A Place to Call Home

  We were trying to get into a house by Christmas. I ended up putting the Christmas tree and decorations up last minute, when I realized it wasn't going to happen. So many times we put stuff off for tomorrow. You know, for when things get better, i.e. When we get that new job Or graduate college Or make more money Or pay off debt Or find our person Or get a house I never expected at 31 when I became a single mom that life would be mostly about survival. I say mostly because you still have to find joy in your life no matter the struggles, the heartaches, or the disappointments. A friend once pointed out that life is essentially doing the best you can with what you are given. That has been my mantra when I think I'm not doing enough. So I challenge you to find the joy in your life, even on those hard days. And I wish you and yours a very blessed holiday season full of love and happiness. From my home (future dream house) to yours, I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year...

  It took a while to process that the last house wasn't meant to be. God and I had a lot of one sided conversations after that. You know they say God sometimes doesn't answer your prayers because he's either trying to protect you from something or something better is coming. So I took it to mean something better was coming. We found another house on the same street as one of my son's best friends. Just three houses down. Hallelujah! It's a sign! It had the porch, the fireplace, the extra bedroom for my office, the Florida room, the back yard. It's all there. I did a little happy dance. Could it be? Was this our house? It felt like it, but then so had the last house. Why all the coincidences? The kids and I couldn't stop talking about how much we loved the house. We even drove past it a couple of times. I imagined sitting white rocking chairs on the front porch, just like my brother had at his place before he died. It would be a tribute to him. My Kis-sy-fer....

  Is it karma? Fate? Kismet? Whatever you call it, this next house was meant to be ours. I say this because it was across the street from our old house. The one we lived in when my eldest was little. The one I lost in a foreclosure. I made a promise to my little boy that one day we'd move back. I felt like God had a hand in this. It had everything we were looking for. A fireplace. A big backyard. A Florida room. A garage. A neighborhood we knew and loved.  I was bursting with excitement. Inspired, encouraged, relieved. I felt the happiest I had been in a long time. I had prayed hard for this house. I was going to redeem myself for losing our cute little yellow house right across the street. I had so many good memories there. It felt wonderful. It felt right. It felt like home. I heard God's voice tell me I'd get that house. It was clear and reassuring, and I felt comforted and at peace. I bid high. I bid all I had. And then, I continued to pray with all my heart. I had othe...

The boys and I saw several houses before we decided to take the big plunge. We were going to bid on a house! I was nervous and excited at the same time. Did we really just find our dream home? Was it really that easy? The house was beautiful. It was tucked back into this cozy little neighborhood within walking distance to the basketball courts and park. My eldest son lives, eats, breathes basketball. This was a huge win. My kids decided they would take over the upstairs. My eldest convinced me to give him the master bedroom. Since he's a teenager and needs his privacy, I accepted. Besides, mommy's room would be downstairs close to the living room which had a beautiful fireplace. I envisioned myself curled up on the couch in front of the fire reading a book. Being an avid reader, I even convinced my dad into building me a bookshelf above the stairs. It was very much going to an author's house.  It's weird how much you plan in her head as you peek through the rooms. The l...

SO FAR I'VE SPENT A MONTH LOOKING FOR A NEW HOME. IT'S BEEN SO DISCOURAGING AND FRUSTRATING AND HEARTBREAKING FOR ME AND MY BOYS. THIS IS THE LETTER I WISH I COULD GIVE TO EVERY SELLER WITH MY OFFER. IT PROBABLY WOULDN'T MATTER, BUT MAYBE SOMEONE WOULD FIND US DESERVING OF A SECOND CHANCE. To Whom It May Concern, I'm interested in purchasing your house. My children and I fell in love with all its quaint features, picked out our rooms, and even planned future holidays. We have never owned a house with a fireplace before. How cozy it will be come next Christmas. As a single mom with 2 boys, it has taken me 7yrs to get to the point where I am able to buy a house. It has been a long and tumultuous road made more difficult by the loss of many loved ones, a divorce, and Covid. We currently live in a very small townhome. My youngest's bedroom is my closet. We don't have a garage, so our bikes sit in the kitchen. We don't have a yard, so the dogs and boys have no wh...