HOME

I grew up with the fantastically romantic idea of getting married and being dirt poor. It just sounded so great to me. Sure, money's nice. . . but living paycheck-to-paycheck on nothing but refried beans; coming home to a minuscule hole-in-the-wall apartment -- you know the kind: bed in the living room, no couch, card table and two folding chairs crammed into the teensy kitchen, no room for guests; packing our lunches in brown paper bags, and stressing about money with my cute new husband (who, at the time of these thoughts, was unknown to me) sounded like the most romantic thing of all time.

Weird, maybe, but true.

We got engaged and Michael told me the best news ever: we already had a place to live! Thanks to Grandma & Grandpa Watkins, there was a little duplex in west Provo with our name on it. We were ecstatic to get the keys.

I love our duplex. Seriously, love. We live in a great location -- with the river right there, and all the trees, and the park at the end of the street. We have three bedrooms that we don't even need but I love having places to put stuff. We have a big family room and a big kitchen and a cute little back deck and a laundry room and a ginormous bathroom. I mean, for a family of two, we're completely spoiled. I feel like we're living in absolute luxury.

But.

WE HAVE NO A/C.

We obviously want to solve the problem ASAP. So one day while I was in the library, Michael drove to Bed Bath & Beyond. He searched high and low for a fan that blows cold air. He consulted me on the phone, I googled it, it looked good. He bought it. Brought it home. And guess what?

IT WAS A HEATER.

When he called to tell me, I couldn't help but laugh. I wasn't even frustrated. It would be just our luck to buy something that's exactly the opposite of what we really want.

So, I'll enjoy our hot house a bit longer. You know what, I won't even complain. We're getting used to sitting on the couch with wet rags draped over our legs and around our necks and taking icy cold showers right before bed.

I think it's something we'll look back on later with fondness.

Even if that's hard for me to believe right now.

I realized that home isn't a place as much as it is a feeling. Home really is where your husband is. And your family.

And I love our little home.