5 things . . .

Even though we're not moving until the renovations are complete, in honor of closing this week on our new home, I thought I would share the top 5 things I will not miss about living in our apartment:

(1)  Our high water bill.  It's actually more expensive here than it was at our previous home. 

(2)  Having to take the dogs out -- down the hall, down the stairs, and out to the back.  Justin does this task 98% of the time, but it is annoying -- and even more so now with 100+ degree weather.  We can't wait to let them run around off-leash in their new back yard!    

(3)  Smelling our neighbor's horrible fish dinners and mothball clothes.  Seriously, it's terrible. 

(4)  Having to go up several levels to park and then, usually because there are no close spaces, walking a ways to our apartment.  This is especially fun with groceries in tow.  I am pumped just thinking about being able to walk directly from my car in the garage into the house.   

(5)  Hearing every time that our upstairs neighbors walk around or use the restroom (and knowing that our downstairs neighbors likely have the same complaints about us).

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On a more serious note, please keep my family in your thoughts and prayers.  My Great Aunt (who was probably closer to a grandma to me than a great aunt) passed away Monday morning.  She was a wonderful woman.  Here we are dancing a few years ago at my cousin's wedding:

 
Every birthday (mine and Justin's), Christmas, Easter, and our anniversary we would get a card from her, always with a thoughtful message (in her handwriting that was so hard to decipher).  I will certainly miss getting those cards and, of course, her kind heart.  While in the hospital recently, after suffering a stroke, she got out of her wheelchair to help push someone else's wheelchair.  That story pretty much exemplifies her life -- always helping out others.

We will actually have to close on our house remotely so we can attend her funeral.  We are keeping our fingers crossed that it all goes smoothly!