Life After May 12th

In exactly one month from today, Luke and I will be married. I'll walk down this aisle, clutching onto my father's arm, fearful that a high heel might catch on a broken piece of brick. We'll say "I do" in front of the family and friends we love most after vowing to honor and cherish each other, for better or worse, in sickness and in health, for as long as we both shall live. There will be first dances and banana cake and beef fajitas and a bouquet toss with my actual bouquet. What a wonderful day it will be.

Even more exhilerating, though, is everything to follow. I've been thinking about it a lot more lately, probably because evidence of our new life is tucked into every nook and cranny of this apartment, in the form of flatware and bedding and camping gear and Good Housekeeping cookbooks. As Luke participates in his second job interview in two weeks, so are we also etching out our path.

The first hurdle: apartment hunting. Space that was luxurious for one person has translated into "cozy" for two, especially when one of those persons has nowhere to stash her Sweet Valley High collection and is therefore resigned to housing them in a Tupperware bin partially blocking the doorway, much to the dismay of the other. We know we want to save for a year or two before purchasing a house (we refuse to pay PMI insurance. Refuse!), but we don't want to wait that long for babies, so the space that is cozy for two would likely be unbearable for three, even if the little bugger spends its first two months of life alternating between Mommy and Daddy's dresser drawers for naps.

Last year I signed a thirteen-month lease to take advantage of my complex's "first month free" offer. Upon our return from Niagara Falls, we'll start pouring through apartment guides and Web sites to determine new housing candidates and settle on a winner by June 30.

I can't explain why this simple course of action is so exciting to me. It's not like I've never looked for an apartment before. In the last three years, I've moved three times. I lived in a house for the first time in my life and scored my first roommate (not to be confused with scoring with my roommate). I tackled the personal milestone of living alone, and then again with someone else, someone with whom you're allowed to apply "score" in the proper sense. Nothing about this process will be new, except the paperwork bearing my signature will feature Luke's last name instead of my own, a last name with no double As, no apostrophe, no chance of a mispronounciation like "Maytag."

We'll have other decisions to make, too, once we've re-established DINK status, like when to replace Luke's '91 Chevy Lumina, which can't be trusted outside city limits. Should we even have two cars? Would it be more practical to get by on the Cobalt instead? Speaking of the Cobalt, should we pay it off before starting a house fund? What kind of house do we want in the first place? Will I stay at my current job or pursue my not-so-newfangled notion of becoming a teacher? If I do, how will that affect my desire to stay at home with our kids?

There are no answers to these questions, but for once I'm not scared of them. Instead, I can barely sit still. We'll finally start living the dream we chose for ourselves the minute Luke gave his notice at the Rensselaer Republican last fall. We'll be together in every way that counts, planning for a future with no road blocks, no exit ramps, no tolls. The possibilities are endless.

We couldn't have asked for a more appropriate wedding gift.

Comments

[Lost a Sock]

How very exciting for you guys. I love reading entries like this. You guys deserve all the best. We can't wait to watch you walk down the aisle. :0)

Also, I tried to comment last night about your dumpster fiasco, which had me laughing. my. ass. off. (with you, not at you, of course - HA!) but blogger had its panties in a bunch, so I couldn't. You are a stitch!

[butterflygirl]

Thanks for the clarification of "scored".

[Isabel]

Love the wedding local. LOVE it. I am super duper JEALOUS and so excited for you guys. I really am.

I know you didn't really want us to respond to your questions. But I WILL tell you what has worked for us:

We own one car. And only once since we got married and sold Ken's car. We are able to save so much money. It sucks having one car. But saving money is awesome.

We live in a one bedroom apartment (while we build our home) and will have a baby there also. I figure it's all temporary, so I can do it. For a little bit. (But I will bitch about it!)

My Mom always said that being a school teacher was the BEST job for a Mom. Because even if you to work outside the home, you have the exact same time off that your kids do. My Dad is a teacher and was always home with us. You know, after school, holidays, and summers. It was good!

I had a hard time taking The King's last name. But only 'cause I liked mine so much. But if you like the new better, than it's awesome.

And good luck to Luke and the job hunt. Fun stuff.

And good luck with the apartment hunt. Also fun!

[Frema]

You know, I used to hate my last name, but now I love it. I like the apostrophe and double As (although I could do without the Maytag stuff). I guess that didn't come across very well. I'll be really sad to lose it, but I don't think I'm "feminist" enough to keep it, as I like the idea of our family members all having the same last name, and it would totally suck to write out Ma'Ayteh-Dunscombe on credit-card slips, so there you go.

[The older Mrs. Dunscombe]

Fantastic you and Luke are getting married one month from today.

There are various ways that Dunscombe can be mispronounced. The most common seems to be Dunscum, which is better than Dumbscum. Telemarketers seem to have their version that is usually something like Duns calm bee sometimes with a short u and others use the long version of u.

[Liz]

Yay! I love that you're having an outdoor wedding. Will hope for lots of beautiful sun that day.

[Liz]

And may you never be called Ms. Dumbscum.

[Technical Maven]

Frema! Read Amalah's blog! She tagged you!

[Frema]

Technical Maven: OH MY GOD I KNOW! It's like I was selected for the Internet cheerleading squad!

In the comments section of that entry, I said, "I think I just wet myself." Probably not the best way to secure an online friendship.

[Anonymous]

the former Miss Dunscombe says......I remember being called Dunstone....Dumstum and even an occasional Dumbutt.........ahhhhhhh those were the days......

Aunt Ruthie

[Sambo V.]

How exciting! I know the feeling of anticipating the big day and the many decisions that will effect you afterward. I'm so happy for you both and I know that everything will be fabulous. ;)