PART TWO: AN UNEXPECTED ROAD TRIP AND MORE

A series of essays.....

~WALKING THE KAL-HAVEN TRAIL~
CONNECTING KALAMAZOO TO
SOUTH HAVEN

.....as seen through my eyes!



By: Jacqueline E. Hughes


Part Two: 'An Unexpected Road Trip'

We've been home now for only seven days since unexpectedly driving back up to Michigan nearly two weeks ago! We had a date with a realtor and we kept it. You see, I had fallen in love with an adorable little house....a sweet cottage located in Kalamazoo and not far from where our daughters live.

It's insane, I know, but when I fall in love, the full weight of the euphoria hits me like a pleasant blast of mountain air and my mind begins to spin from the impact making me think and do crazy things. Previous impetuous behavior has gotten me into hot water so, I had to be cautious with the spell this house initially cast upon me.


MIKE

My belief was that if I could possibly get Dan up to see this 'little gem' for himself, well, I might just be able to convince him that it was the right step towards our future. How could this trip even be a possibility with his busy schedule at work and the fact that we'd both been up to Michigan to visit the kids within the last month? Somehow, we worked it out and thus began our road trip up to see Mike from Berkshire Hathaway Home Services and actually walk through the cottage with my husband.

When it comes to business, Dan does not 'wear his heart on his sleeve' as I tend to do.....with him being the practical one and me the dreamer. Within the capacity of being a builder himself, Dan inspected every crevice, crack, and corner of this adorable, 1941, structure while listening for creaks and groans and things that might go bump in the night or day! He was very thorough!

CUTENESS ON DECK!

Yes, he did find some issues.....like I mentioned before, the previous owners throughout the years enjoyed the protection this lovely, little home gave them from the elements. However, they neglected to emphasize the sheer beauty of this petite structure and forgot to polish it via practical upkeep, every now and again, so that her luster would shine strong and bright. After all....she is a real gem!

We talked for hours afterwards, weighed the facts and tossed about all of the pros and cons. I was smitten. Dan was working on it.



By that evening we were once again asking the kids if they thought this particular house was a good idea and decided to test-drive it out with the grandchildren. Bringing them over was such an unexpected  treat. They especially enjoyed running up and down the hill in the backyard, finding golf balls hidden in the tall grass (the lot backs-up to a golf course), and hiding in the bedroom closets as the echoes of their laughter drifted throughout the little house. Yep! This pretty much did it for us!! By Friday morning we were placing an offer on the table. After several negotiations, with my capable husband holding-on strong to his beliefs, our offer was accepted!

Late Saturday morning, the day after our victory dance, we were saying good-bye once again and tucking ourselves into the KIA for the trip back home to Orlando. It was a total whirlwind but with pleasant results to savor that made the drive home much more palatable.

ROLLING INTO ATLANTA
HEADING HOME

As I sat snuggled in my seat watching the world fly by us at eighty-miles an hour, it was comforting to reflect upon our lives up to this point and feel such amazing joy and pride. We have a beautiful, healthy family who, like so many others, are living in the moment and embracing the thrills of existence and the struggles of growth... together. Just like sitting in the sturdy, little vehicle that encapsulated us as we traveled down the super highway, our lives zoom by fast and furious and there's absolutely nothing tangible that can slow the momentum.....

TAKING STEPS INTO THE FUTURE

One road trip down since discovering more about what lies ahead for us. I can only imagine how many more will be written into our future. But, there is satisfaction in knowing that each one brings us closer and closer to.....Home!


Copyright © 2015 by Jacqueline E. Hughes
All rights reserved