If you know me, you probably know I have what my dad likes to call "high pockets." Meaning I don't mind looking for a good deal, I'm fine using used furniture/clothes, and I love things that are free! That being said, I do like having nice things and I know some day we will have them. But at this point in our lives when we are still a poor young married couple I don't mind having miss matched furniture or a small TV. I feel like our money could be better used elsewhere.
On to the point.
We have had our TV since we got married 6 years ago. It has served us well these past years but you should know that one of the first comments people give us when they come over is in relation to our TV being small. And the more I went to other people's homes it did seem like we were the only ones with a small (aka what used to be a normal sized) TV. It apparently bothers other much more than me. And really the only time I felt bad was when I would host a movie night. We would all be crowded around our little TV and had the volume up all the way and could still hardly hear. But as for our day to day, it did not bother me one bit.
So last week one of our best friends just dropped off a new (to us) TV, which he drove all the way from Utah mind you. When I found out we were getting it I was pretty excited. Again, a bigger TV was not really on our NEEDS list just our WANTS lists. Anyway, this friend had just gotten a new bigger and apparently better TV and when he was trying to decided what to do with his old TV he remembered us and our humble little TV. And decided to donate it to our family (isn't he the best!). I even offered to pay him, but he said the TV was too old to accept anything. We were and are very grateful! The only problem, was we didn't have room for it.
I forgot to take a before and after picture, but I rummaged up this pic from a few months ago.
Focus on the Entertainment Center & TV size.
Notice the massive support beam in the middle... problem.
So he dropped it off in the early afternoon. I didn't call and tell Jeff even though I new he was excited but decided I would set it all up so he would be even more surprised and excited. I called up my dear old dad who came over with some tools to help me semi-demolish our entertainment center (which I also picked up for free from a neighbor). This puppy is SOLID! It was put together even better than we thought. It took a lot of work to get that beam out, and caused a little damage, but nothing too serious. He eventually got it out. I had a chance to do some deep cleaning and lost toy finding before we put it all back together which is always a good thing. The TV barely fit. We actually had to bring it in through the back but we got it. But we got it!
Doesn't it look pretty?
I'm not gonna lie, every time I walk into the room I think about how pretty it looks. I really like the symmetry, the TV on the side really bothered me. But this is just open and beautiful and big which is exciting too. The kids were really excited. The second he walked in the door with the TV Em was like, "Parker! Look at this big, BIG TV!" She kept saying it over and over again. And the next day they both told the grandparents all about how they watched a show on our new big TV. It cracked me up. I didn't think they would really notice. I mean, both our parents have big TVs but they never mentioned that our TV was a small TV compared to theirs. They are funny. And it was great to see them so excited.
I had a meeting that night so when Jeff got home he snuck right to the back of the house and didn't even see. I basically had to drag him out to see it. He then got super excited and then tried to find something for us to watch on in. It was fun to see him giddy as a school boy. These boys sure do love their toys.
Here is to hoping the TV will last us a long time! It is already 5 or 6 years old.
As I was looking for "before" pictures I found this gem from Christmas 2010. Notice our old TV stand behind the basketball hoop holding up our TV which is approximately the same size as our computer screen (we have actually had people ask why we were using a computer screen as a TV, lol). Also note my adorable babies! Em is 7 months here and P is almost 2.
Same house, same wall 2 years later
The only thing that is the same is the Computer Desk.
It is times like these that I am very grateful for patience, priorities, awesome friends & tithing. Over the past two years of being out here I have really seen things just fall into place for us, especially as we just let them happen and not rush into things. I know it may sound silly to some, but I know our Father in Heaven is looking out for us, even when it comes to silly worldly desires like having a big TV. Life is good.
Needless to say we are excited and plan to put it to good use!
Thanks Tyler!
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