Can you believe Nathan and Meagan have been married for one year and two months already?
Seems like just yesterday we were looking at photos like this . . .
And this.
But now that they’ve gone from being newlyweds to olderweds, some exciting things have happened.
For the first fourteen months of their marriage, Nathan and Meagan lived with Meagan’s sister, brother-in-law and their two kids. But last Saturday that all changed when they finally got their own apartment! (To read the blog post that Meagan’s mom wrote about the big day, click here.)
I’m sure you can imagine how excited they are about having their very own place and finally getting the chance to unpack all their unused wedding gifts, dishes and decorations.
Here is Meagan’s dad helping out with the moving process.
And here are a few shots of the house so far. (These were taken the first day they moved in so obviously the decorations and pictures aren’t up yet.)
Isn’t this a gorgeous leather couch? Thankfully, Nathan and Meagan are both frugal (like their respective mothers) and bought it used, for an incredible price.
My pretend-guitar playing son. Ain’t he cute?
By the way, this leather recliner has been in our family for thirteen years. We bought two of them when Nathan was about ten years old and when he got married, we bequeathed one of them to him and Meagan. It’s nice that he has gotten to take a piece of his younger life with him into his first married house.
The King of His castle!
And while I’m on the subject of Nathan and Meagan’s move, let me just say that I’m not sure whose idea it was to put so many miles between Winter Haven, FL and Manteo, NC but I really think that the mapmakers of yore should have thought ahead all those years ago and put the two cities side by side. I mean, how hard could that be?
Sigh. Even though I do miss seeing my kids a whole lot, I am so happy they are doing so well and are finally getting the chance to set up housekeeping in their own place.
Which brings to mind a discussion question:
Do you remember YOUR first apartment or house? Is there something in particular (good, bad, funny) that you remember about it?
I’ll start.
When Steve and I got married in 1982, we moved into a two-bedroom, one bathroom apartment in Charlotte. The apartment had a tiny kitchen and huge bugs. It also had a little balcony off the living room (we were on the second floor) and sometimes Steve and I would stand on the balcony and throw the incredibly inedible biscuits I had made into the woods to feed the birds. (Who, if I recall correctly, didn’t like the biscuits any better than we did.)
Good times.
What do YOU remember?
Hey my sister lives in winter haven!
My first place was a two bedroom trailor home in Champagne IL that came with a mangy homeless cat and a thousand fleas! it took at least 6m to kill them, then I moved back to wi!
Peggy, nothing like having some “fringe benefits” with your first home, right? A cat and its accompanying fleas were certainly memorable! But moving back to WI is always a good idea–I love that state.
Are they renting a house or an apartment? Congrats to them! Another milestone! I can’t believe how grown up they are. Mine are still stumbling along and are older than your Nate who is an old married man by now.
How big is the place? An extra room where you can stay when you visit?
Cath, they are renting a 2-bedroom apartment so yes, there is a bedroom for the in-laws when we go to visit. Just can’t wait to see my own son as the man of the house–what a sweet sight!
Don’t get me wrong Becky, this is very exciting news for Meganate but I have to be honest; I thought you were going to announce that you would soon have a new little Smith to love on (yes, I thought you were going to tell us that Meganate were expecting). Now that you’ve picked yourself up off the ground…….a new apartment of their very own is very exciting news. As for my first apartment, it’s not worth talking about. The reason for the move is VERY painful to talk about and therefore, there was nothing special about it; nor any other of my moves. I am very happy for Meganate and can’t wait to see the finished projects. Sorry, Sherri. I don’t mean to cause you to hit the floor along w/ Becky. Much love, Jodi
Jodi, I’m sure when there’s news of a grandchild to share, you will see it on the evening news, and not here on Smithellaneous! 🙂
My first apartment! I was 19 years old and about to start my third year of college. I was working AND attending school full time. It was a cozy studio with a balcony, a long hallway and a nice kitchen, and I was so proud of it. I loved inviting people over to see it. There was a wonderful family bakery around the corner, and I loved being able to drop in for a cookie or a slice of cake. It was also close to a park, and I really enjoyed walking through it on my way to the subway station.
Two of my memories about the studio aren’t so fun: about two weeks after I moved in, I came down with the chicken pox. At 19 chicken pox is not a fun thing, and I remember being too tired to even finish unpacking until I was better. The second year I was there, the boiler broke and the entire building was without heat for the entire month of January. It was a really cold winter, and I remember having to wear a coat, sweaters and gloves and feeling as though I was living in a modern day version of La Boheme. It was definitely a starving artist sort of experience.
