The Closing

 Today Nick closes on his first house.  He found this house in December and after the offer was accepted it was full steam ahead.  I have to admit after Jay bought his house and moved out in November I was sure I had several more years with Nick being at home with us.  After all he would joke he was going to live at home until he was 30 which by the way was not okay with us.  That Nick is ambitious though and he wanted to get into real estate.  He bought this house with the intention of eventually renting it out.  Even though he's 19, he's still my little blond haired little boy who didn't start talking until he was 18 months old.  I'm convinced he used those first 18 mos to formulate exactly what he wanted to say and it just took off from there.  I'm super proud of Nick.  Buying a house right now is not easy for Gen Z'rs but when he sets his mind to something there's no stopping him.  This morning I was working out in the basement when my eyes came across the free throw line Jay drew in permanent black marker so him and Nick could play basketball in the basement.  I was reminded of a time when the house was full of bickering between the boys and utter chaos most of the time.  There were days I was sure I was doing a lousy job and I wondered if the day would ever come where there would actually be some peace in my house.  The boys eventually stopped fighting and are actually quiet close now - Praise God.  So sure things got quieter but up until 8 weeks ago they both still lived here. They brought their girls into the house.  The girls blessed us with happiness, conversation and laughter.  That free throw line this morning reminded me that season of my life has actually been over for a long time.  I've been blessed to pour into Jay and Nick's adult life and for that I'm so thankful.  As I enter this new chapter of my life with Mike I realize we are right back where we started, just the two of us.  It's bittersweet but I look forward to all God has in store for us.  

Jay's 24th Birthday

 Jay's 24th birthday was two days ago.  In thinking back I believe it was probably his first birthday that I didn't see him on his actual birthday.  That being said Mike and I brought pizza to Jay and Hannah last night and enjoyed a meal together around their kitchen table.  I truly do enjoy seeing my boys turning into the men God created them to be; making their own decisions, buying their homes, being in relationships with beautiful girls, inside and out.  Jay has settled into home ownership and he and Hannah have made their home quite cozy and warm.  Jay is into his 3rd year as an electrical apprentice and enjoys the job.  Jay is such a kind hearted young man.  He is thoughtful and is becoming so aware of what he does and what he doesn't want in life and who he wants to be.  I am so thankful God choose me as his mom.  Happy 24th Birthday, Jay!  

Commitment

 Here I am trying to stay commited to blogging twice a week.  I really have nothing to write about.  I knew it would be challenging for me to write in my current menopausal state and not having the boys anymore for entertainment but I digress.  One thing I haven't blogged about in awhile is my job.  2025 was probably the most challenging year for me, job wise.  I had training for another state and today I applied for another state license out of another state.  When it's all said and done I'll be handling four states - none of which I'm any good at. Back in the "good ole days" I was so confident in my abilities and I loved what I did.  I enjoyed building relationships and being out in the field.  In 2025 we also got a new system and it's been almost a full year with this system and I can say I finally have the hang of it but wow the struggle was real.  I am very thankful to have a job, a good job at that.  This May I will celebrate 15 years with my company and I still love working from home.  It's true that some days are better than others (as with all things in life) and it's challenging handling so many states, none of which are in my time zone, but I'll keep on keeping on.  

Welcome to 2026

 Faith was in IL for NYE so we went to lunch together.  In 2025 I was able to see Faith a lot.  I'd have to go back and count but I'd guess we were able to see each other six times last year.  She will be 26 in May and I just adore her.  She has and always be one of my favorite people.