Houston, we have an apartment.

I'm happy to report that our couch surfing expedition is coming to a close this Tuesday when we move into our new apartment!

After an excruciating week waiting to hear something back from the owner, we finally entered rent negotiations yesterday and came to an agreement by 10 p.m. Let me tell you, we were playing an intense game of hardball with this guy, which is hard to do when you really want to start the relationship on a good foot. After it was all said and done, we both met exactly halfway from where we had started. Even though we would've preferred to settle at a lower number, it was fun crunching numbers (I'm a nerd) and trying to figure out what cards we had to play. I used to hate negotiating, but ever since I realized you can talk people down/up from just about anything, it's really added some entertainment to my life (even when I fail).

SO, about the new place. I'll post pictures once we get settled, but in the meantime....it's the first floor of an old house (circa 1900) in Lincoln Square, so it's full of character: it has an original piece of stained glass in the front window, a wood-burning fireplace, a transom window, hardwood floors, and original molding. Woo hoo! It has 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a big living room, dining room, green kitchen (yesssss), front porch, enclosed back porch, and big deck off the back. It's super close to the train line (which is also a downfall, soundwise) and is within walking/biking distance to coffee shops, bars, restaurants, etc. This is a different area from the one Brian's been living in for the past 8 years, so it will be an adjustment for him, but we hope a good one!

We have a few more days of sleeping in other people's beds before undergoing Hell Day on Tuesday, which includes (but is not limited to): hiring movers to go out to a distribution center where our pods are being stored, unloading them into the moving truck, going to Brian's storage unit, unloading that into the moving truck, then going to our apartment and unloading everything there. Weeeeeee!

However, Hell Day will be followed by Heaven Day, when we'll finally start unpacking and getting settled! I can't wait!