Denise, a month without heat in January? Oh my. Good thing you had that bakery around the corner for comfort food! 🙂
Our first apartment was a one bedroom in a quaint apartment complex in south Georgia. Our balcony and kitchen overlooked the pool so I felt like I lived in a resort. We had 4 rooms total with the living and dining room being one, a small kitchen and our bedroom and bathroom. Thinking back, I can’t imagine how we stood that tiny little apartment. Thanks for taking me back. Sweet memories from 22 years ago.
Lisa, sometimes those small, first apartments carry the sweetest memories, don’t they? And to have a pool underneath your balcony–how cool was that?
I forgot to mention that was almost 46 years ago and also have a daughter.
Our first home was on the second floor of a duplex – all knotty pine. It had one bedroom – no door, and drawers built into the closet with doors on it. When our son was born, my mother came to stay with us (she graciously sleep on the borrowed couch) and one day walked passed
the bedroom unbeknownst to my husband who didn’t have much on – he jumped towards the drawers with the doors open to cover himself. I had to make sure mom didn’t walk that way again until he got dressed. Mom passed away last year, but I still chuckle about that every once in a while
Sharyn, I never heard of someone covering himself up with open dresser drawers but I guess whatever works,right? You did well to remember all that 46 years later!
We still live in our 1st house. Built it “from scratch” when we got engaaged and throughout the 1st year of marriage. My father in law worked in construction and we builst the whole thing ourselves. The only thing we didnt do was dig the hole for the basement. 26 yrs and 3 daughters later we still live here!
Michele, I can’t even imagine living in the same place for 26 years, especially a place that you built yourselves. Can only imagine all the memories in the walls.
Do I remember my first apartment! It was on the 10th floor of an eleven story building. I had great views of the college campus across the street. I had a window a/c unit. Heat was paid for. I jut paid for electricity, cable, dialup internet, and phone besides rent. That was 20 years ago!
Kristi, you had dial up 20 years ago? You must have been on the cutting edge of technology to even have Internet at all. I’m impressed!
Haha! I haven’t been following this blog for two long so this is the first I’ve heard of “Meganate,” but the that name combination put a huge smile on my face.
Freewayhome, always glad when a word (or two) on this blog puts a smile (or two) on someone’s face!
i wrote a long comment on my first ap’t, but “you” said ‘invalid security code”…. and erased my comments. ugh
Mrs. Pam, oh I am so you sorry I “invalidated your security code.” (Whatever that means.) I just know how frustrating it is to write a long comment and not having it go through. Looking forward to reading your story if you have time to write it again!
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Glad the oldyweds (so to speak) have their own place. So much fun to get that all set up and comfy.
My first apartment was small, next to a woods, had bugs, a tiny kitchen where many inedible meals were cooked. We planted tomato plants outside behind our apartment. There wasn’t an access to the outside from our apartment so we would climb through the window (we were on the first floor!) to water the plants and pick the 4 or 5 tomatoes that those plants produced. The first home I was happy to move into and felt like home immediately is where I live now. If it had a fireplace and a 1/2 bath on the second floor, it would be close to paradise – if it was on the shore, it would be paradise.
Mary H. a window climbing tomato picker! Sounds like a fun way to start out your life. And I’m glad I was not the only inedible meal cooker.
Our first place as newlyweds back in 1979 was a rented duplex in a quiet, old little historic district in Selma, Alabama. We moved to a little house a couple of miles away when our first was born (also a Nathan!) and then when Nathan and Gretchen were toddlers we moved (would you believe it?) right back to that same street we started out on in the historic district! We bought a 100 year old dilapidated house at the opposite end of that 3 block long street and there we lived 17 years and raised our family! We finally moved away from Selma in summer of 2001 when our youngest 2 of the 5 were 8 and 4 yrs old.
So happy for the newlyweds FINALLY getting to unpack all their pretties and settle into their own little home! It’s going to be lots of fun for them!
Lynn, oh I love historic districts and historic houses. I bet you had fun fixing up the one you bought that was dilapidated. Thanks for rejoicing with the newlyweds; they’re so excited!
Our first place was a two bedroom, one-and-a-half bathroom townhouse in a complex across the street from a cow pasture. It had a tiny porch on the back where I used to sit and get some sun in the hours between work and school. Aside from some occasional hearing of the neighbors through the walls, and dealing with people’s guests stealing our allotted parking spots, it was a nice place. That is, it was nice until one morning we were woken up at 5am by the police, only to find out that someone had broken into our next-door-neighbor’s place and committed a couple of homicides. We moved out at the end of that month into a much, much nicer place.
