This Friday we get the keys to our new home! It’s not actually new, but it is to us. We decided to start our lease this Friday to give us some time to slowly move furniture in and to begin decorating.

I am so excited because although we won’t move in together until after the wedding, it will be fun to play with all of our new stuff. We have been so blessed by our family and friends who have thrown us wonderful showers, and I can’t wait to begin using everything.

Our new place is a one bedroom, one bath duplex with a sunroom and big backyard for my chocolate lab, Izzie. When we were looking, the main stipulation was a backyard for Izzie. Thankfully, we found a place in our price range with a bonus sunroom that we’ll use as a computer room/extra bedroom. There are hardwood floors throughout, which we love, and little nooks and shelves that make decorating easier. So all in all… very cute.

Only a few lingering concerns remain.

Closet space
In the place I’m living now, you can fit a twin size bed and I still manage to fill it completely, so moving into a smaller closet and then sharing with Chase will more than likely be a challenge. But I’m sure we’ll manage with our creativity. Plus, he owns something like two shirts and three pair of jeans. (Just kidding!)

Bathroom
The bathroom is also a tight squeeze, but I’ve shared a bathroom with roommates my whole life (including my two brothers) and everything has worked out fine. So, I’m not too worried about it. Chase has mentioned some reservations about the pink tiles that line the walls, but I told him that our brown shower curtain would offset the feminine shade.

Next-door neighbors
When I was driving by yesterday, I noticed a “For Lease” sign out front. Of course, my first thought was, “Oh no! Something fell through!” But then I quickly realized that it is the other side of the duplex that is for rent. When we signed the lease, the landlord talked up the fact that our neighbors were quiet, had been around for six years and did not have a dog, so the whole backyard was ours. Now, it looks like we are getting new neighbors. My first thoughts were, “What if they have a dog? What if they have a mean dog? What if they have a pit bull?” I’m extra sensitive about my dog right now because she was attacked by a pit bull a few weeks ago at the dog park. The last thing I would want is a duplex neighbor with a mean dog.

So, I called Chase and told him about the sign. He could hear the slight fear in the tone of my voice, so he said what any good fiancé would say, “I’m sure everything will turn out just fine.” He even said he’d call our landlord to talk about the whole dog/yard situation.

For now it still remains a big question mark, but I do feel better knowing Chase is going to talk to the landlord. Next week, I’ll give you an update on the whole move-in process, the search for the new neighbors and of course, all of the wedding drama that unfolds three weeks before the big day.

Christina Rucker shares her journey to matrimony each Wednesday.   E-mail o8sis