Our Place (The "Before" Shots)

As of yesterday we have officially been Carolinians for one week, but it feels like an age since Gracie and I got on the plane to come out here. I've never been very good at change--even good change--so I'm afraid I've been a little bit of an emotional tornado; first happy, then sad, nervouse, lonely, excited, contend--and I'm not the one who's starting med school.

But as the boxes are slowly dissipating and our tired brains become more familiar with the insanity that is the road system out east, Winston-Salem is beginning to feel like home. I don't think I have ever met a friendlier state full of people. Yesterday I went to get a haircut and forgot cash, and they let me walk out the door, down the street, to an ATM and back (trusting that I would return and pay them!) without hassling me or giving me a "you-are-a-total-moron" look.

Our place still isn't settled enough for me to show you around properly, but I have some photos from last week, before our furniture and boxes showed up. I also have a super short video for those of you who prefer a personal tour (see the bottom of this post).

This is the view from the front door. To my right is the door to Gracie's room (you can't see it in this pic), and just ahead of me in the pic are double doors for a washer/dryer. We're looking into the living room, kitchen is the doorway off to the left, with the sunroom beyond.

Here's the kitchen. Yes, it is wallpapered--it came that way--but luckily its not too bad. While I wouldn't choose it on my own, I don't mind it. It's actually kind of cheery, yellow with some little blue dotted pattern.

This is a view of the living room from the kitchen, with a door opening into the sunroom (we're using it as an office/music room). The living room is a comfortable size and fits our massive couch. I just love it. There is a ceiling fan above which keeps a nice breeze going, we just leave it on all the time. We have AC, too, which we run a few times a day to cool down the house.

And a view of the kitchen (and Gracie) from the living room. Check out that fruit-basket wallpaper border--sweet, right? ;) You can also see the doorway to Gracie's room on the left, now. Its the one furthest down the hallway--you can't see the door. There is also a coat closet there.

And this is Miss Gracie's room. She has her own bathroom, lucky girl! Our room is about the same, but a little bigger.