Have you ever spent time during the day dreaming about something happening and how you would feel when it came to fruition? At different times in our lives this "thing" we dream about could be anything.

For me the last 8 or so months have been spent dreaming about the "perfect couple" coming along and making an offer on the house my SO (significant other) purchased in May of 2008, and we have been rehabbing ever since. And when I say rehab I mean completely gutted a 3200 sq ft., three story, 100+ year old house. Over the last 1.5 years we brought back to life a home that was in desperate need of some TLC. From a new exterior paint job, to all new electric and plumbing, to new duct work for the new heat and air conditioning system, to jacking the house up to make it level again, 40 new windows, and the list goes on and on. If you can think of it, we likely did it, and than some.

It truly was a labor of love. And we learned so much, both about rehabbing a house and each other. Together over the last 1.5 years we have grown closer and become a stronger unit because of the house. So when I say I've dreamed about selling the house, it isn't for the negative reasons you may be thinking, but instead because I (we) are ready to move on, and take on the next adventure-- whatever that may be.

And so our hearts were filled with joy when we received an offer on the house in early November, and learned we were going to close on house before Christmas. I mean, what better Christmast present than to sell your home. But we found out just an hour before our closing on the 18th of this month that there was a hiccup...and we weren't going to be able to close. And even worse that it might not be until February that we would finally be able to seal the deal! I mean, the buyers had the moving trucks in front of the house, ready to move in. Talk about a stressful situation. It was like a rug had been pulled out from underneath us, and there was nothing we could do about it. So many thoughts and feelings were swirling through our minds....it was a tense weekend after the news.

But maybe there was something we could do about it...even if it was a hail mary. So, we took the advice of a friend and first thing Monday morning we contacted the local office for our Senator Jim Bunning. You see, the issue with the closing was due to the government. The bank had approved the loan, but because it was an FHA loan there was a lot of red tape we had to go through, and some recent activity on the title was a red flag for FHA and they considered it a flip...even though that was far from true. So, a quick call to the office, a letter detailing the situation and we crossed our fingers that the Senator's office might be able to lend a hand.

Fast forward 48 hours to the day before Christmas, running errands and trying to not think about our deal that was now on hold. And the call came! Our efforts had worked and we were going to close on the loan at 5:30 the night before Christmas Eve. A Christmas Miracle to say the least!!!!

All of our hard work for the last 1.5 years was coming to an end. And that day dream I'd been having for most of the last year was actually coming true. It was one of those pinch me moments!

It's been an amazing adventure, this last 1.5 years. And closing on the sale of the house was a bit of a bittersweet moment. But the weight that has been lifted off our shoulders has led to a new feeling of joy, and happiness. And it was a win-win situation for all involved. We were able to learn many lessons and get down to work on a house that truly needed our help, and pass it along to wonderful family starting anew.

Now it's on to the next adventure, and I am excited to see where this one takes us. And there is one thing I know for sure, as long as the SO and I are by each others side, it will be an amazing journey.

There's a new Taylor Swift song playing on the radio called “Fifteen” and I can't seem to get it out of my head. The first time I heard it I liked the beat and the musicality of the song. The next time I heard it I honed in on the first line of the chorus: Cause when you're fifteen and somebody tells you they love you your gonna believe them.

The line took me back a minute to the days of my first love. Those days of dating the football player who was a senior to my sophomore. Of getting that butterfly feeling in the pit of my stomach when we first met, during the first date, the first time he held my hand, when we kissed and when he told me he would always love me. It was something I had never experienced before; loving someone that wasn't family, with such passion and excitement. And the naivety of falling head over heels in love with someone, and not yet knowing the pain of heartbreak.

But my favorite part of the song are these few lines: I've found that time can heal most anything; and you just might find who you’re supposed to be; I didn't know who I was supposed to be, at fifteen.

I know I didn’t know who I was supposed to be. In fact it was that "first love" process of head over heels to heart break that helped me to become the successful, independent/strong and HAPPY woman that I am today. And let's face it, while a "first love" has it's magical moments, it just isn't the same as "true love." For true love is never ending.

So, thank you Taylor for recording a song that speaks to this experience that girls go through every day. I hope that young women hear what you are singing and can have the faith to know that there is so much out there for them in life. And know that someday they too will find who they are supposed to be.

It's the time of year where we all take a breath, step back and reflect on the things in our life that we're thankful for. And after watching the Rachel Ray, featuring the hard hit town of Wilmington, Ohio (they've lost 9,500 jobs in a town of 12k), I realize that some of the things I am thankful for are small potatoes compared to what many are dealing with during this tough economic time, but I am thankful all the same.

This year I am thankful for:

- this beautiful life that I have been blessed with
- a wonderful significant other that has taught me so much, and helps me to dream things I never thought possible
- my amazing family, especially my mom and dad who have always been there for me and raised me to be the woman that I am
- my beautiful girlfriends who are always there for me when i need an ear to listen, or a shopping buddy
- a great job that challenges me
- my furry friends, especially Max who always makes me smile and loves to cuddle
- having sold one house during these bad economic times, and hopefully the second will be sold by year's end
- great food, chocolate and a glass of wine --- the simple things in life
- the health and safety of my family and friends
- for dreams and goals, because they constantly challenge me to strive for the best in life, and without them life would be pretty boring

I think that is a pretty good list. I hope everyone has a few things they are thankful for as well, and can take the time to reflect upon them as we celebrate this wonderful holiday!

Seems like most things in my life are a work in progress. And the blog is just another one of those work in progress items where I've neglected to just take the bull by the horns and just do it already.

I mean it was at least 6 months before I finally signed up for a blog! And than once I signed up I agonized over the perfect blog name, and which template to choose. By the time I got those items to a place where I could at least accept them as ok, I was mentally wore out and just didn't have anything to say. That was at least a month ago!

And that brings us to today, the day I just finally decided that it was time to write, even if I didn't know what, I just needed to take the next step. The problem is that I've agonized over what to write, wanting it to be poetic, creative or insightful. But sometimes what's on my mind, or going on in my world doesn't fit into one of those categories.

So this blog too is another work in progress. And I'm not going to sweat it. I'll write what is on my mind, going on in my life, what interests/excites me. Hopefully along the way I will learn a little more about myself, provide some good reading for the blog readers of the world, and even hone my writing skills.

I'm just going to see where this blog takes me. It should at least be an interesting ride!