Memories

Last night, I was up late as usual. I found myself looking at pictures trying to get an image that I could use for my desktop background. The current one was already about a month old. While browsing on pics, I found this picture we took about a month or two ago. This was where we bought our very first piece of property. It isn't much to look at but it represents something significant to me.

I got married seven years ago. About a year later we decided to start saving to buy a a piece of land we could call ours. It was a big decision, but make it we did. We were trying to make ends meet and we just had our first child. It was a risk to put our money in an investment that wasn't as liquid as cash in a bank. We managed to get enough to make a down payment and eked our way through the monthly payments. Difficult as it was, we made it. It was a significant achievement for me and my wife.

Four years ago, we were still renting an apartment. We didn't have any savings to build a house on the property because all our money was going to the monthly payments on the property. Luckily, we got a break. Long story short, we managed to borrow money to finish the 1st loan off and start payments on a 2nd property.

Three years ago, we moved in to our new home. This place is not so big, but it is ours. We have 6 years to go on the mortgage but we'll make it. If the way things have gone is any indication, we will make it. We have a great motivation to keep this home. This is where our 2nd child was born. This is where we have managed to build relationships with people who like us have been trying to find the perfect place to start building families. Incidentally, my wife is part of the organizing committee for this year's Halloween Trick-or-Treat. There are even more kids this year than last. My son really enjoyed dressing up last year. He had a great time. Seeing the smile on his face really makes for a great time. This year, maybe the little one could go with us. It feels good to live here.

As I scrolled over the thumbnails, I saw my life pass by in front of me (pun intended). There were many more events in between the ones I just shared, many pictures that told different stories. A lot of up's and down's. Many crying moments over a scrape on the knee, or images of the 1st blooms our orchids had. I saw a few of my son playing in the large sala of the old apartment. Pictures of us as we celebrated birthdays, anniversaries , christenings, weddings, fiestas, house blessings, holidays and what-have-you's.

As I went through them, I couldn't help but feel nostalgic, tired, proud and happy at the same time. We had come such a long way. We had a lot of help doing it . We had both good and bad, but we felt our family's love and support all the way. We have a happy life. And I will say that if I have learned anything in the past few years, happiness should really be spelled "Happyness" - without the "I" .