New Beginnings

My oldest son bought a house today. The final walk through was this morning and he closed this afternoon on a townhouse he first signed a contract on last August. The economy downturn was a positive for him. The interest rate he would've had last year was 6.5 %. Today he got a rate of 4.75 %. My husband and sons moved all his stuff to the house and he's sleeping there for the first time tonight. I can't tell you how happy I am for him. I wish I could bottle the unbridled joy on his face today, as he was seeing the finished product that is his home, for the first time. He was bursting with pride, seeing all the carpets and flooring he chose a year ago come together to make him a home. As we left him there, I had a hard time not crying in front of him. The words I wanted to say got all bottled up inside. (That always happens to me when good things happen in our family - I can't speak without crying) I am so proud of him, for having such a great start to his independence, in such a beautiful home. I wrote a short note inside a favorite children's book, "Love You Forever" and left it for him. When I read the book this afternoon, I burst into tears.

When he was born, my husband made him a wooden sign with the letters of his name and painted it after we brought him home from the hospital. It's been hanging on his door since he was a baby. Each of his brothers have one too. The tough part came when I took the sign off his door tonight before we left for his house. It was that moment of knowing he won't be back, living in our house. It was hard. I had to go into my room and have a private cry before I was able to take it down. Of course, thanks to his brothers, they lightened the moment by humming TAPS as I took it down.

Here's to new beginnings, Christopher! I love you forever, aw, you know the rest.......