Six more nights

We have exactly six nights left in the extended stay hotel (yes, we've been counting since that number was 36) and in an effort to stay positive, here are six things I'll miss about living here:

1)  The pool and patio area, altho I can't say that we'll miss the noisy teenagers who were squealing like farm animals and doing cannonballs in 4 feet of water yesterday

2)  The free coffee and continental breakfast provided each morning (if I ever see another cellophane-wrapped blueberry muffin in my life, however, it will be too soon)

3)  The short drive to the Land of Home Improvement Mega-Stores.  I used to spend hours looking at shoes, handbags and cute little dresses in one-of-a-kind boutique stores.  And somehow thought that it all mattered.  Ha.  I now cruise through Lowe's proudly sporting my spit-up stains and lust after steam-clean washers and dryers and refrigerators with LED lighting.

4)  Free utilities, cable and internet, and use of a fax machine gratis

5)  Weekly housekeeping service and fresh linens whenever we need them - which, when co-sleeping with an almost six-month-old, is a near-daily occurrence, and bless the downstairs staff for always providing them without question

6)  An appreciation of what it's like to be homeless.  There are people in this hotel who aren't waiting for their closing date on a house, who don't have high enough credit scores or down payments or whatever else is on the wish list of would-be landlords, who are living off of credit cards that could be cut off at any time.  There are families here, with kids who have dark circles under their eyes.  There has been a van in the parking lot for the past three weeks that has clothes hangers in place of back seats and contains what appears to be someone's entire wardrobe.  There are people who come into the breakfast room every morning and stuff their pockets with muffins, bagels, and sugar and cream packets.

It's rough out there, and I'm just so thankful that in a few days we'll have our very own casita.