The House That Built Me

When I was in 8 years old my parents purchased a brand new home. Three bedrooms, 2.5 baths, two car garage, and a large backyard. This would be the home that I grew up in.

The neighborhood had a park, basketball court and two swimming pools. I remember my brother and I would spend all day at the pools during the summer. Sometimes we would go to park, which was only a few blocks from our house. And whenever we heard my dad whistle for us we knew we needed to get home fast. 

The neighborhood was full of kids. And because of this we would spend most of our time outside. We rode our bikes every where. Sometimes we would ride up to the 7-Eleven corner store and get a drink and some candy. Our parents needed us, they would drive around looking for us at the park, basketball court, or pool. If they couldn't find us, they kept driving around to see which house had all of the bikes in the yard because that is where they would find us. 

Some weekends we would have block parties where everyone brought something to eat and the adults would just hang out and talk and us kids would run up and down the street playing and going from one friends house to the next. 

Another thing the kids would do is walk to the local roller rink on Saturday morning at 11am and skate all afternoon. At 4pm when the rink closed our parents would come pick us up. Sometimes we would be right back up there at 6pm and skate till midnight. 

As I got older I would babysit for a family that lived down the street. I'm still close to this family today. Their three girls are like younger siblings to me. 

I can say growing up in the 80's was absolutely glorious! 

Recently one of the girls drove to our old neighborhood. She had her kids in the car and was showing them where she grew up. She snapped a picture of my old house and sent it to me. 

The aesthetics has changed but the bones of the house have not. I can still picture in my mind the floor plan and where everything was. 

The window on the left over the garage was my bedroom and the other window was my brothers room. The window that is set back a little bit, and is open by the way, was my parents bathroom. I can picture my dad standing at the sink and shaving. Right under that window was our front door with the sidelight window that was in front of the staircase. Our dog used to lay on the third step because the sun would shine in on that step from the window and make it warm. There was a courtyard just before the front door that my parents worked so hard in. It was really beautiful with all the rose bushes and gardenia bushes and the outdoor furniture they would sit in to unwind from the day. 

The picture on the left is about a year after my parents purchased the house in 1977 and the picture on the right is how it currently looks.

 Gone are my parents cars tucked into the garage. My dads was a blue Corvair and my mothers was a brown Toyota Corolla. Gone is the plank of wood my dad had routed our street address into and hung it over the top left of the garage doors. Gone are the stuco walls that have been replaced with fences and gates. Gone is the light brown paint and dark brown trim now placed with cream paint and brownish/reddish trim. 

While we no longer live there the memories have and will last a lifetime.  

This was the house that built me.  

Listening to God

One year ago, today I left my place of employment after fifteen years of service. After all those years I honestly thought I would retire from there. 

It wasn’t an easy decision but one I had been praying for in earnest for almost two years. I was asking God to move or to move me. As a result of listening to Him, I took that leap of faith and stepped out on the ocean and God caught my hand among the waves and he never let me sink. 

I left the most hostile and toxic work environment I had ever been in. Don’t get me wrong, the university I worked for was fine, but my department became too much to bear any longer. 

But God had an amazing opportunity waiting for me. One I never could have imagined. One where I am supported and encouraged. One where my experience and knowledge are valued and appreciated. One where my co-workers have become friends. 

So many wonderful things have happened in my life over the past year, and it is not lost on me they were all orchestrated by God. I gave Him full control and listened to him as he gently whispered over me what to do. 

As I’ve said before, God’s timing is perfect. I am thankful for his provisions and his blessings upon me and my family. 

I’m praying the next year is just incredible as the last one has been.

Happy 20th Birthday, Riley (We Survived the Teenage Years)

Happy 20th Birthday, Riley! We are officially out of the teenage years and we all survived. You have brought so much laughter to your lives. You are funny, smart, and work hard at everything you do. Your dad and I have loved having a front row seat to your life. You have been one of our greatest adventures. We hope year 20 is amazing!

 

Hello 2025

It's been a while since I've been on here. And the new year has me wanting to put down a few thoughts from the past one. 

2024 was definitely a year. If I could sum it in a song, or more specifically a lyric it would be CeCe Winans, The Goodness of God and the lyric is, And I have lived in the goodness of God. 

This was my song of the year. The entire song is simply amazing and CeCe's voice is just so beautiful

So much happened this past year that only God could have orchestrated all and none of it was lost on me. 

In March 2023 I began to pray for God to open doors for new job opportunities at the university where I had worked for 15 years. I had spent the last four years in a toxic and hostile work environment and it was clear it was time. Don't get me wrong, the university as a whole was wonderful and my family has a deep history there but my department was an different story. 

I prayed for God to move or move me. And move me he did. He closed every door at the university and opened one at another higher education institution in an entirely different state. So in March 2024, I listened to God and took that leap of faith and accepted that new position. 

I excitedly went into the new position ready to learn whatever I could. After 30 days it was clear to me that I did not want to be separated from my husband for almost a year before he retired. Nor did I want to be away from the rest of my family and friends. Again, I began praying earnestly for God to once again move or move me. 

As God does, he moved. A job came across a listserv that I was on and I thought, I can do that, so I applied. The next week I received an email for an interview later in that same week and the week after that I was offered the job. 

Let me say, this new position was at another university and those of us in higher education know it takes months for things to happen. When I started at the first university, it took 3 months to apply, interview, and eventually higher me. At the university out of state, it took almost 6 months for that process. So for all of this to happen in 3 weeks was one hundred percent God working. 

There were so many moving parts that needed to work out and fall into place that it could have only been done by God and I am honored that he allowed me to see all of this happening in real time and not retrospectively.

I now have an amazing job with a boss and co-workers who are supportive and encouraging. We have dubbed ourselves The Dream Tream and it truly is. It's also in Texas, which is where I truly want to be.

There were a lot of other things in the details that I had been praying for which God allowed and for that, I am truly grateful for. 

As CeCe sings, 

For your mercy never fails me. All my days, I've been held in Your hands. You have led me through the fire. In darkest night, You are close like no other. And I have lived in the goodness of God. Your goodness is running after, it's running after me. With my life laid down, I surrendered now, I give You everything, oh Lord. All my life You have been faithful. All my life You have been so, so good. So good with every breath that I am able, I will sing, I'm gonna sing, of the goodness of God.