discovering apricity.

Hey guys! I created this blog for a few reasons. One of them is not that I'm bored and have nothing better to do. I am a full-time Spanish teacher who is currently attending grad school, planning a wedding, and renovating a house built in 1920 that we just bought.

However, the fact that I am not doing this because I have nothing to do is also exact reason that I created this blog. Everything has been happening so fast, I realized I needed to document it all and be able share it with friends and family in a quick, easy way. That being said, this blog will be a little bit of everything that I like. Stories and videos that I find interesting and thought-provoking. Wedding ideas, worries, and plans. Probably a few teacher moments, both good and bad. Before and afters on the house renovation. And maybe some project tutorials on projects I'm brave enough to take on. Like I said, a little of everything.

But, why "discovering apricity"? Apricity is not a common word. Mainly because it is almost extinct form today's vocabulary. Apricity is a word people once used to describe the warmth of the sun in the winter. As soon as I heard it, I fell in love with it. As a person who is not a fan of the cold that winter brings, nothing feels better in January than apricity.

It also has a deeper meaning for me. The word apricity reminds me that even in not-so-great times, you can always look forward to the good that is certain to come, and that even if you can't see it or feel it, it is there, just like the sun. Some days I'm better at remembering that than others. This is my journey on how I try to find apricity in my life, no matter what happens. As Jeremiah 29:11 says, '"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."'

I hope you all enjoy reading the blog if and when you have time! Also, please feel free to leave comments if you want or if you have any questions :)

Before I sign off, I want to share with you some of the "before" pictures of the outside of our house. This is our first and most important project and you will definitely see why. It is going to be a HUGE project, but one that I am extremely excited about! It has always been a dream of mine to renovate an old house. And I know some people think I'm a little crazy, even if they don't tell me to my face. Unlike Leo who always lets me know, but in his unique, loving, and supportive way :)) But that's okay! So, here it goes:

Our first home. Sorry for the colors. I was in a hurry and didn't adjust the camera for the light. Had to play around in iPhoto.

So not bad, right? Cute, old house with a huge porch. Yessss. Until you see this...

Side view.

Okay, so plywood over one window that was broken out during its status as a foreclosure. Notice the roof? A little? Let me zoom it in for you.

Yup, that's our roof :) The problem is that instead of taking off the original wood shingles and replacing it with plywood before putting on the asphalt shingles, which is the right way to do it, the new shingles were just nailed down on top on the old wooden ones. This eventually leads to a rotting roof. So we have hired someone to take off both layers of shingles, rebuild the rotten beams, put up plywood, and put on new shingles. This was supposed to happen tomorrow (Monday), but since we are currently getting a quarter inch of ice with snow to follow, it will be at least Tuesday or Wednesday before they can start. Not how we planned it, but when does anything in home renovation ever go as planned? But it will be worth it!

I will be updating the blog daily with new pictures! We will be doing something almost everyday.

-Katie