Albuquerque, NM 2012 6/9 - 6/12

I used to live in Albuquerque, NM.  Originally I am from Virginia, but I did spend nearly 7 very influential years in New Mexico and the desert.  What brought me there?  A long and old story, but easily, love.  I was accepted into an entirely new family and way of things.  I don't think that I could live there again, but I certainly took a lot from there and it shaped me for the better I think.

We left in 2007, and found ourselves back suddenly in July of 2010 for two weeks for one of the worst experiences that I have had to go through.  That was the last time I was there.

So I can honestly say that when Jem told me we were going to ABQ and Las Vegas for my birthday, I was nervous.  I wanted to go back, but I wanted to be able to be at peace and not think for the whole trip to ABQ about the accident and what we all went through the last time we were there.  Jem left a few days before me to go to the ABQ ComicExpo, and to spend time with family from out of town.  I got there on the 9th, and things just sort of fell back into place.  Sure, the thoughts were there but they weren't overbearing.  Jem and I were able to go off on our own, visit old haunts, see old friends, and spend time together there like we used to.

[From Charlottesville, Va to Charlotte,Nc]

[From Charlotte, Nc to Denver, Co]

[First things first : eat at the frontier]

[We went "sight seeing" and found sets from Breaking Bad.  Walt's house.  It was so crazy to see how close this was in relation to where we used to live.  A lot of the third/fourth season was filmed near our old hood.   I used to drive by the same Octopus car wash at Hoffmantown every day from work]

[San Felipe De Neri built in 1793.  One of my favourite places]

[In the courtyard of San Felipe De Neri]

[Inside]

[Highly edited photo of me from Jem's iPhone at San Felipe De Neri]

Just up from the San Felipe De Neri is one of my favourite stores in all of ABQ.  Hispane.  Full to the brim of folkart/masks/dia de los muertos.  <3!

[These were here before we moved.  I made a point to go and say goodbye to them.  So happy to have seen them again.  I wanted to bring one home, but they got way more expensive and I was afraid they wouldn't travel well.]

[<3]

It was so amazing to visit old haunts and to have people remember us.  I was surprised by this, but it also made me so happy.  With all the conversations and hugs, it was almost like we hadn't been away almost 5 years.

my style: black on black

[7.16.2012]

This was taken today in what will be our art room.  I have a feeling I'm going to love having a solid black wall for photos!

Also I am very much looking forward to having my hair cut next week.  I think I'm tired of trying to let it grow out, unless I can find a cut that keeps length and allows it to be messy messy.

our home

I realized the other day that I had somehow accidentally deleted my post about the move and into our new home!  Ooops!  While I thought about it and got annoyed, I realized that the photos I had shared for it weren't as good as they could have been.  Throughout the entire process, I tried to take as many photos as I could while I was here when changes were happening.  Jem was doing so much, and he even made time between big changes to take a photo of the before, which I'm so glad that he did!

Basically we started looking to move in January.  Not even sure we'd find anything, or where.  Charlottesville is where we spend a lot of time as it is, even when we lived in New Mexico.  When we would come back to the valley to visit, we would always come over to Charlottesville.  When we moved back to Virginia in 2007, we formed an entire second family.

So we got lucky!  By January 25th we were signing papers to put in an offer.  It went through, but would not close until the end of March.  The official closing date ended up being March 29 and then the whirlwind began!  Jem quit his job, and spent all April working on our home.  We had been making a lot of decisions before we ever moved in, and I'm glad that we did.  I can only imagine how far behind we'd probably be still.  A week before our move date, my great grandmother passed away unexpectedly.  This put a serious dent in our progress, but we knew what we had to focus on.  All I can say is that my little sister, Meg, who had flown in from California was a huge help to us.  

After that it took a bit to get back into the swing, but when you have a deadline with a crappy apartment complex, you go!

Thankfully we were able to say goodbye and good riddance to Harrisonburg, and hello to Charlottesville !  I'm so happy to say that now we live in an area where we don't feel stagnant, there are things to do, good places to eat, and amazing friends.

Sometimes I hold back because I don't want to jinx it, but I'm happy!

[The kitchen before and after. The z-brick back splash managed to work a space into our hearts long enough to give it a try.  We dig it!]

[Pretty much the same view from the front window in our living room.  Cosette is much happier now also]

[The living room looking toward the front window]

[The downstairs bathroom before and after taken with Jem's Iphone]

[The upstairs bathroom before and after taken with Jem's Iphone]

The bathrooms are where I missed a lot.  The upstairs was last to be finished by the time we moved in, so there aren't as many photos.  The upstairs was pretty much fabricated by Jem and a contractor that he found.  We had already moved in when it was being finished, but only details.  I adore our bathroom.

Even though it looks like we're done, there is so much more.  We have done an amazing job with the downstairs, and the upstairs is started,  but there is still a lot to do!  As we continue I'll be sure to share.  I think one of our next challenges is getting the art room done, and the black and white stripe wall paper up in the guestroom.