My Space

Gosh it has been a busy week this week!  I just moved into my first apartment by myself.  To say that I love it might be an understatement.  There are a number of reasons why I love it....

1) I have my own space and it is GLORIOUS!  Not only do I have my own space, but it is starting to become decorated exactly how I want it and it screams "Dani"....which I love.

2)  It is bright and white and cozy.  I lived in a basement before...and it was none of those things.

3) My kitchen is INCREDIBLE!  I have so far made a killer salad, a California omelette, and some cupcakes that were pretty heavenly.  I enjoy cooking a lot, but considering how dark and dirty my old kitchen was all the time, it didn't give me much reason to explore it.  Sure part of the mess was mine, since I never did dishes....but I have overturn a new leaf, and am making it a habit that regardless of the situation, dishes get done once a day!  NO EXCUSES DANI!

4) When I get back from Ireland, I am getting a cat.  I know...cats are an unpopular choice of animal.  However...I don't care.  I love them.  And I can't wait to have my own.  I've always had cats and I understand them and I love just having that little warm body as company. 

Not saying there aren't a few glitches.  There are no electrical outlets in the bathroom which means I'm banished to the bedroom area if I want to dry my hair or do anything else electrically based.  There are also no open outlets in the kitchen after my microwave is plugged in....so I also have to toast and blend elsewhere too.  Awkward.  The front door to the building sticks really bad and my key doesn't really work...and when the person upstairs takes a shower...it somehow drips into my shower........Speaking of showers, it takes 10 minutes for the water to warm up to an exceptable warmness level.  I'm definitely not going to be saving the ocean this year.  Despite all these things though (they can mostly be chalked up to it being an old building)....my overwhelming feeling is that I'm totally infatuated with this little space, and I'm excited to have company. So come visit! (but not before I clean it all up.....unpacking takes a lot of time when you work full-time and have to sleep at some point too!)

In other news....half marathon training started this week!   We are starting a running program at work to train for Bloomsday, so I'm going to be helping to lead that as well!  It is a pretty sweet idea that one of my co-workers came up with....sort of a positive lifestyle reinforcement for our clientele....which is much needed.  I've discovered that the neighborhood that I've moved into is great for running....I'm so close to Riverfront that its not even funny!  Not that Riverfront is the safest for running alone, so I have to be aware of that.....but when do I ever err on the side of caution for stuff like that? 

Also, the countdown for Ireland is almost to the 3 week mark!  I never in a million years thought I would get to travel to Europe as I wasn't brought up in a family that could ever afford to do something like that!  But the pipe dream is coming true and I'm realizing that this is just one of those huge blessings that God heaps on you at various times in your life.  Maybe there is great deeper purpose in it, or maybe its just to experience his beauty and this world we have been entrusted with...but regardless of the reason, I'm pumped to go!  Spectacular life opportunity and something I can't wait to do with my best friends! 

7:45 and I'm wiped....but I have a few more hours of unpacking ahead, so I must return to my post!

Dani

P.S.  Pictures are to follow soon of the new apartment, but I'm not taking pictures when it looks like a Level 5 Hurricane just hit.