Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Thanks, Gary and Lennis!


Josh's mom and dad so generously offered to buy us a new couch! We picked out this one, a sort of leather "club" style couch. Josh is a huge fan of the sturdyness and smoothness, two qualities that every couch ought to possess, but that our former couch rather lacked. Here is how we got our old couch:

It was the winter of 2002, during that first year we were married. I had picked up mono somewhere, and was rather out of commission all the time. I mostly slept all day on the little love seat we had in the living room. After a couple weeks, my sister Anna and friend Misty came to visit us, to fill the freezer with food and clean our house. I felt well enough to go out to eat, but on the way home, I was drooping like a sunflower with a heavy head. I vaguely recall Josh pulling over and everyone getting out to look at the furniture heaped by the side of the road (do they do that where you live? In Wisconsin, you just put ALL your stuff by the road if you don't want it). The next thing I remember is driving home with a huge chair in our trunk. After that, I was out like a light, sleeping in my coat on the love seat. I awoke several hours later to find Misty, Anna and Josh making an absolute racket in the kitchen vacuuming off the LARGEST couch I'd ever seen. "We went back!" they showed me gleefully "and there was this great couch that matched the chair!" That sucker was the size of a 57 Chevy. It was brown and scratchy (sort of the texture of velcro -- the rough side) and falling apart just a bit, but we all loved it. It was the greatest garbage ever. It has fallen into a state of disrepair -- the dear couch is probably going on 80 years old -- and we were loath to force our guests to sit on it. In fact, Josh would try to make a game plan when we had people over "Go for the couch, so that they can't sit on it!" he'd hiss. That is no longer a problem!

Come on over and sit a spell, and celebrate with us how the Lord has provided! Jehovah Jireh!

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oooooooooo Grootchen! I'm happy you have a new one!, but the old one is so great, and I like to know that Josh "hisses". :) BTW, how on earth did you EVER get that old one down the stairs of your old apartment? HEE HEE (I know how you got it UP). >:)

Anna

Donette said...

Great story! We got our first couch and loveseat from Dan's aunt and uncle, just a couple of weeks after we were married. They were farmers, and this was the "good furniture" that was only used if you were in your Sunday best. It was in great condition, unfortunately, it was from the '70's. It was orange and avacado green with giant pheasants on it.

I promptly bought covers for the set, which never fit right, and spent the next 3 years tucking, pinning, pulling and cursing at that stupid couch. When we moved last year, we no longer had a family room, or room to store until we made a family room in the basement, so it permanently left our abode.

The loveseat is now in a friend's basement and the couch lived a short life in the nursing room at church before kids jumped on it and it broke. No tears were shed . . .

periwinkita said...

Haha! You guys crack me up! Your game plan totally sounds like something I would do.
Farewell good velcro couch. You did your duty well.

Sarah said...

Oh, Gretchen....I remember the winter of mono and roadside shopping. I think I came over to view the "new" couch shortly after it arrived.
I am so glad you guys have a new one, perfect for entertaining. Isn't it nice to start with old stuff though? I think you appreciate the new items SO MUCH more!!! (We still have the 80's furniture, and when we eventually buy a new set, I will feel like the Queen of Sheba!)
Donette, I so remember the pheasants too!!! Hilarious--they fit so nicely with your lighthouses. I drive past your old apt. every day, and often recall hauling myself up those steps to your little place. Good times....!

Anonymous said...

Nice couch! When we moved into our condo, we bought two leather couches that we plan to keep forever. We still have our old fabric set that we bought for our apartment, though my hubby's trying to sell that set on Craig's List. If you're interested, Sarah, let me know. :)

Rachel said...

Gretchen,
It's beautiful! The Lord does provide! Happy sitting, and napping, and reading, and enjoying!

Blessings,
Rachel

Anonymous said...

That looks like such a nice couch! I am so happy you were able to get a new one.

Wish I could try it out but I guess that will have to wait a few years!

My email is giving me problems the past few days so I will get the next chapter to you asap.

Christen

The Tiffinian said...

Anna,
Moving that couch out of our Wisconsin apartment was quite a chore, and cost us some of our security deposit because we tore up the walls in the starewell pretty good.

I feel creepy being described as a huge fan of "smoothness".

I don't generally hiss, unless I'm impersonating a snake, like Sir Hiss from Robin Hood.

Gretchen said...

Anna -- Don't let Josh fool you -- he CAN hiss.

Sarah -- I'll always remember you coming over to visit me in my affliction. I had to be the dullest company! So sleepy! You are right, I am glad we did not start out with all new stuff. Too easy to be spoiled! :)

Everyone -- thanks for the well-wishes about the couch. You are all invited to sit on it. :)

Anonymous said...

BTW, THANKS for the books Gretchen! I love them, and I love it that I have a new Bible! :) I have never seen that version before, but I am so glad to get it! :) TY Grootchen!

Anna

Anonymous said...

Mom & Dad hooked you up! I can't wait to sit on it!

Kari

Name: Karen said...

We still have dumpster dives in our home today. AND we've been married 14 years. My husband has NO improper pride when it comes to sifting through to resurrect refuse to new life! Our first "real" (a.k.a. NEW) couch was a gift as well!

I smiled at your story and could TOTALLY identify, still after 14 years! I'm thrilled for your new couch! It looks so warm and when leather warms up and melds with your body, you have a cup of coffee and a book, oh...and it's snowing gently out and a fire crackling in the fireplace....there isn't much better than that in the way of time spent.

Unless of course in the service of the King of Kings---which supersedes all else. But I hope you get what I mean.

Hugs to you, my friend.
Karen

Gretchen said...

Anna -- NLT is what I use everyday for common reading. It is very interesting to read OT stories, Prophecy and the Gospels because it is written so readably. It's not meant to be a really literal translation. Our pastor helped work on the Romans and Galatians parts. So I think it is a good paraphrase. Nice leather, huh? Glad you like it!