Apartment Living

We have officially moved out of our house after living there for 18 years.  The movers packed everything up on Monday and Tuesday, which turned out to be two of the hottest days of the summer.  The poor guys were dripping with sweat--which dripped on every surface they were near.  I don't even want to think about what landed on our mattresses and other items that were carried out.  (Thank you to my mom, my daughter, Anne, and my dear friend, Beth, who spent countless hours helping to clean my house after the movers got everything out.  I am truly blessed.)  Since the moving van won't arrive in Charlotte until Monday (I won't say anything about this whole moving process, except don't, under any circumstance, use North American Van Lines), we have three more nights of apartment living.

I've lived in apartments before, but I'd forgotten what it was like.  My memory has been refreshed.

Positives of Apartment Living

• Decent workout facility
• Pool that I don't have to maintain
• Takes only thirty minutes to clean apartment from stem to stern
• Valet garbage (set it outside the door and someone picks it up)
• Have met a lot of interesting people

Negatives of Apartment Living

• "Future Residents" parking spaces are normal size, but residents parking spaces leave no room to open the car door to get out.
• Shrek lives above us and constantly stomps paces back and forth.
• I can hear the guy in the bathroom next to us retching in the morning--is he getting chemotherapy or does he party a little too heartily?
• The flowery smell in the hallway used to mask the garbage center smell is nauseating. (Maybe that's my neighbor's problem.)
• We are on the bottom floor (street level is the third floor) and have to go outside to get cell phone reception.
• We have four doors and a gate to go through to get from the parking garage to the apartment--a definite challenge when hands are full.
• Weekend nights are loud with all the young residents.

I'm counting the hours until we get into the house.

Stressed

I am looking at a piece of paper with a name written on it and I have no idea who it is or what it means.  Unfortunately, the handwriting is mine and I think I wrote it down this morning before I rushed out the door to work.

I've been a bit stressed the past few weeks.  "Why?" you ask. Well...my husband has accepted a job in Charlotte, NC.  We're moving!  After 28 years in one town, we're leaving behind family, friends, and a job that I love.  We're moving out of the house that we built and raised our kids in.  We're leaving Michigan where we live within walking distance of a great lake with incredible beaches.  I could go on and on of reasons why I don't want to move.

On the other hand, it's a new adventure that God is calling us to.  The way things are falling into place, it's evident that He has His hand in this.  So I must follow.

It doesn't mean I'm stress free about it.  We've worked like mad to get the house ready to show.  Of course, when you decide to put your house on the market, everything that's wrong with it comes into clear focus.  AND THE STUFF!  We have so much stuff!  39,000 pounds of stuff, according to the mover.  I've been
purging, but I've hardly made a dent.

We've had three parties come through the house in the first week.  We have more coming through Thursday and Friday.  Of course, I get a little crazy trying to get everything perfect.  One good thing--my husband started his new job today, so I don't have to reclean everything since he's out of town.

Did I mention I had a phone interview today?  (That's part of the reason for the unknown name I wrote down.  I was quickly looking up something online that was interview related and must have jotted it on the paper.)  Anyway, the interview went really well.  I'll meet them when I go down in a few weeks.

So now I'm off to sort through cookbooks.  On second thought, I think I'll put my jammies on and read for a few minutes before hitting the sack....after I google the mystery name.