"I don't know honey, didn't you pack it?"

Brooke was busy in our drastically outdated kitchen trying to figure out where to put all of our kitchen supplies. The condo we bought was built in 1949 and the kitchen was the original. Complete with steel cabinets, yellow tile and a white porcelain sink. Everynow and then Brooke would sigh as if to say, "this kitchen is too small." We would soon fix that problem -- the kitchen would be completely replaced with a brand new kitchen compliments of Ikea.

"No, I think you packed it. I don't remember loading it in the truck."

The windows, just like the kitchen, were the originals. Single paned, aluminum framed, with half the locking mechanisms broken. The first weekend we lived in the house we had a welcoming party over and lit a bunch of tealights on the window sill. About two hours later we heard a 'crack, crack, snap' and looked over just in time to see the eight foot piece of glass crack from bottom to top. I ran over, blew the candles out and could only help but smirk. We had only lived in the house for two days and we managed to break a glass window that had stood for 50+ years. But luckily, we had planned on replacing the windows anyway.

"Have you even tried looking for it?"

The day was hot, extremely hot, and our new condo is a mile from Lake Washington -- particularly one of the few public beaches with a high dive at it. The time came to be about 3:00 and we wanted to take a break from unpacking. So Brooke and I, along with our friends that helped us move headed over to the beach and took a swim. It was the first time I had gone swimming since moving to Washington -- it certainly felt good to submerge myself in water.

"No, I thought that maybe you knew where it was. Why would I look when I could just ask you a question"

Now, a year later the kitchen is remodeled, the windows have been replaced, the bedroom has been repainted, and soon (as in next weekend, hopefully) the kitchen floor will be replaced. The condo we bought certainly feels like a home. We know all the cool places within walking distance and utilize the Burke-Gilman trail. When I come home from a day at school/work I know that I will be welcomed into a space that Brooke and I created together. A space that I can leave my socks on the living room floor, a space that I can walk down the steps and pick a rose to give to Brooke, a space that I know where every screw/nail is in the kitchen. A space where we continually invite God to inhabit.

Here's to the next year at 4808 Terrace Dr NE. Hear Hear!

joel