I'm crossing my fingers

I think I may have found the perfect apartment for Trent and I next year. We are planning on moving from Chicago to Denver around September 1st. Because of my amazing apartment currently, I have been so turned off from most places. Some didn't have the kitchen I liked, others didn't have any walk-in closet, and this is where it gets ridiculous, some didn't have a washer and dryer. OH NO! About a week ago I had resigned myself to the fact that I would not be able to find somewhere as nice as where I live now. Then two days ago, I came across a posting for what sounded like a pretty nice place. I called the girl up last night, and we talked about the apartment and it's surrounding neighborhood for a good 15 minutes. She is going to send me more pictures of the place because the bedroom, den, and master bathroom weren't shown.

Here is what I know about it so far: brand new kitchen appliances including a dishwasher and microwave (which I noticed hardly any apartments had), a den that is large enough to be used as a second bedroom, a master bedroom with his and her walk in closets, a master bedroom with a large soaking tub, and another 1/2 bathroom. The best part is that it is very much within our price range, and we can have two cars there easily. I am so excited, and pending the remaining pictures Trent and I are going to apply to rent there. I really hope I don't jinx myself though because I just can't stop thinking about it.

I am a little worried about a few things though. Money is a huge issue because it is going to cost quite a bit to relocate, pay deposits, etc. Also, it is kind of scary moving to a place, and not really knowing what the neighborhood and surrounding area is like. The girl said it is a very quiet place, and has a gym, grocery store, and most importantly a Starbuck's nearby. I'm sure we'll end up loving wherever we go, but I hope we figure out where that is quickly.

Anyway, keep your fingers crossed for us, and I will post some pictures of it if it goes through.

Perspective

First things first....I love fireworks! I am going to start by giving a brief update on my 4th Festivities. So, my friend Autumn and I spent all of Saturday night grocery shopping, and making all sorts of food (pasta salad, fruit salad, sancwich stuff, guac, cookies, rice krispie treats, etc., etc, etc. Needless to say, we ended up having loads of food. Then on Sunday, we headed down to Lake Michigan around noon to get a good spot for the fireworks that night. We are crazy, but that is the only way to claim a decent place to view the beautiful fireworks. We had such a great day, and it was nice to sit and relax with fun people. Then the next morning, Trent surprised me by coming home from his trip 4 days early. I heard this knocking around 8 AM, and found him on my doorstep. I thought I was dreaming, which could have been possible, or I was just really hung over. Either way, it was a nice surprise, and I am so happy to have him back. He was only gone a week, and a half, but it felt like longer. I mean, we went 9 months, but I can't even handle two weeks now! AAHHH!!

In other news, I have been contemplating a lot of my own perspectives. The reasons behind why I get upset if someone does something that I think is stupid, wrong, rude, etc. I was discussing this issue with my friend Autumn, and she said that I need to read a book called "The 4 Agreements" because one of the agreements discusses that very issue. I have yet to read the book (it's on the way), but I did a little research and the basic overview of this particular belief is as follows:

Don't Take Anything Personally
Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won't be the victim of needless suffering.

I am now going to try and live every day with this idea in mind because what I'm starting to realize is that not everyone believes what I do, or views things the very same way (yes, I am very self-centered and stubborn). I truly want to be able to listen to someone else's opinion with an open mind, and know in the end that whether or not we end up on the same page.....that's OK! Because of social conditioning, the way we were brought up, and other variables each person is truly unique in their own reality. The challenge for me will be to listen to others perceptions, and not feel defensive. Hopefully once I start reading this book, I will better understand the concepts, and be more able to explain this further. For now, I am trying to be cognizant of what my actions say and mean to other people, and TRULY try to understand others' realities.