My husband of 2 weeks and I spent the morning at Ikea. I had never experienced the glory that is Ikea until they built one in Tampa. Driving up to Ikea is like driving up to Disney World or the chocolate factory. There are lots of directional signs for parking, receiving, the entrance. During the grand opening in Tampa there were even parking attendants directing traffic into the parking lots. When you enter into Ikea there's a greeter handing out maps. You take the elevator upstairs and you enter into a whole new world.
My eyes light up with wonder as I gaze about at all the glorious household items. Things I never even knew I needed or wanted are all present in Ikea. And much like Veruca Salt I want it all! I want a cow rug, and a couch, and a chair, and a bookshelf, and an egg timer, and a plant, and...
My favorite part of Ikea is the little decorated "houses." I feel I could comfortably live in 490 square feet if it was furnished by Ikea. The mini kitchen, the bunk bed with the desk underneath, and the tiny toilet next to the tiny shower...what more could anyone want?
And they put arrows on the floor so you don't get lost. I think Disney could learn a thing or two from Ikea on directional flow. And as you glide from one room to the next you are constantly bedazzled by all the home furnishings. Design Star here I come!
Then you walk through an opening and there's a cafeteria with the best meatballs in the world. Down the escalator into the Marketplace where you can get an incredibly well oiled shopping cart and pick and choose to your hearts content of any accessory you could imagine. Then through another opening into the shelves where all the furniture you saw is stored neatly on shelves for your own selection.
I love Ikea. I love everything about Ikea. And I love my husband of 2 weeks (15 days to be exact). This marriage is everything I'd hoped it would be and more. I feel blessed and happy every day...maybe not every minute of every day, but every day I do feel incredibly lucky and joyful to be with the person I imagined.
And tonight we're sitting in front of our newly working fireplace (1st time it's ever been used even though our house was built in 1964), eating Chinese take out and watching football (well, I'm reading a Fern Michaels book), and relaxing with our babies and I just don't think life could get any better than this. I hope everyone is having as great a Sunday as me.
