What Might Have Been...

 Just over a year ago, our family faced a decision...many decisions, actually. We had decided to relocate north and we had some options...

Buy...

Or build.

We chose to buy.

And as each day passed, we received confirmation that the decision not to build was the right call.

Still...

In the neighborhood where we wanted to live, we found a house that was 90% built--brand new--beautiful. But, just up the hill was a building lot and the views from that lot were amazing. Years ago, we built a house...it was our first house and the experience was both rewarding and exhausting. We were so much younger then. Plus, we lived right across the street from the new house and we could put in so much sweat equity, it brought the price of our house down to a point where we could afford it.

If we chose to build again, this would not be an option. We'd be living a mile or more away (at least...) and we'd have to pay so much in rent, it would eat into the equity we gained from the sale of our house. All these factors and the uncertainty of getting building materials in a timely manner made the choice to buy the almost-finished home a no-brainer.

Still...

The other day I took a walk to the lot we picked out. That view (when there's no smoke...), is something I know we'd love.

In life, there's always pros and cons, pluses and minuses. You must weigh the alternatives in many things. Choosing a house is one of the bigger decisions a person makes. I know we made the right choice, but sometimes it's interesting to consider what might have been.

Happy Birthday, Mom...First Time In A Long Time I Couldn't Visit Myself

When you move, there's a thousand things to remember. I think I knew this on some level, but it's still something I'm reminded of when there's something I forget. We did well remembering things like getting the utilities changed, the mail stopped, voter registration, drivers licenses changed, and it goes on and on...

Then, you remember something you did at your old home that was such a simple thing.

Halloween means many things. Personally, it's my favorite time of the year. The heat of summer dims and is cooled by the winds of autumn. It's also the season of my mother's birthday, this day--the 27th of October, in fact--is her birthday. Each year for at least the past couple of decades, I've carved a pumpkin and given it to her when she was with us, or placed it on her headstone after she left.

It was so easy when I lived close. I could carve the pumpkin and take it over in a matter of minutes.

That's changed. Now, I've got to do some planning.

My wife reminded me of the tradition. I remembered my mom's birthday--hard to forget since it's exactly one month from my own--and she also reminded me of the carving. Thankfully, my wife was driving her sister and brother-in-law to the airport today, so last night I carved a pumpkin and today my wife dropped it off.

Since we no longer live close, I may need to take the day off to continue the tradition. It's something I'm willing to do and do gladly. I just need to remember.

Remembering alone doesn't make something a tradition, but acting does. Glad I was reminded. Glad I could keep it going. Glad my mom and dad were able to adopt me and raise me as their son. Glad I know that wonderful person who was born almost ninety years ago today.

Happy birthday, mom. Sure do miss you.