The Day I Became A Homeowner

One Sunday evening as I was lying in bed, my phone rang. I saw my realtor’s number across the screen, then I sat up and immediately answered. “Guess what?” she said. “What?” I replied while smiling.

“They accepted your offer.”

I tried to stay calm, but it was hard to contain my excitement. A long-time goal that I’d been working on and praying about was finally coming true. I was officially becoming a homeowner! This was a goal I started working on last year but when the pandemic hit, I was nervous about moving forward. So I put things on pause… until some of my confidants asked me why I wasn’t moving forward anymore. I came up with a handful of excuses: the pandemic, the timing, and more praying and fasting (which was honestly me procrastinating from a place of fear – God had already given me His approval). I even started having dreams that I was already in a new home. The more I stalled, the more I felt something on the inside of me saying, it’s time. And as I proceeded, I realized something.

There would never be a perfect time to step out. It’s not like this was something I was doing without a plan. I’d been planning for years and had let circumstances and fear scare me, until God’s voice and my incredible support system let me know that I’d be okay. When I started house hunting, I was getting tired and discouraged at the beginning of things. Especially when I made offers on different homes I liked, and the sellers went with other buyers. Gathering different amounts of necessary paperwork was becoming a source of frustration too. There’s so much paperwork involved. So much. If you are planning on buying a house, it’s good to know this early. And although I felt discouraged about not getting the houses I wanted, I also knew deep down that what God had for me would ultimately be for me. My mindset shifted once that belief settled in. So when I got the call that my offer was accepted on a place that was better than all the other places I’d already seen, exactly one day after I’d made a new offer, I was thrilled. I couldn’t believe it.

I'm excited about this chapter, and I'm thankful for a new beginning and the opportunity to share and celebrate with my family and friends. Great things have been happening to and for me in this season, and I'm taking it all in. If you're reading this right now, I hope that this year, which has still been one of uncertainty for many of us in different ways, will be the year you decide to connect, collaborate, and celebrate with God as you move forward with your own goals and dreams. Step out on faith and do the work. You've got this.

I’m Glad I’m Not Married

When I was about five years old, I was sitting in the backseat of my dad’s car when me, him, my older cousin (my aunt’s son), and my aunt (my dad’s sister) caught my aunt’s fiancé with another woman. My dad had been driving my aunt out to run some errands since she didn’t have a driver’s license or a car. When she spotted her man with another woman, she told my dad to pull the car over, got out of the car, and immediately addressed him. She wanted the keys back to her apartment and was done with him. The other woman she caught her fiancé with slapped him when she realized what was happening, and that was that. When my aunt returned to the car, she was clearly and understandably upset, and the ride back to her place was quiet. Although I was too young to fully grasp what was happening at the time, I knew it wasn’t good. And now, at 34 years old, I can’t imagine how much pain she was in. Her wedding had been planned and paid for – and she never made it down the aisle. My aunt was a beaut

The Best Relationship Advice I’ve Ever Received

I dislike almost everything about what’s now considered “modern dating.” Dating apps. DM sliding. Exchanging thirst traps. Hookup culture. The talking stage. Lingering indecisiveness in the “what are we doing and where are things going?” conversations. And the mindset that anyone and everyone is technically “fair game” if they’re not married (even if they’re “technically” already spoken for…) I’ve moved through some of the things listed above and have found the modern dating world draining. And while I’ve approached dating the “Christian way,” cried out to God, tried being more open, and out of frustration, jokingly considered having a ho phase for fun ( no worries – I’m way too much of a God-fearing church girl to follow through with that life, but I also don’t judge those who do partake ), one evening as I was nursing some hurt feelings after a guy I’d spent some time with suddenly bailed, I remembered some sound relationship advice my dad gave me when I was 18-years-old. And

Teacher Table Talk: When Parents Attack

As an English teacher, a core belief I’ve held close since the beginning of my career has been the importance of relationship building. I believe that if great relationships between teachers, students, and parents are established at the beginning of the school year, everything else will fall into place. Authentically modeling, practicing, and establishing mutually respectful and professional relationships within my classroom has been the bridge for effective communication, solid classroom management, and creating a safe and effective learning environment that fits each of my student’s needs. And though I’ve seen and experienced the benefits of great relationship building, unfortunately, there have been times when some students and parents have not been receptive or interested in my efforts to establish connections that would best serve all parties involved. I’ve also noticed and shared spaces with other educators, school counselors, and administrators who’ve experienced the same. And

Making Waves