Little Sloth: A love letter to our first apartment

Photos above are from July 2013 when we first moved into our apartment.

Our first apartment has been so good to us. This is the first place that we lived as a married couple. We moved in July 13, 2013, 8 days after we got married. After I drove across the country to move from Washington State to North Carolina where Clark was stationed in the Army. I wanted to write a little ode or love letter to our first apartment since we will be moving in July 2016 (in just a few short days) and this place has been really wonderful and seen so many memories so here we go.

Dear Apartment on Duncastle,

Awwww first apartment you have been good to the Wengels for the last 3 years. You saw our first fights as a married couple. You saw us bring home the cutest little baby puppy that has grow into the best dog any person could ask for. You saw countless late night ice cream runs. You saw moving couches and rearranging the furniture when I got tired of the same layout. You stayed standing tall through numerous tornado and flash flooding warnings. You have witnessed so many Netflix marathons: The Office (about 12 times), Bobs Burgers, Breaking Bad, Orange is the New Black, Parks & Rec, Friday Night Lights, The Walking Dead, Big Love, Friends, etc.

You have always been ready and accepted us back with open arms after we have been away on vacation or just gone for a long weekend. You have the best and biggest windows in the sunroom. They let in so much light and are one of the favorite things about the whole place. Your carpet is the perfect color to hide the dog hair that is probably all over the ground. You are very forgiving to our dog and we appreciate that.

We have loved you even when the AC has broken down in the summer. I am sorry that I haven’t cleaned out the oven more often but at least we know the fire alarm works. (Whenever we broil beef in the oven it gets so smokey.) You have taken every nail in the wall for picture hanging with emence grace. You have been the perfect amount of space for 2 people and a dog. You have seen Clark’s reenlistment in the army. Us learning that we are moving to Italy this summer.

You have seen me make my first turkey ever by myself for our first Thanksgiving! You have seen us celebrating our first Christmas together. You have seen three real Christmas trees and one of the tipping over and leave needles all over the carpet. You have seen 4 Halloween costumes and but only 3 Halloweens haha. You have been there through our first sicknesses as a married couple. Cleaning up throw up never seemed so sexy (haha not.) You have been when I changed from the iPhone 4 to the iPhone 6 and when Clark changed from the Android to the iPhone 6 we are now officially an iPhone family.

You have been the best host apartment for 2 Seahawks Super Bowls one win and one lost. Maybe us living in NC is good luck for the Seahawks or maybe they are just a good team haha. You had the perfect amount of space for me to run my business, Little Sloth, full time and for Clark to play his video games part time haha. You have a abundance of closet places (we will probably never be as lucky).

I wish your fridge was bigger and the bathtub was bigger. I wish there was a designated dining area and I wish the counter was a little shorter so that we could have bar stools. I wish the cabinets had knobs and the vents didn’t get so dusty so quickly. I wish there was a window and window sill in the kitchen that I could put plates on. But mostly I wish you the best in the future and a loving family for your next tenants.

You have been home for us, a truly wonderful and happy home. A comfortable safe place that we got to call our own for 3 years while we were here in Fayetteville. Whenever I get back to town after a long weekend I am always glad to see the familarity of Fayetteville and to put away my GPS because I know the streets and don't need directions. I also know that you will be waiting patiently for us to return and have yourself all done up so Knox can jump up on the couch and fall asleep instantly. Because you make everything feel so safe and so much like home. Because that is what you are. You are our home. Not for long though and that's okay. Because I knew this was always going to be a temporary place. A stepping stone in time. But a magical handmade stepping stone that held up through all there stomping and playing. And you made a great first stepping stone on our paths into marriage and official adulthood. I am so glad we lived here all three years while in Fayetteville. Now whenever I think of Fayetteville, North Carolina I will think of you and all the memories we made in such a wonderful place and that is something I am already so happy about.

Thanks for being you and for accepting us with open arms. You will always be our first home together. You will always have a place in my heart. And that is definitely something to write home about.
love, Carlee