On the Saturday before Mother’s Day, Joseph and I borrowed a cargo van from his place of employment and drove up to Atlanta to get some things from Ikea. And when I say “some things,” I mean nearly a house full of furniture.

I spent two years planning and saving for this trip. During those two years of pouring over the catalogs, I frequently consulted my dearest husband about the furniture choices and why and what to expect when shopping at an Ikea and reiterated to him many times that we would have to put together most of the furniture ourselves. On the drive there, he acted like he’d never listed to any of these “conversations.” It was a trial.

Or so I thought. The real trial was when we got home and he decided to immediately begin putting together furniture. Let’s just say, I didn’t know Swedes could be called so many derogatory things. We are now 10 days into furniture building everything has been built. Except for the shelves that go above the TV bench. Those will go up once we’ve finished painting our bedroom.

The painting part should be fun. (Please note that is said with sarcasm). Joseph will be taking the 12th through the 15th off from work in order to paint the interior walls through out the house.

A dear friend once told me, “The couple that can build a home full of Ikea furniture together will be a couple who stays together.” We’ve made it through that bit but the real trial, I’m sure, will be when the OCD couple paints a house together. But it will be worth it in the end.