Guess what I did this morning? My realtor stopped by and had me sign a new tenant lease for the house! Our prayers have been answered and the psychic’s predictions came true! The tenant turned out to be one of the first people who looked at the house when it went to market. He loved the house and thought it was perfect, but he was entangled in a messy divorce and had to wait to see what his “allowance” would be. It gets all strategic here, but that would be digressing. Anyhow after many many weeks of no word and thinking he must have reconciled, in a last ditch effort as Cliff and I were in the homestretch, we asked Fran to contact him and another family. It just so happened he was ready to move forward. I cannot tell you how happy and perfect this arrangement is. The only way it could be better is if he leased for 2 years, but I will take 1. Not only is he a terrific person, he wants to rent the home furnished completely! so this meant no extra packing and moving.

I am still in a daze about the whole matter because each thing brings me closer to Japan and farther from friends/family. Trying to go through the house and pack away the last remaining things that were Wright touches. Even though Cliff and I have moved several times it does seem to get tougher each time. Even though I know I will do my best to make our apartment in Japan a home and an oasis, it is heartbreaking to see this last home go. When we left Colorado I remember crying terribly as I closed the door to my empty house. The place where Chase was born, where I as a mom was born, where many tears and giggles reverberated. I leave today to visit my youngest sister in DC and her girls and when I return I will have to finish packing away all the ceramic animals and framed “masterpieces” which helped turn this house in to a home and I am so grateful that we had this chapter of our lives here. It was perfect. I look at the wooden post in the basement with all of Chase’s height notches and I say to myself, thank you house for being around us all this time.

Need to catch a flight. Can’t even begin to start talking about Maggie, so I’ll save that for my next update.

Until next time…