i'm back, and a year older!

We successfully moved into our new home last Thursday! After a quick jaunt to OC and arriving back home at 9:30pm on Halloween, we drove to our new place at 7:30am the next morning, as the movers were due to arrive between 8-10am. They showed up at 9:30 and were done by 1:30pm. The appliances we ordered arrived on Saturday, so everything is up and running! Praise the Lord. Many thanks to Brad for helping Aron unpack and move furniture around on Saturday morning! And although I had to wait around on my birthday yesterday, Verizon Fios TV and Internet was installed and is now up and running. Hooray! There are still several boxes to unpack and pictures to be hung, but it is most assuredly starting to feel more homey. Pictures forthcoming.

And yes, I turned 29 yesterday and realized that both this year and last year's birthdays sneaked up on me because we had just moved. Last year we celebrated by eating Lou Malnati's pizza in downtown Chicago and seeing a movie, while talking about Maggie's upcoming arrival. This year I cooked dinner in our new home (southwestern pork stew, homemade cornbread and gingersnaps for dessert). Lest you think that Aron dropped the ball, I actually told him I wanted to cook. In the last 5 weeks of transition for us, we have literally eaten out 2 dozen times, so I was itching to eat homemade goodness. I love to cook, so this was a treat for me. Plus, he was in CA for one day Monday to Tuesday and when he walked in on Tuesday night, he had a Banana Republic box in his hand--my hubby *totally* knows how to shop for me! A new outfit and it all fits--grey cords (the comfiest pants I now own), and a white hoodie from BR, a navy tank to wear under the hoodie from American Eagle, and a grey scarf from The Limited to accessorize. I loved it all. And yesterday, while I waited for the Verizon guy, I got a bunch of well-wishing phone calls from family and friends, read emails with birthday greetings, and opened a few gifts I had gotten in the mail. It was a good day overall. I am amazed to be one year shy of 30. I'm never sure what age "feels" like, but being 29 feels no different than the last few years. I know I have matured as a person in many ways over the years, but at the same time I still see myself as being in my early 20s. I think. Thanks to all who helped make my day so special!