Monday, August 6, 2007

Right on...

We should be getting a thank-you card any day now. Few people, I believe, have ever spent as much money in one weekend at Target as my husband and I did these past three days. With two coupons for 10% off our entire purchase, we filled two shopping carts easily on Friday night. One coupon was for our registry, specifically. Our "wedding gift" from Target was 10% off anything remaining on our list. Of this we took great advantage. That was one cart. The other cart was everything else, as I have a Target Visa, and had my 10% off reward coupon. Then, on Saturday, we realized there were some things we had forgotten, so we went back. From dinner to new sheets (600 thread count on sale for $18.88 a piece, baby!) to two microwave carts to dishes and silverware to towels, we cleaned that place out. Not a single aisle remained unturned.

From those purchases, we have continued to make our life together in this small bungalow we love so dearly. Cleaning, rearranging, and replacing the old with the new occupied the rest of the weekend. What a thrill to walk in to my bedroom and see matching sheets, bedspread, shams, and throw pillows. "It's like a real bed!" my husband exclaimed when he saw it. Towels that match the decor of both bathrooms, kitchen appliances that aren't harvest gold, silverware that wasn't forged in the 70's. So wonderful to have things that are "ours" instead of "his and hers". And what's best: we did it all together. And it was fun. Organizing and cleaning and laughing punctuated nightly with dinner and Netflixed movies and sex. (The niece is out of town, giving us the rare opportunity of a house to ourselves. She is having a different kind of fun altogether: a road-trip to Lollapalooza in Chicago with a friend. Ah, to be twenty again...)

Tomorrow holds the prospect of a very large trip to Goodwill. My car is already full, and tomorrow I will add even more, as I purge our clothes closets as well. The amount of things we are getting rid of seems crazy. Nothing wasted, however, as all of it is still in good enough condition for someone else to enjoy. The next generation of college students needing pots, pans, and dishes for their first apartments, no doubt. Tomorrow will also include, sadly, another trip to Target, because of course we need an oversized Tupperware container in which to store the dogfood.

Tonight, as we looked around at all we accomplished together, we realized that our blessings are great. How fortunate to be able to have all this and love, too. We also realized we had sore muscles from the scrubbing, lifting, and running up and down the stairs. So, before bed tonight (yes, I am up without sleep again), we drew a bubble bath. Candles, rubbing each other's feet, and conversing about family, friends, work, current events, and darn-near everything else. This weekend was marriage. No houseguests. No obligations to anyone but each other. No worries but where to put the new spice rack. In the wake of tragedy last week and a month of chaotic plans ahead of us, this weekend was truly wedded bliss. God blesses us daily with many gifts...and stuff from Target.

8 comments:

Medea Zorba said...

Excellent post, my dear. Sounds idyllic. And also, 600 THREAD COUNT FOR $18.88?! Target, here I come...

AK said...

That sounds lovely. But, did you also get the call from Target making sure no one stole your card? It's inevitable for us when we get one of those 10% off cards and go on a spending spree. :)

Molly said...

Oh, you silly silly girl. I think the bath was what made this the happiest... though matching silverware is kind of nice. :)

Anonymous said...

It makes me so happy to read this. May your marriage always be that full of happiness. ~Les

Anonymous said...

I loved the line: "This weekend was marriage." Because really, it's true. I couldn't be happier for you!- Heather

Anonymous said...

Hey, I'm a graduate student who needs pots and pans for his fourth apartment! Does that count?

Nice trip to Target, it was kinda like mine to Wally World the last two days to get everything I need to live! Take care.

- Dave

Angie said...

Sometimes we feel the same way about Menards, but without the discount coupons!

EWH said...

Oh, we do Menards all the time, too. We're remodeling our basement, and when we did the bathroom last winter, we bought everything in one big Menards trip. Literally everything: tub, vanity, toilet, sink, cabinet, and all the fixtures. Mucho money. But really, really fun!