Clean Apartment!!

Bruce and I literally spent THE ENTIRE weekend cleaning.  Not just light cleaning - SERIOUS CLEANING.  We threw away at least four garbage bags full of stuff, have two garbage bags full of clothing that need to go to MUST and took trips to Target and IKEA to get some tools/materials to fix some stuff that was falling apart and decorative stuff to make the place a little bit more home-y.  We haven't quite finished the deck (I think that's going to be a work in progress all summer) but I think we're both happy to have made progress.  It felt good to be able to just clean and do laundry (I think I did seven loads, oh my!!) and not feel like I had school work to do.  Ahh, summer bliss.

Oh - on a side note - I'm anxiously awaiting my grades to be posted on O.P.U.S.  None of them have officially posted yet, but our preaching grade totals were posted on Blackboard (Emory has a lot of computer systems) and my totals indicate that I got an A in preaching.  So - one down.  I'm grateful for the A because the structure of the class was confusing, the syllabus made no sense and I was definitely putting more effort in some of my other classes.  Okay - one down (technically two - I know I passed Con. Ed.), four to go.  Please pray for peace - I know it's all in God's hands - all of this.  Seminary, ordination - I'm following God's call.  I just need to remember to follow him and shush.

Back to my apartment!!!!!  Enjoy ... 

My bedroom - notice the bed is made, there is no laundry hanging over the bed post or piled high on the floor and no DVDs piled on the TV.  Progress.  Oh - and this picture gave me the opportunity to show off my new down comforter!!  We've been getting a few early wedding presents and this was the latest.  It is WONDERFUL!!  So soft and fluffy!!  Hellloooo Down Comforter, where have you been all my life?!  Do any of you all have a down comforter?  Do you have the same love that I do for it?

My closet - it's hard to tell from the picture but you can now walk to the end of it, which you couldn't do before ... that is progress for me.  Oh and everything on the shelves is neatly stacked.  Finally!!

My bathroom counter - cleaned off and organized!!  I know it seems like there is a lot, but when you're living with a girl who has high maintenance hair and skin, you can't get away with having an empty counter.  There's too much you need on a daily basis!!  The light blue rug is also new from IKEA - I decided the bathroom was long enough that I needed two and - as it turned out - the rug I picked matched perfectly with the blue & brown toothbrush holder & cup set I have!!

Onto my desk ... For awhile I forgot what color it was!!  The remaining pile is wedding stuff - it doesn't make sense to put any of it away at this point, I look at it too much right now.

Notice the floor behind my desk - empty backpack and my knitting basket.  That's it!!  No books scattered ... (p.s. does anyone need a scarf or blanket?  I'm looking for a new knitting project - but that's pretty much all I know how to do)

... all of my books from this semester are put away where they belong!!  I'm not sure what I'm going to do next semester ... at this point, I think I'm max'd out on shelf space - and we've purchased three additional bookshelves since the initial two when we moved to Atlanta!!  Now I understand why all the pastors I know have such immense libraries - a product of seminary!!

Oh - and notice one other thing on this picture.  One - below my magazine holders is space designated for scooter helmets.  They've been scattered since we got them - wherever we throw them when we come in - and it was driving me crazy.  I finally cleared a space for them!!

I made this picture big so that you all could see my beautiful curtains!!!!!  We got them at IKEA - if anyone is looking for curtains and doesn't want to spend a ton of money, I would definitely recommend going to IKEA.  They have great deals!!

Where's Waldo for the Day - Can anyone find Lilly in this picture?

A smaller picture of the living room ... can you tell Lilly loves the carpet?!  She spends a lot of time in that position when we're watching TV.  Bruce thinks she started after watching me do pilates.

Some little details in my living room ... our mantle - to the left of my Aunt Leslie's painting is another wedding present.  My nursery school teacher (I'm 24 years old and still call her Mrs. Kraft!! ... hehe sometimes I still think I'm a child) framed our wedding invitation.  She didn't know what my colors were, so just went off of the invitation.  She was so excited when my mom told her those were my actual wedding colors and I was thrilled at how well it fit into my living room scheme!!  I LOVE IT!!

A close up of the invitation - I don't think I ever showed them to you on here.  You can't really tell, but there are raised roses on the paper - so simple and pretty!!

Now moving into the kitchen ... I love the pillows on my couch!!  And the blanket is from Lesotho, Southern Africa.  Bruce brought it back for me when he lived there the summer before we moved to Atlanta.  It's PERFECT for the room!!

My kitchen is finally organized!!  I have counter space to cook!!

Clean counter and sink that's not full of dishes ... bliss.

Our spice rack - updated with our new spice jars from IKEA!!  Love them - Bruce wants to get more to put all of our spices in them ... 

Our breakfast buffet and microwave cart ... notice the wedding presents:  Guacamole Stone on the breakfast buffet (great for making yummy salsa) and a touch screen coffee maker!!  Yay!!!!!

One of my last purchases from IKEA - a new mat and dishes for Lilly.  How cute are the crowns in the bottom of the dishes?!  I Love it.  Bruce thinks Lilly is indifferent.

What I see when I'm cooking - my beautiful living room!!!!!

I can't believe how long it's taken for me to post pictures of our current apartment.  It's taken almost a year, but it's finally feeling like HOME.  I'm looking forward to being able to spend a year as newlyweds in a place that I love with the person that I love.

May your week be full of grace & peace,

Sarah