I'm pretty sure it's a summer thing, but I always feel so hopeful and strong, so awake and alive when June comes around. That is how I feel now, in our new apartment, confidently typing my heart out onto this little blog, and determinedly munching raisin toast. I have a kitchen table and a potato bin. My dishes all fit in the cupboards, as do my silverware, and i have a place to put my canned goods and my toaster. My microwave is set up. I planted herbs last night, Rosemary, Thyme, and Basil. I can't wait for the Basil especially. Basil is my friend. I like to add Basil to almost everything, and when Basil is fresh, I get all excited about it. It makes me sprinkle it all around the kitchen, and then hurriedly salvage as much of it as possible, because I don't know for sure when I will get more fresh Basil, so I had better use it wisely.
My fingers and toes are no longer swollen. It's because I'm sitting in an air-conditioned room, I know. But it makes me feel good to know that they are not swollen anymore. I'm alive, and I have a healthy baby growing inside me. I can't believe I am seven months pregnant already! So much has happened since we've been married for these ten months...
"The book of love is long and boring; no one can lift the dang thing. It's full of charts and facts and figures, and instructions for dancing. But I, I love it when you read to me. And you, you can read me anything. The book of love has music in it, in fact that's where music comes from. Some of it's just transcendental, some of it's just really dumb. But I, I love it when you sing to me. And you, you can sing me anything. The book of love is long and boring, and written very long ago. It's full of flowers and heart-shaped boxes, and things we're all too young to know. But I, I love it when you give me things. And you, you want to give me wedding rings. And I, I love it when you give me things. And you, you want to give me wedding rings."
Peter Gabriel, you know how to make my heart cry.
Anyway. This was supposed to be an update on our new place, not a sappy rambling. So. About the new place. We moved in Saturday. And my parents, lovely parents, stayed and helped us set up for many, many hours after everyone else had left. They stayed until 8 o'clock that night, and by the time they left, we had vertical blinds hanging, the kitchen completely set up, the living room completely set up, the bedroom nearly completely set up, and the nursery a little better organized. Oh, and the bathroom was completely unpacked as well, and decorated to boot! My parents have already been SUCH a blessing. Nicholas went back to the city Sunday and painted the old apartment back white for the new tenant, and my parents let him borrow their car to get to the train station, too. As if they hadn't already done enough, they had us over for a cookout yesterday, and let me make a mess of their kitchen in my first attempt at spinach-artichoke dip (which is one of God's greatest creations, I'm telling you), and helped me when I didn't have enough hands for it, and complimented me on it all over the place when it was done, even though everyone in the house had helped me make it. My dad, Nicholas and I scraped the artichokes, my mom continually cleaned up after me, and helped me know what a "slow" boil was, checked the artichokes for me, Nicholas mixed the cream cheese and mascarpone cheese mixture when my arms were too sore, my dad grilled the bread and showed me how to chop fresh spinach (it's harder than it sounds--flimsy little buggers), and my mom helped me with the spices. Nicholas helped me wring out the lemons. My mom washed all the dishes. Poor mom. What a mom.
Anyway. The new place, not sentimental ramblings about cookouts and parents. Though they do deserve a tribute.
Ok. It is HUGE! I am loving it already. It's quiet. So lovely to be able to sleep at night without people shouting and screaming right outside your bedroom (or living room, as is the case right now. We haven't received our mattress set yet, so we are sleeping on an air mattress in the living room. Why the living room? Because it's the coolest room in the place, and has an air conditioner in it.) It's shaping up very nicely. Sometime I will think to post pictures. (: But not until after it's COMPLETELY organized.
Things we are still praying/looking for: a car and a sofa. We have a bus, but it only runs once an hour, so that's not the best for getting to work, and it stops running at 9 pm, which means that if Nicholas works late, he has no way to get home. Also, groceries on the bus while seven months pregnant is not very easy. We also need a car for my prenatal visits, one of which is the day after tomorrow, and we have no way to get there as of right now. At this point especially, I'm not really allowed to just skip my appointments. So please pray extra hard for the car.
And as for the sofa. We have a small recliner and a rocking chair, the extent of our living room furniture that can be sat upon. (: Please pray for that, but not half as hard as for the car. HA! (: But seriously. We really need the car worse.
Alright. The day is ready to sort. And the chicken thighs need to come out of the freezer to thaw out for dinner tonight. Thanks to all of you who helped us move, and gave us lovely gifts in the two short days that we've been here, already! We are blessed.
In His love and ours.
