shopping for grown-ups

Owning a house is something that adults do. I feel really grown up sometimes just because of that fact, but then I am reminded that I am fairly mediocre at other adult-like things. First of all, this has meant that my shopping habits have changed quite a bit. For one, I enjoy coming home with groceries more, because there is more room to put them and prepare them and eat them. That's a fun change. I also like to take trips to places like Lowes and the Home Depot. Not that I haven't always enjoyed a good trip to the hardware store (I have many fond memories of going to Builder's Square with my dad, where they never have what you need, and the fun cart rides that accompanied the trip). However, it's only recently that I've become excited to go look at new things like faucets. We recently bought a new dishwasher, which was a bit overwhelming, but now we have bought our first major appliance, so I think I've reached some landmark point in adulthood. Sure, I had my dad install it for me, but it was a pretty adult purchase - we should get some kind of ribbon or something. It's a rite of passage, like your first tooth, starting school, your confirmation, high school graduation, going to college, your first kiss, getting married etc. (yes, you read those in the right order). It's like the first time you can get into an R rated movie for real, with no fear of them coming to check my ticket or the first time you can drive a car alone with no one in the car. Secondly, this adult thing means that weekend free-time should be more successfully spent in the house or yard. It doesn't mean it is, but it means I think about it when other neighbors are out cleaning up their leaves and things. It means that the projects at least get added to the "what to do today" list. We have slowly moved in and accomplished a lot, though we still need to add some more bookshelves, put things up on the wall, clean the basement, paint a few more things and do some other basic things that should have already bee doing a long time ago. Some people move in and get everything immediately set. We tend to get about 50% of the way and stay there for awhile. When we finally get annoyed at not being "moved in," we are usually motivated enough to make it about 75% and wait for our next motivation (usually that involves parents coming into town and helping out). Some weekend soon we'll have the free time (and use it) to finish some more projects! All that said, I am excited and blessed that we have a house, a cute one, that we are comfortable in and love to come home to.