Dina, yikes! A double homicide next door would be pretty scary. But being across from a cow pasture, it sounds like it would be a peaceful place. Glad you were able to move to a nicer spot.
Our first apartment (19 years ago Oct. 9th) was billed as “The first apartment complex ever built in Columbia, SC in 1929). It had quite the charm and was VERY tiny. Our den area could only hold a love seat, chair and TV cabinet. It had a window unit in the main part and you had to turn on a fan that was located on the dining room wall to pull air into the “master beadroom”. It had a second bedroom, but all that would fit in it was a bed and night stand. The kitchen was smaller than most bathrooms and had an apartment size oven. The first Thanksgiving that we were there I could only cook an 8 lb. turkey because that is all that would fit! Everything else had to be done stovetop. It didn’t have a dishwasher and to this day, I still forget to put things in mine and tend to wash by hand. We loved that place and all it’s charm!!!!
Elizabeth, I think it’s funny that 19 years later, you still forget you have a dishwasher and wash things by hand. Isn’t it amazing how those small, non-fancy places we start out in have so many fond memories for us now? I’m sure you enjoy baking turkeys larger than 8 pounds now!
Our first place was a two bedroom, two bathroom apartment. It was great for us. The windows all had ledges on the inside which were perfect for plants to sit on. Also perfect for our cats to sit on and watch the world go by. When we moved to our house, both cats had unfortunate experiences the first time the went to look out the windows. They jumped up expecting to land on ledges, but the house didn’t have any. Instead, they smacked face first Into the window and slid ungracefully to the ground. I probably shoud not have laughed, but it really was funny.
Beth, I hate to say it but I would have laughed too. Cats excel at getting indignant looks on their faces and I can only imagine what they looked like after smacking their faces and doing ungraceful sliding. Thanks for the smile!
Our first place was a small house in the country. It had baseboard heat and after the first power bill we used a kerosun heater! Plus it had HUGH spiders too!
Sandra, huge spiders? NOT a good thing. And I can only imagine how unevenly a kerosun heater would warm the place. I’m sure you were happy to move on to some place with better heat and smaller bugs!
My first place is where I live now. After I got married we moved into my mother in laws house and we lived there for six months. When I had a job we bought our house now with a down payment from my mother in law. It’s kinda small but it’s ours and we are happy.
Jennifer, what a sweet story! I loved your ending line, “It’s kind small but it’s ours and we are happy.”
Good for YOU!
So glad to hear that Nathan and Meagan are finally on their own! Living with someone else, no matter how much you love them, is a tough way to start a marriage. I wish them much happiness!
As to our first apartment, my husband was in grad school, so we took the job of caretakers for a small apartment building. Very tight living space with most “interesting” tenants! Thankfully, we didn’t have to live there very long.
MNMom, I can only imagine how caretaking for a small apartment building would provide some “interesting” people and experiences to deal with. I’m sure you can look back at some of them and find them pretty funny in retrospect.
Our first place was a mobile home. A rather smallish one too. The price was right though and was a great way to start. However, when the winter winds would blow, they would blow down the furnace vent and occasionally blow out the pilot light on the furnace. Hence, no heat. That first winter, we went to Colorado to go skiing, and a winter storm came along with sub-zero temps and very strong winds. It obviously blew out the pilot light because when we returned a week later, it was -20 degrees outside and almost as cold INSIDE our place. The plants were frozen and the water in the toilet was frozen. Hubby lit the furnace, turned it to 90-something (as high as it would go) and we went to bed with our clothes, coats and boots on. We had to change spots every now and then because the cold was coming up through the mattress. Good grief it was soooooo cold!!!! Now we laugh about it but it sure wasn’t funny at the time!
LeeAnne, I am shivering just READING your story. The thought of a house that was below zero on the INSIDE just makes me, well, shudder! I guess it gave you plenty of reasons to snuggle with your hubby though, so that was a good thing. I’m sure when the heat kicked back in you felt like you were in a corner of heaven!
My first place was a mobile home. It was great for starting out. It had 3 bedrooms, 2 full bathrooms, laundry room right outside of the master bedroom and a spacious living room. The only bad thing about that place was the raccoons and foxes would crawl underneath the home or get into the trash. Thank goodness my boyfriend at the time, knew how to use a pellet gun and a shotgun. I miss that place sometimes 🙂
Michelle, isn’t it funny how we miss those old places in our lives, despite the raccoons and the foxes? 🙂 Three bedrooms and two full baths was a great way to start out; I know you enjoyed all that wonderful space!