Sunday Scribbling - "Wings"

When I think of wings I immediately think of angels. Not statues or heavenly angels, but of angels right here on earth. I have been touched by a community of such angels that together created a miracle. I never saw their wings but I felt their hearts.

There is a reason my house is so special to me. It is not just the spectacular view, the comfort of the embracing walls or even the ten years I've spent here. My house has a story but it is a story that involves a whole community of angels. I wanted to tell this story so you can see why it is so hard to leave. They are out there ready to help if we will allow them.

I was a single, retired mother of two hormonal pre-teens. We lived as a team, while I battled my deadly disease, in a fairly large city. My kids would be shuttled back and forth, every other week to their father's. They were living two separate lifestyles. I was seeing anger in their behavior as a result and their school work was starting to slip. I drove them across town, even on dad's week, to make sure they went to the best school. The rich kids reminded them everyday that they did not fit in and they were unhappy there. The alternative school had gangs and dad was getting out of control. I decided to move to the country and away from the stress.

Where, how and when would be quite a hurdle. The ex was not very happy to live 2 1/2 hours from his kids, but when I agreed to a very low child support he reluctantly caved in. A friend suggested I buy a home and I laughed. I had always been a renter and the thought of buying a home as a single mom really scared me. I was on a fixed income so no way would a bank approve me. When I checked into it I was floored that it could happen, so I went full speed ahead. I chose a foothill area and dialed the first real estate company that came to mind.

Diana picked up the phone and became my realtor that day. She agreed that I could buy, being a first timer, so off we went to check out our new town. My list of "must haves" in a home was difficult to find in this area because of the hills. I gave Diana my list and it took six months for her to call. "Tammy, I think I found your house" the voice said as the dread began to creep up my spine. Could we really do this? The girls were thrilled and that was half the battle. Michelle would be starting high school so the timing was great.

The first thing I saw was an angel on the address plate as I stepped up to the front door. At first I was not impressed because it was not ready to be shown. It hadn't even been listed yet so it made a bad first impression. As I stepped outside to the backyard and saw the view, my jaw dropped. My first thought was that I was almost to heaven and my second thought was this is home. I could see living out my days here with my kids.

The realtor made the offer, but the owner ( a newly married mother of two) thought that maybe they had asked for too little. She was going to be living with her new husband, who had advised her to raise the price, since it was still early. This knocked me out of the game. My realtor was more upset than I was because I never really believed I could do this. Diana set the wheels in motion for a miracle and never even knew it until it was over.

Diana told her mother about my story and the "perfect" little house. Diana's mother spoke to her church and they prayed for me. A member of that church was a neighbor, who walked over and spoke to the owners about my family. The owners dropped the price back to where it was and the offer was accepted. You would think that would have been cool enough but there was much more. I needed $6000 for closing costs and I didn't have it. The owners paid for half of the closing, adding a new water heater and flooring. The title company had heard of our plight through the small real estate community and somehow added the closing price into the loan. I moved in without paying a dime with a mortgage less than my rent. Everyone worked hard to give my family a fresh start and a real home.

The day my friends helped move me in, the kids were with their dad. My friends did not want to leave me by myself and thought moving to the country, not knowing a soul, was lunacy with my illness. I had a new neighbor come to check on me the next day and introduce herself. From that day on I had a true friend and mother. Lynne and her husband adopted my family and has been there for us in unimaginable ways.

I will embrace my future new home with Dave, but a part of me will always remain with this house and community. My girls and I learned so much in the ten years we have lived here. I have been even more blessed because I have continued to survive. I just may bottle the water to take with me just in case it's in the water. My lack of progression could be many different things, but this community of angles gave me hope. I love change, but this one will really be tough. Maybe the next buyer will be looking for a neighborhood of angels.