Ode to our "New Place"

So, since our stay here at University Apartments is such a brief moment in time, I thought I'd jot down some of the things I just LOVE about it, just to make sure I don't forget how much I am enjoying our lovely little abode.

Apartment 1540*, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
Let's begin with the "kitchen" (or rather, kitchen area, as it is not it's own room per say). I love my kitchen cabinets - all 4 of them! I never realized how much I needed cabinets in my kitchen. So thank you, for holding enough dishes for at least one meal and enough food for at least a few days! And thank you, small fridge/freezer combination! Thank you for keeping my milk, eggs, cheese, fruit and veggies cold. I know I complained about your size earlier, but now I realize I don't need room for other things like condiments and leftovers. Oh, and to my portable dishwasher, thank you for *almost* allowing your cord to reach the outlet near the sink - you've helped me discover a newfound love for handwashing dishes. And I appreciate your placement so close to the kitchen cabinets and sink - I love how toned my calves are becoming as a result of having to stand on my tiptoes anytime I'm in the kitchen in order to fit my growing belly between you and the sink!
To the lovely cinderblock walls, thank you. I know you do nothing to block the many sounds of the lovely families all around us, but I do appreciate that we can't actually see the neighbors through you! To the popcorn ceilings, thank you for keeping your asbestos to yourself. It gives me so much peace of mind knowing you won't contaminate my young children.
To my bathroom, thank you for the toothbrush holder. Even though it looks older than my grandmother and is far to small to hold any of our toothbrushes, it really adds to the nostalgia of the joint. And I love that you have no cabinets whatsoever - no need for child-proof locks here! Besides, who needs a spot for razors, toothpaste, hairbrushes, medicine, cleaning supplies or fingernail clippers? You have certainly helped us declutter! And I seriously love that the toilet, sink and bathtub are so close to one another - I can easily multitask (ie brush my teeth or do my makeup while using the toilet, etc) all while within arms' reach of my bathing children - you have certainly kept our safety in mind!
And, last but not least, apartment, your size is just perfect! I used to long for more room but, as I've unpacked, your 650 square feet have helped me realize how many possessions I actually own. You've made me feel like a queen, owning so many things I can't even fit them all in my home. You have helped me simplify my life by getting down to the bare necessities. We hardly notice the loss of our bed, dresser, dishes, toys, games, cleaning supplies, etc! And our guests probably won't mind sitting on the floor. And you've brought our family so much closer since we are always right next to one another!!!

Thank you, house, for becoming our own little corner of the world - our own little nook (and I mean NOOK!). Memories will be made herein. We will cherish you these next 10 weeks. We will grow CLOSER as a family, of that I am sure.

Sidenote: OK, in all seriousness, I have been humbled about the size of our little space. This past weekend we visited This is the Place Heritage Park, during which we took a little tour of the farm. There we saw an entire home which was 10 ft by 12 ft in size, and which we were told housed a family of 9!!! OK, so maybe I don't have as much to complain about as I thought!!

(*Not our actual apartment number, for security purposes. :) )

My Own Mosaic

I saw this on another blog and thought it was clever. You answer the following questions, type your answers into flickr, and it creates a mosaic. Here are the questions and my corresponding answers.

1. What is your first name? Sarah
2. What is your favorite food? artichoke
3. What high school did you go to? WLHS
4. What is your favorite color? canary yellow
5. Who is your celebrity crush? Hugh Grant, hands down! (Don't worry, Jon knows!)
6. Favorite drink? virgin daquiri
7. Dream vacation? a cruise with multiple destinations
8. Favorite dessert? cheesecake
9. What you want to be when you grow up? Christlike
10. What do you love most in life? Kai and Kea
11. One Word to describe you. Pregnant
12. Your flickr name. (kid version: favorite animal?) Sarah Smiles

Announcing (drum roll, please).....

IT'S A GIRL!!!

Angel and Grins are excited to announce that in a few short months they will have a new little SISTER! Angel went to the ultrasound with me and couldn't have been more excited - she was very concerned that she wouldn't be able to love another brother, since she "already has one", so the announcement of a girl made her very happy. :) Of course, we would have been happy either way, but we are thrilled.

"A girl is...
Innocence playing in the mud,
Beauty standing on its head,
and Motherhood dragging a doll by the foot."

"A baby girl...
one of the most beautiful miracles in life,
one of the greatest joys we can ever know,
and one of the reasons why
there is a little extra sunshine, laughter and happiness
in your world today."

Also, we have moved and are STILL unpacking. (hence the shortage of posts recently) When we are finally settled I will post more updates. :)