My Home

Gratitude Day 4

11/4/22

My Home

By Andrea Tadpole-Broussard

One year ago today was one of the happiest days in my life. I feel the need to give you the back story so you understand why.

In December 2020, in the middle of the pandemic, I had brain surgery. The whole process was scary but God got me through it. A few months later my mother went through major surgery and my stepdad died of COVID while she was in the hospital. Our family was in crisis to say the least. I helped move my mom back from Florida on Labor Day 2021 and she was living with us.

I had lost my home many years ago and became a renter or as I call it a nomad. I had to move anytime the lease was not renewed. So, I felt like I had no anchor. Last year I was living in another rent house and assumed my landlord would renew our lease for another year. He refused and said he preferred month to month. I had always paid my rent on time and often early so I was not happy about it. In the next few months, every month my landlord increased my rent. I am not stupid, I knew he was forcing me out so he could double or triple the rent for another tenant.

I looked and looked and could not find another place to rent. I was scared to death because I figured I did not have good enough credit to buy my own home. I said a prayer. Something in my heart, I know it was God, told me to contact a specific mortgage company and tell them I wanted to get completely approved for a home loan before I started looking and putting in an offer. It took alot of major legwork and documentation on my part but to my amazement I got approved to purchase my own home!!

I called my dear friend and realtor Melissa and we began to search. The real estate market was insane last year. I made numerous offers on homes that were either rejected or beat out by a better offer. One day, I was surfing the internet and stumbled on this one house. It looked nice in the pictures but I did not schedule to look at it. I kept looking at other ones but that one kept coming to my mind. So, finally Melissa, my mom and I went and looked at it.

Now, I will tell you, never in a million years would I have picked the neighborhood I live in now. I am not sure why, I just would not have picked it. Yet, the moment I walked in the house it felt like I was being wrapped in a warm blanket on a cold winter day after playing for hours in the snow. We made an offer and to my amazement it was accepted.

November 4, 2021 was closing day. I remember going over to this empty house alone after I got the keys. I walked through the house and cried tears of gratitude. I went and sat on the front steps and looked at the school across the street. It hit me like a lighting bolt, the happiest time in my childhood was when we lived a few blocks up the street and I attended this very school. I saw my "little Andi" as I call her, walking home from school right by my home today.

I was and still am blown away by the tender love, mercy and grace that God continues to show me. Especially when I know I do not deserve it. See, God knew the deepest desire of my heart...that I have a home. I had lost the home my children and oldest grandchildren grew up in years ago. I felt like I had no anchor, no safe place to land in this chaotic world. Today, I have a home.

When God blesses us He does not skimp on anything! I am an artist. When I first looked at what is now home to me, one bedroom was being used as an artroom. I had not even considered having that. Yet, today I spend much of my free time creating things in that same room. Currently I am into quilting.

Little did I know last year on this day that my Father would be gone. He never got to see my home in person, but told me how proud he was of me. That is worth more than anything. God always makes a way if I will just shut up and listen. I am sure grateful I listened to him last year!

Today, I sit on a swing that my Father gave me several years ago, that just happened to fit perfectly on my front porch. Coincidence? I think not. I spend quite a bit of time on this swing remembering happy parts of my childhood. It often feels like my Father is sitting on the swing next to me too.

Today, tears of gratitude fill my eyes because I finally found my home.