Life is about transition

Hi Wonderful Blogger Buds,
Today I sit at my kitchen table looking out at nature for the last weekend at my home. Yes, life is all about joy, pain, transition. Change in life is inevitable. I think change is something that I have learned to embrace since I have had my fair share of it. Change can be good, it's all in your attitude. I guess you could call me Queen of Transition. OK, perhaps I am getting a little full of myself. Please do forgive me.

I have lived in this single family home in the western suburbs since October of 1999. Back then, I was a married woman with two amazing children. My husband B and I separated in 2002. It was my decision tough, albeit the right decision. My lovely children and I have lived here the entire time. This house has been the one consistent in their life all these years. Now, we have to say goodbye.

My son J is taking it the hardest as he made his very best friend here in the cul de sac on Halloween 1999. I will never forget knocking on the door on Halloween and the door opening to an excited mom. "Are you the new neighbors we have heard about?" My husband B and I explained we had just moved in.  The mother who opened the door I now consider a very good friend and truly an amazing human being. We actually dubbed her "The Perfect Mom."  She called out to her son K who then hid behind her as she introduced him to the new boy next door. That memory feels like it was just yesterday. Ummmmmmm, it has been such an honor living in this charming neighborhood. Thanks be to God.

 I am feeling extreme gratitude for being a single mom all these years and praising God he had us living so close to so many loving, caring and fun neighbors. Thankfully, due to God keeping his eye on us, we had almost signed the dotted line for a home out near Lake Minnetonka, 20 minutes from the house and the neighbors we have always known. After the owner jacking me around on the price of the home and continually changing important issues, I graciously declined for our families highest good.

 Moving forward  trepidaciously, I fell upon a home that was down the street about one mile and decided to take a look. I had called for a showing and my identical twin sister who lives with my kids and I said, don't bother as the price is too high. I reminded her why all my best buds over the years have called me Norma Rae. I appealed to her sense of challenge and retorted "I will talk them down and the home is right down the street. The kids will literally be in the same neighborhood and the pain won't be as excruciating." I think that got to her Auntie Mamma heart and she agreed we should go take a look see. She is however, the golden sister who has helped raise my kids over the last ten years.

 My sister L had been diagnosed with lung cancer and never smoked, back in 2004, the same year my divorce was final. God has such a funny sense of humor. We invited her in to live with us and took care of her while she recovered from lung surgery.  They took out her right middle lobe and they found she had some spread in her trachea and bronchi lymph nodes. She then went through very intense chemotherapy and radiation. Here we are ten years later happy as the Cleavers. She needed the kids and I, I needed her, and we financially could do things for the kids I could never have done alone as a single mom. OK, onto the meat of my story.

I saw a for sale sign the day before I almost signed off on the other home. Guess what, we were one of the first people to see it. It was love at first viewing. It was everything we had hoped for and we could stay in our neighborhood. Yes, J would still be sad since he could not just walk right next door and knock on the S door like he has since he was a toddler, but hey, we were so close. The kids could literally ride their bike on the trail and be at our new home in a matter of minutes. The other sell to the kids, the house was even closer to the mall. Yes!!!

Well, we signed on the dotted line and move in next month before school starts. Ya know, you just can't make this stuff up. All of us are so happy knowing we are staying close to the great neighbors that inspired this blog in the first place. We will continue to stoop it, although it may be"Stoopin it on a deck."  Here's to new beginnings. CHEERS!!! Come "stoop it" with us at our new abode.

                                          Home In Minnetonka since 1999

New Home come August 1