Spring Cleaning to the Max

This week we buckled down and did a lot of cleaning, specifically in the second bedroom upstairs. Jenna will be here soon, and shortly after her visit, Zak's mom Glenda will be with us for a few days. Plus, we haven't really done a whole lot with that second bedroom, save throwing it all in the closet, etc. Zak has rearranged some of it a few times, but we haven't gone through the bins and tubs of stuff since we moved.

We initially meant to just make the room look nicer, but I got started on one bin, and four hours later, had gone through everything. I decided that we each needed a bin for our individual winter wear, and one joint one for our summer things.

As we went along, we both found clothes that we haven't worn for years, and decided that a trip to Good Will was inevitable after awhile. I should've taken a picture of all of the stuff we gave away, it was a whole trunk full! I figured I would be able to survive without some of the shirts I used to wear years ago, or those old boots...We had a bag full of shoes and boots, and a huge bag of clothes from both of us. And these four chairs we got from our apartment manager for free when we first moved in. I also decided I could do without some purses and wallets. You're welcome, Good Will and the people of Moscow!

We also threw out a ton of stuff. But once it was all over, I felt incredible! We ended up fitting everything back into the closet, had used the bins smartly, and it looked wonderful. So now, Jenna, Glenda, anyone who wants to visit, our guest bedroom is nice and ready for you!

The Update You've Been Dying For...

What have we been up to, you wonder?  Well, a little bit of this and that...As the days continue, my brain starts to panic, but luckily we have been able to get a lot accomplished this week.  I packed up most of the remaining kitchen stuff (leaving a few necessities out) and got everything done for my finals except one painting!  This semester's finals were not overwhelming in the least, but then again, I've never had a very stressful finals week.  That's why being an art major is awesome, sometimes.  So everything except one painting and an actual final next Thursday night (really, 7:15-8:45 at night? The night my family's coming into town?!) is done, so I can focus on packing and cleaning.  Zak has been awesome, even when working every day this week.  He brought up the Kirby and cleaned our bedroom carpet and shampooed some rugs with it.  It looks so much better.  He also, in his crazy cleaning mode, decided to scrape off the scum from the tub--what a wonderful husband I have!  Today I'm going to focus on the kitchen (blah), and maybe pack up some more boxes.

The other day our manager for the place we're moving to in Moscow called and told us we had to fix a few things on the forms she had sent in for us to be accepted, or something.  We really had no idea what we were getting ourselves in, subsidized housing is intense!  But our manager is extremely helpful and replies quick and after several hours of e-mailing back and forth, it looks like we fixed everything that could be fixed at the moment.  We are still waiting on U of I to figure out Zak's financial aid stuff, but I'm pretty sure that's it.  What's great is that our manager understands our situation and wants to help us--we'll have to update forms once we get jobs, and she even said if everything isn't 100% with her boss, she'll still move us in because she has faith that everything will be solved.  So at least she has been very nice to work with.

A week from now I will be sitting in the commencement exercises for graduation.  Wow, I can't believe that this is the end of my scholastic life (for the moment, anyways).  At times it really feels like it hasn't been four years or that I haven't learned as much as I should or could have, but at other times it feels like I've been in Rexburg for a lifetime.  What's been great about this is that I've known and been with Zak the whole time I've been at college, except for my first semester.  So he knows everything that I've been through, the classes, the good and bad roommates--it's been so great to have him just know what I'm talking about.  And as much as we are ready to be done with this town, in the years to come I'm sure we'll look back on these years with some fond memories.  As my sister Jenna always points out, I did meet my husband here, so that's gotta count for something, right?

I'm not sure how long it'll take me to transition from school to work, but hopefully it'll be a quick one.  The other day Zak was saying how weird that'll be-for me to be the one working, and him going to school.  I'm not exactly thrilled about it, to be honest.  But I guess that doesn't matter, this is what's going to happen and I need to be the one who will support my husband while he goes to school.  Zak is actually really pumped about U of I, which is great-it's nice to see the excitement in his eyes and voice when he tells me about the different classes and such.  I'm sure I'll be able to adjust to our new life, but I am kind of freaked out about it.  I've only known going to school since I was 5 and I haven't worked as much as I could've.  I guess I feel just a little unprepared, but I will suck it up and do my best.  After all, I'm a pretty awesome wife the way I am now, in Rexburg, I can be the same awesome wife in Moscow, right?  Right!

The days have been flying past, and soon my family will be here.  So it looks like we have some work to do before then, if we plan to move on the 12th!  It'll be fine, once I can have Zak home for a day or two.  Oh and also, it's been snowing profusely the last few days.  The weather reports say it should be nice by Thursday, but it IS Rexburg, which means those reports are basically crap.  The weather changes so quickly here it's ridiculous.  I am very unhappy by all this snow--it's freaking April!!  I can't wait to be out of this town!

We're 95% sure...

...that we have a place to live when we move next month to Moscow!!!

On Friday I saw a listing for a place that looked great--windows, good price, excellent location--and wrote the person about it.  She was super helpful and we e-mailed back and forth the whole day, because we both had questions.  She sent us an application and we scanned it in today.  I guess the place is government subsidized, and we aren't very set on our employment for Moscow at the moment, but she was very willing to help us out with that--I guess we'll take care of it once it happens.  But the place we think we're getting is a two bedroom townhouse, complete with a little garden area!  Since it wasn't more than $30 than what we are paying now, we figured why not?  Rent is based on income, and there is a minimum and maximum amount--we'll never have to pay more than $500, I think.  So--GREAT DEAL!! 

We are sooo excited.  I'm really excited about the garden idea--I loved planting flowers with my grandma the last few summers and would love to have a little bit of earth to take care of.  It's only a few minutes away from the University of Idaho, so that is excellent, especially if I get a job that needs to be driven to.

So on Zak's day off, he went a little nuts with the moving and packing idea.  He forced me to pack more than I was comfortable with at the moment.  I'm still a bit in my school panic mode--I haven't really reached moving panic mode, so it was hard for me at first.  But we got all our books, art/craft/scrapbook, winter clothing taken care of.  And some of the stuff we won't wear until after we move.  I also did about four loads of laundry. 

It's been a successful day, we are thrilled about this place; the lady is sending us the final papers, I think, so that is awesome!  I'll let everyone know for sure once it's ours. :)