the grocery store. And, really, why should I just use them for the grocery store? Why not take them to the Target or PetSmart, too? I need to think about my errands and trips and combine them to save some emissions. I'd like to focus more on buying local, organic produce and groceries (and really, they just taste so much better). I'm way stoked that there's a family farm next to our new community that sells eggs and produce, I plan on stopping there weekly on my way home from work. Just don't ask me to take a 5 minute shower, that's pretty much never going to happen.
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