Pack, unpack, repack.

If my life had a rhythm right now, it would be this: pack, unpack, repack. There’s also some laundry and driving, driving, driving in there, but the major theme is packing. My Vera Bradley large duffel has taken permanent residence on my bedroom floor, and my clothes basically rotate from my duffel to my washing machine and right back into the duffel. In a lot of ways, this travel is a good thing. It means I’m seeing friends and family, celebrating weddings and eating a lot of drive-thru. I’m making the most of Saturdays and Sundays and listening to a lot of audiobooks while driving in the night. Most of the time, I don’t mind this, but after countless weeks behind the wheel, I’m getting a little tired.

The good news is, there is an end in sight. M and I are scheduled to close on our own little townhouse north of Pittsburgh in mid-November! Part of me literally can’t believe it. Just a few months ago I was wondering how our lives were going to bring us back together. And in that short time, I’ve gotten a new job, bought a new house and am so anxiously awaiting feeling the jingling of the keys in my hand. But until then it’s pack, unpack, repack.

Last weekend we celebrated the wedding of one of my closest friend’s sister. It was just gorgeous. Like fairy-tale pretty. Sunflowers and moss and a Cinderella dress…it was the kind of wedding that makes you remember the first time you met the person you love. Even sweeter, two of my beautiful friends that now live out of town made the trek to Pittsburgh, and it was so lovely to see them. Plus, I spent the weekend with one of my oldest and dearest friends, and her and her boyfriend just make me so happy. Plus they have the cutest, most well-behaved little puppy that I thought about stealing.

This week is more of the same. I’m heading to Pittsburgh tomorrow morning for my first “real” days in my new job (even though I technically started Monday). M is heading out of town for a camping trip this weekend, but I’ll get to spend time with him during the week, which is unusual and fantastic. Our home inspection is on Saturday, so please keep your fingers crossed for few problems and no termites! Otherwise, I’ll be seeing friends for a bachelorette party and spending time with my “little sister!”

I’m aiming for more frequent posts soon…I know I’ve been a bit delinquent. Blame it on all the travel.

Until then, here’s to packing, unpacking and repacking,

Lia

Updates.

Oh it’s beginning to feel like fall. I’m not sure if it’s because this afternoon was a beautifully cool 68 degrees when I left Philadelphia or if it’s because the Steelers are opening the season on Sunday Night Football or because this morning I ordered a new pair of boots, the first autumn wardrobe purchase of the season. Any way you look at it, it’s good to me. The end of summer has been so busy as you’ve seen from recent posts. We celebrated my Grammy’s 80^th Birthday, my college roommate got married, we cheered on Penn State in their season opener, I started looking for houses in Pittsburgh, and I just spent a lovely weekend in Philly with my cousin shopping for wedding dresses.

As wonderful as it’s been to share so much time with the most important people in my life, I’m anxiously awaiting a quieter time when I finally move back to Pittsburgh. I can’t wait to be snuggling up on a sectional with M watching movies all Sunday and not have to worry about driving four hours back to DC. I want to buy groceries in more than three day increments. I want to keep my suitcases in the back of a closet and not need to fill them up every Thursday night. Even though I know this season of “go-go-go” is going to continue through at least mid-November, I simply can’t wait to chill out over the holidays and in the beginning of 2013. Finally feeling at home will be such a blessing.

Now I’m using the term “home” loosely. Originally, I thought I would have no problem finding a house for M and I to move into in Pittsburgh by November. But even after just a little house hunting, it seems like that might be overly optimistic. It is an absolutely exhausting process. And it’s become a little bit of an addiction. No home is perfect, and being anywhere in Pittsburgh will be better than being in DC, but it’s so tough to find that perfect combination of location, design, functionality and space. M and I are heading out with my real estate agent father this weekend to see a new round of homes, and I’m hoping we leave this a little more hopeful than last time. Even in the worst case scenario, I move home to my parents house in November and continue looking for our first home. It’s a big expense, and we definitely want to make a good decision, but I’m just so ready for us to have a little home together that I just can’t wait! Patience, patience. We’ve made it nearly two years apart, and it makes my heart incredibly happy to know that the end is absolutely in sight.

So for this week, just a little list of things I’m looking forward to:

1. Volunteering tomorrow at a food bank in DC as part of my employer’s commitment to the United Way. Also, did I mention that I’m the co-chair of our fundraising campaign this year??
2. Cooking. I bought a cookbook called “In the Small Kitchen” last week from the authors of the blog “Big Girls, Small Kitchen.” I’ve been rifling through it before bed, and I can’t wait to try a new recipe this week. I’ll keep you posted.
3. Supporting one of my best friends from college in the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s fundraiser this weekend! M is running and I’m volunteering, and it seems like it’s going to be such a fun day!
4. My new obsession, Friday Night Lights. Where have I been for the past six years? I don’t think I’ve made it through a single episode yet without crying.
5. And obviously, the Glee season premiere! And though this isn’t the TV show that I’m looking forward to the most, it’s certainly a fun way to kick of premiere season!

To kicking off fall,

Lee