The Apartment

Alright, I cannot find my camera USB thing so I used the pictures from my cellphone that I took and Ryan sent me. So excuse the quality and hopefully soon I can post real good ones!!!

This is out front door. And the only real picture not from a cellphone. I picked up Danielle, Sam's (my maid of honor) little sister at American University and she took this with her amazing camera for us. I love that the two of us have gotten closer lately, I consider her a friend now too, not just my best friend's little sister. Anyway we took this right before we left on Monday. As you can see it is a lovely old brick building. We live on the first floor. We have a neighbor next to us and two above us. We met some people from the next building and so far everyone seems so friendly. I really love it. The neighborhood is AMAZING, lots within walking distance, and the metro bus stop is literally 20 feet from our front door! I love it love it love it.

Now this is our living room. The furniture was in my den for ages and with my parents moving next year they let us have that. We got two chairs, a couch, a coffee table, an end table and our dining room table from my house. The first picture is right from we moved in. I love the hardwood floors and how the sun just streams in the big windows. There is great old molding over the doorways and it is just stunning.

This picture Ryan took and sent me today. The rug is new. When we were driving down the street I saw a sign that said RUGS 25-75% OFF STORE CLOSING! So we slammed on the brakes and went in. I was so glad we did. Ryan told me about how he got a Turkish rug in the market in Al Asad in Iraq (that rug is now in the hall between our bedroom and bathroom). But I loved hearing him talk about how they sat with the owner and drank tea and bartered. Well it turns out the owners were froma Afghanistan and had moved here about 30 years ago when the Russians invaded. We even were offered tea! It was a huge mug of hot sweet green tea and quite good, but I feel like I got to share an experience with Ryan he was familiar with and it was just special. We got a rug for the living room, as you can see, and the dining room, bedroom, and front hall. Nearly $10,000 worth of rugs from India, Pakistan, Afghanistan... and we got them for $2,600! It was like buying one rug and getting three free!

I let Ryan barter and do his thing. I did math on my phone and wrote things down and tried to help, but he was in his element. I helped pick out the colors and patterns though! As the men talked business the owner came up to me with a beautiful necklace in one and and a gorgeous bracelet in the other. He said they were made of lapis from Afghanistan and I was very patient, so I could have one. I took the bracelet... and it is gorgeous!

Now this is our dining room. We actually have a dining room!!! It isn't a typical apartment with a huge living room/dining room/common area room, but all separate rooms. It isn't big, but it fits the table and chairs, and our rug! The rug is a tad smaller than the table but the coloring is gorgeous and it still works wonders. You can see our lovely AC unit too. It works! We got so hot moving we left it on for awhile and when we got back the apartment was freezing! So maybe we will be set for the summer after all!

A quick peek at our bathroom. When we registered for brown and blue for the curtain and towels and such we had no idea our bathroom would be black and white tile. Ah well. It still works somehow! The tub has a curtain rod that goes all the way around the one side and the far end, so our curtain is a tad short but no water escapes!

Here is the kitchen. A tad small but we have enough room! There is a pantry off to the side you can't see, but we have a gas stove! Excited about that. My mom and I will roast marshmallows on ours in the winter and I cannot wait to do that with Ryan. We also have our microwave on top of the fridge, like the lady before us did apparently. When Ryan visited he saw it and got the idea. We have blue accents, dark blue plates and bowls and all that, so the dish towels and oven mitts are that dark blue too.

And since we are a little short on counter space we got some more at Target. My handy fiance built those little beauties and sent me the finished result today. We have so many appliances, the blender, the George Foreman, food processor, toaster oven, microwave, crock pot... it is amazing if we find the room to put it all!!! But we are getting there. Ryan is quite the handyman and he is great at making use of space. The two of us have a lot of similar ideas and when I give him an idea or suggestion he can see how to make it practical. Target and IKEA have been a big help to us in that department too! Ryan also built the tv stand, shelves for the bathroom, and the best thing ever...

My book shelf!!!! (and you can see another of our rugs!) He knew how important it was for me to have one so he got one at Target, built it, and sent me this picture of the result. So excited. He really is the best ever.

So I hope you enjoyed the sneak peek of our new apartment!!! Mom and I are driving down this Saturday with all my clothes then we can start decorating with artwork and such.

I cannot wait to live here. It was a great weekend with Ryan. Everything from the 2 and a half hours of dishes I did to clean them from their boxes from the paninis and chips and salsa we ate around the coffee table sitting on couch cushions sipping red wine.

Happiness is so worth waiting for.