Apartment 404

Last week they refinished the parking lots in our apartment complex. It was a pretty annoying project because it involved moving our cars several times, rain delays, and an extra long hike to the Pilot. But when I came home from Erica and Jon's lovely new house, it looked like this:


It was so peaceful. This is the view from my apartment looking across at Lindsay's building. I have lived here for just under 3 years, a very long time for a first apartment after college. Lots of good memories here, a few with Kenneth, but mostly with Erica. We cooked, watched a lot of TV, planned and hosted parties, Bible studies, and talked constantly about love, friendship and teaching adventures.

This quiet picture made me think of the day Erica got engaged. It was a really snowy day in early December, and Erica and I rented a movie to relax. I knew that Jon was going to propose, and I was super impatient. We watched Stardust, which is excellent, and were thankful we were out of the snowy mess outside. Belle lived with us then, and I remember curling up with her on the little square of carpet left next to Erica's huge coffee table. Jon was text messaging me as the weather affected his plans, and I made excuses to go in the room next door to talk with him on the phone.

Finally, he came to pick her up, and I settled in to wait. I knew they were headed to dinner and a proposal at the Nelson, and I impatiently fiddled about in the apartment, stuck inside because of the snow. I worked on Erica's Christmas present, a scrapbook full of all the gifts he had given her during the 12 days of proposal. Finally the phone call came, and I was tremendously excited because they are clearly a match.


I will miss them both immensely. What kind friends! Last night during Book Club, Jon washed my car. They are generous, loving, and both too willing to listen to my crazy stories.