Moving, But I Love This Apartment

I'm planning to move in a few months. It is my choice - I'll be moving into a van to travel around North America and will convert the van into a little RV-like dwelling as I go. The van has a high roof so I can stand in it. I like to say it will be my bedroom with an ensuite, and the world will be my living room.

I'm sad about leaving my apartment, though. It has been a real blessing and a gift from God. I've been in this apartment since January 2015. Before this, I lived in a nearby apartment on the ground floor in another building. I was happy most of the time there, until December 2014 when the people above me were making constant noise with their stereo and I became agitated by it because I couldn't even leave the apartment to get away from it. That feeling of agitation was very unusual for me... not my normal thing!

I went to the apartment manager about it and she told me I could move into this apartment in the other building, on the third floor. I was amazed when I saw it. This is a corner-of-the-building apartment and has two windows in one of the bedrooms. There is a wonderful view in each direction.

After I moved in I realized the apartment is a gift from God... because He knew the apartment was empty and available, though all I knew at the time was that my apartment had become uninhabitable for me because of the noise upstairs. So I moved, and ended up in a much better apartment than I had before.

So now, I'm getting ready to leave, and I'm being a bit sentimental about leaving this wonderful place I've been living in for the last few years. I used to host Bible studies in here - with lots of dear friends. I've been blessed in so many ways since being here... but I'm feeling a call to go, to get on the open road and make traveling my lifestyle.

Because I'm leaving this happy place, I've decided to start now and take photographs of things in this apartment. This is my first in what I hope will be a series.

Gratitudes:

1. I'm grateful for the years I've lived in this apartment.

2. I'm grateful for my new cell phone.

3. I'm grateful for the First 5 app for communicating with other Christian women online.

Plan for the day:

1. Get ready for shopping tomorrow.

2. Watch The Dead Files

3. Study the Bible.

Currently reading:

1. People of the Book, by Geraldine Brooks

2. Jesus Calling, by Sarah Young

TV = Idiot Box!

"This feels pretty cozy and heartwarming," my son said, 24 hours into a week without the TV.

After months of increasingly distressing fights over the TV, I finally reached the end of my rope last night and even convinced my boyfriend that we should take the damn thing out of the living room and restrict the children from using it for a week.

Let's just say the fights were pretty intense. We already tried setting hours for favorite shows so supposedly everyone's rights were to be respected. It didn't work. The fighting continued.

So anyhow, 24 hours ago the idiot-box went into the master bedroom. Let me tell you what's going on here tonight. The kids are getting along together just fine. My daughter, who as of late keeps telling me how uncool books are, has been sitting here reading her brother's book about yucky stuff (thanks for that Aunt Susan). She reads to herself and to him at times. Meanwhile he's sitting right next to her designing a mechanical dinosaur-shaped weapon. He created one (on paper) last night and is doing another one tonight, trying to figure out how everything could work.

Not one fight tonight. A miracle? Perhaps...

Now my daughter's trying to make a deal with me regarding housework. She wants to cook something for her brother. She wants to help him clean his room!

Down with TV's!!

Cherokees, Noise, and Pets

Today while websurfing I came upon the Cherokee website for Western Cherokees.. which my grandmother was... her father was Cherokee. Its a beautiful website and there's some great downloads including free music, screensaver, and language help. I never have been able to find my great-grandfather's name on the census, as I've never been able to find the census. Any leads? His name is Samuel Miller and he was from Talequah, Oklahoma.

Wow.. this house is too noisy! Keith is practicing electric guitar. My children are watching TV. Does anyone think about noise levels besides me? I'm listening to MP3's with my headphones on to try to block out some of the other sounds. Right now I'm listening to the Minarets of the West CD - The City of Love - they sing so beautifully. Too bad they're not singing together anymore.

We have a border collie - Mairi - she's so sweet. I'm the only person here who doesn't really play with her... but she seems to prefer me. She is constantly coming to my side. First I feel her hot breath on my leg... then I look down and she's looking up with a dog smile, big brown eyes full of adoration... and if she wants to sleep, it is often under my desk that she retreats to. Dogs are great - they make you feel so loved.

Cats are another story. So far since the weather got warmer the girl cats have disappeared into the woods and only the boy cats are still hanging around the house.

We saw Sabrina yesterday when we drove up the hill at sunset, but when my daughter and I got out of the car and went to greet her, she avoided our attempts at affection and ran quickly back to the woods, turning from a safe distance to look at us in horror at the thought we might touch her. What got into her? All winter long my bedroom was her sleeping spot. Now she wants nothing to do with me?

I haven't seen Aretha at all in about a week, but that's not unusual for her and I know she can take care of herself. She has her own house out in the middle of a blackberry patch and I'm sure she's very safe there.