What a Difference a Year Makes

It was Labor Day weekend one year ago that my husband of three months and I moved into our current home in Mississippi.  It was a crazy fast move, and it's amazing to reflect on what's happened since that time and see how far we've come, in our home, in our lives, in our marriage.

Emptiness became plenty...

Discord became harmony....

And where there was barrenness, something grew!

 

What they say is true....

 

What a difference a year makes!

Step by Step

Step by step, little by little, this...

is turning into this....

Cluttered spaces...

are becoming clean spaces...

Chaos...

is turning into order....

Slowly but surely, I am able to focus less on this...

and more on this...

And of course, more on this....

Heck, I'll probably even have a little extra time for Britt, too.

So Outta Here

Today when I breeze past the front desk, head to the parking deck, and crank up my car, I will not be re-entering the casino.

It is with great delight that today, I formally announce the end of my own imprisonment and officially declare an end to my 12-day casino captivity.

Yesterday we finally found a house we both agreed on, a house that had been totally elusive and potentially non-existant.  I was losing hope.  I had even begun to negotiate a long-term reservation at the casino (ok not really). 

There are so many things I can't wait to do, like see this little guy:

and this little princess:

...even though heaven knows when we will finally be able to fetch them from their current babysitter and spirit them away to their new home in Mississippi.  I hope it's sooner rather than later!

So today, the test called "Live in a Casino for Nearly Two Weeks" comes to an end and so begins a new trial called "Move Everything You Own to Another State in Three Days."


Anyone have any good moving advice?  I need all the help I can get....

No, I Do Not Have a Gambling Problem

It is Monday, and it is the dawn of the second week I have been the resident of a casino in Biloxi, Mississippi.

No, I do not have a gambling problem.

What I do have, however, is a husband who is the new territory manager of a huge chunk of coastal Mississippi and Louisiana, and he has to work.  Even though we have no house.

My wake up call?  Sunlight streaming over the bay and bathing the fishing ships in the morning sun and streaming into my window.  My neighbors?  Mostly quirky older couples (with fannie packs and tube socks) who wake up early to hit the buffet and then settle in at the casino.  My days?  Visiting house after house (after house) usually to discover that there is visible water damage present or that the neighboring yard is full of large, mistreated (and therefore aggressive) dogs.  My nights?  Dozing off with craiglist open on my computer screen and a list of potential homes at my side.

We did, however, visit the casino Saturday night, just for kicks.  It might has well have been a foreign planet, or the Chuck-E-Cheese of the adult world.  Take your pick.  After fighting our way through the smoke and the cougars with their cocktails, we managed to lose about $40 in slot machines in what must be record time, so we fled back to our room where we could pretend like everything is normal.

But it's not.  We live in a casino, for crying out loud!  At least there's a lady to make the bed.


Has your husband's job ever taken you somewhere strange?

I Got Married Because....

There are many reasons that starry-eyed little girls grow up to be starry-eyed big girls who enter into the covenant of marriage.  For better or for worse.  For richer or for poorer.  For settling down or for moving twice within three months.  Which ever, right?

Marriage, I've found in these few short months, is a blessed institution, but in many ways, it is not exactly what I expected. To illustrate my confusion, I bring you, "I got married because."

I got married because....

1.  I wanted to cook Paula Deen-style meals in my Southern Living-style home.

Duh, these things don't happen right away. Who knew, right?  It's a tiny rental, decorated with my husband's books and the cat knick-knacks I got on the honeymoon.  And I can't even find the Corningware.  Call the pizza guy.

2. I wanted a companion.

Too bad, Kelly!  I just figured this up.  Since we got married, between jobs and vacations and moving and traveling, we have spent a maximum of three consecutive weeks together.  So as of right now, we're more like good friends who get together whenever possible. Which isn't often.

3.  I wanted to create a home.

Too bad we don't have one.  Well, that's not entirely true.  We have one, but after living there together exactly five days, Britt received a promotion, and we're moving to two states away.  Time to look for a new new house.  And pack everything. back. up.   Marriages don't need stability, anyway.  Do they?

4. I wanted to marry my husband.  And since the marriage took, I really can't complain.  But I will.   Hey, you wanna hang up the wet bath mat once in a while?

Why did you get married?  What about marriage was so not like you thought it would be?