The Results of Anticipation

So I am blogging at 7:55 in the morning. And I've been awake for about 2 hours. If you know me well, you know this is very un-Nilla of me. But these are the results of excitement :). I know this, because I've been a Nilla for a very long time (almost 31 years, in fact) and I know this is how I respond to happy anticipation :). For example:

If I am taking a trip, like on an airplane, I usually wake up every hour (almost on the hour) the night before. This is usually if my flight is in the morning. So you can expect that I will be doing this or something similar on November 17th. Because Jeremy and I will fly out in the morning on the 18th. And I'm already excited about it now... I can only imagine how giddy I will be the night before :).

The day of my first date with Jeremy, I woke up at 4:45 and tried for an hour to go back to sleep. I eventually gave up and just got up. It was such a happy time full of excitement and I was so excited :). Mmmm... I love having such happy memories :).

Anyway, so why am I so excited and full of anticipation today? Why in the world did I wake up at 5:50 and was incapable of going back to sleep? Well, I have a busy day :). I will be signing a lease on my new apartment. Which is actually a little house. And okay, so I'm not excited about the amount of money by which my account is going to shrink, but I know it's for a good purpose :). I'm going to have a place of my own!!! And okay, so maybe this doesn't seem so exciting as to be lack-of-sleep worthy. But somehow it is, because it is paired with my couch that I bought yesterday. And let me just say I consider this a small miracle -- a tender mercy -- from Heavenly Father. So all week I've been scouring craigslist for a dresser and a loveseat or couch. Reasonably priced. And fairly decent. I'm not picky about colors and such, but I am picky about cleanliness. Anyway, I didn't have a lot of success. Last Saturday, my mom and I went to both Goodwill and another thrift store and I didn't see much of anything I was interested in. Well, except I learned they sell old-school TVs (not flat screen) for $12.99. and let me just go ahead and say that I don't need a flat screen. Once I get settled, I'll probably buy one of those things. But really, the point is that I needed a couch (or something to sit on) and a dresser for clothes. So yesterday, on a whim, on my lunch break (because I don't usually leave for lunch) I decided to go to the Goodwill in the city where I work. I actually sat in the car first and read scriptures, because I did want to make sure I did that. And then I went inside. I looked around the furniture, sat on a couple things. Nothing struck my interest. Perhaps because they were all so short (well, I think that's because they take the legs off, but that didn't occur to me at the time...). I happened to have glanced a green couch on the far entry (outside) when I walked in, so I gave up on the inside and decided that I would just walk by that green couch I saw. Well, it was up on a little rolly cart -- and it was exactly the kind of couch I've always wanted! Soft, big-armed, cushie. But it was on that cart with a guy walking around it putting the legs on it. I just knew it was sold. But I asked him anyway and he said it wasn't! (I'm thinking now that it had just come in and been priced and was now being set out). So he got the legs on it and got it off the dolly. I inspected it. I sat on it. Oh my! Yes, very enveloping (pronounced like that thing you put a letter in ;)... Hahaha... That's for Julie). And not a hideous color. More like a sage green. And the price? $34.99. Really!?! So I inspected some more. Sat some more. Smelled it a la "ew stank" (that's for Julie too :)). And okay, so I can tell the previous owners had a dog. But I had to actually put my nose on the cushion to notice that, because I'd been sitting there already and didn't smell it. And I'd say that's a good sign. I can always wash it (the cushion covers come off -- I checked). This was a bargain, I'm telling you. And so I texted Brad: could he help me pick it up tomorrow (today). He answered immediately: yes. Wahoo!!! So I went in and bought it. I'm not a compulsive shopper. I'm pretty tight with my money (ask my dad :)). But I knew this was a good deal. And I'd say it was just being in the right place at the right time, and maybe it was. But it was also a blessing. Because having a place to sit in my new home is a pretty big priority. And I know Heavenly Father desires to bless us. Even when it's small things :). And I'm thankful to be able to recognize the blessings, even though I am positive I don't recognize most of them I receive. But when I do recognize one, I'm grateful. Oh so grateful. I will upload a picture of it when Brad and I get it here this afternoon.

Oh! I'm getting soooo excited!! I'm sitting here thinking of unpacking my pictures and hanging them up and... Oh me oh my! I can barely contain my excitement :).

And then there's the up-coming Alabama trip. And the up-coming Fall event with Jeremy's family. And it's Conference weekend at church, which means I get to attend church with Jeremy both Saturday and Sunday :). And yep...

So today is going to be a busy day. I should be tired (I didn't get my preferred 7 to 8 hours of sleep -- I got 6), but I'm not. I'm wide awake! And ready for the day :).