It’s hard to believe that we’ve been living in our new home for almost 3 weeks now…it still doesn’t seem real! Drew and I will catch each other looking gawking around all the rooms, waiting to be woken up from this dream. That being said, we are pretty much settled in – no moving boxes still lying around or odds and ends that still need a home. I think we both wanted to make the house as live-able as possible from the very beginning…plus, it’s not like we had a ton of stuff moving from a one bedroom apartment. No doubt moving day went as smoothly as it did thanks to help from our amazing group of friends. From start to finish, it took less than 3 hours to have everything moved from our apartment into the house. Offer people free beer and pizza and it’s amazing what can be accomplished 
We’ve been on several shopping excursions, buying things like rugs, bar stools and (finally!) a KitchenAid…things we just didn’t bother with while we were living in the apartment, either from lack of space or because we knew we wouldn’t be living there forever. The house is really starting to come along now that we’ve been able to put our own “spin” on it…it was beautiful and move-in ready before, but it’s amazing how a simple area rug and a few decorative touches can really pull a room together. We’ve had several get-togethers already as well, including hosting house church and a housewarming party.
The best part of being a homeowner? Besides having almost 3x the space, it’s like a whole new adventure for us. There were things that just weren’t possibly (or at least not in a fun way) where we used to live. Cooking in our new kitchen is an entirely new experience; we’re no longer tripping over each other or running out of room while preparing dinner. I’ve already put the KitchenAid to work (cookie recipe coming soon!), and I’m loving cooking on a gas stove. We’ve taken Theo on walks around the neighborhood, met several neighbors, and enjoyed evenings relaxing on the porch. It definitely probably sounds silly, but I get a real kick out of walking to our very own mailbox. Forget about the one morning that I set off our security system (at least we now know it works!), and it’s been a very easy transition.
My Mom is coming to stay with us this weekend and I can’t wait for her to see the house. I’ve sent her plenty of pictures, and she probably would say that I talk about it way too much already, but I’m excited for her to see it in person. Drew’s parents will be visiting a few weeks later, and I know they too can’t wait to check out our new place. Even though we’re both grown adults, Drew and I definitely value our parents’ opinions and sought advice from all of them throughout the house buying process. No doubt we wouldn’t be in this life stage without their love and support.
Oh, and Theo seems to be settling in just fine, in case anyone was wondering…
