• Running the Right Way - PhillyFIT Magazine

Nearly everyone who visited would remark not how, "aestheticallyamazing the home was" (because it wasn’t, it really was, and is,just sort of common) but how, "amazing the feeling of love andlife was in the home." Sometimes it’s all about the things you can’tsee with the naked eye that truly mater. PRIDE riddled me, and Ithink it may have carried over into other aspects of my life too, uhum…PhillyFIT. PhillyFIT was born here, too. Another huge plusto the home we now call 868 (the house number).Truth be told, I flirted with the idea of even selling my homerecently, after the first disastrous tenants were evicted within sixmonths. But after twenty showings, many turned down mortgageapplications and a few ‘below sea-level’ offers, I totally and completelywoke up!my family and for me commenced with a little, shoebox-sized,unlived in, broken down home some fifteen years ago that no onein his or her right mind would have purchased. That is, but me.Now though, it just feels like it’s time to change things up a bit.The shoebox, which was slowly put back together by me and mykids, is now tattered somehow to us, and my inner soul is on aserious quest.The memories and the love that poured out of the walls in myhome are indescribable. It was an empty house for over a decadebefore I bought it and it was pretty raw and gloomy. It didn’t evenhave a two-twenty line for an electric dryer. Think a no-frills,never updated box with ancient and even broken windows, rottedoutseals, original metal kitchen cabinets and a tiny square forcounter space. But at the time, I closed one eye and held mybreath the day I bought it because the vision in my mind was sovivid and intense, and beautiful! I could see it and feel it. It wascalling my name as I tried to walk away. It spoke to me like a littlepound puppy. I knew it was mine as soon as I opened the creakyfront door, but more so once I looked out the back door. Thegrassy, near acre yard had promise of kids and pets runningaround, screaming and barking with delight and plenty of privacy,which is something that I desperately craved and needed even atthat time of my life. Let’s say I’ve battled more than one curveball over the years.One paycheck at time, one bonus at a time, each window gotreplaced, one wall knocked out, each wall painted. For whatseemed like an eternity, each dollar was earmarked for a DIY projectof some sort. Over time, it morphed into a respectable crib –complete with custom skylights, a pool, deck, fireplace, Jacuzzi,and more. But it wasn’t so much about the objects we put in thehome. It was more about the feeling of being together in it; thememories—both good and bad — made each passing day.Happiness and togetherness, two words that really work for me.And when I say twenty, yes, twenty kids at a time sleeping over,there were many (happy) sleepless nights here.No one loved the home? I thought EVERYONE did? No oneappeared to be feeling the love here the way my family once did?How could it be? Our house was totally empty; I was told it would“show better” this way. Huh? My poor realtors think I’m totallynuts! I’m sure of it— what a wishy-washy blonde I’ve been,because as of today, I took it off the market and reclaimed it formyself (and my entire world actually) again! NO WAY, I am notgetting rid of the one thing that I can honestly say is the root of myfamily’s soul, our home! The decision was made, accompanied byfeelings of relief, excitement, and utter panic! Darion, my fifteenyear-old,love bug, and I went on a bargain furniture-shoppingrampage and put it all back together in one day! Shazam! We hadthe sales people at Raymore and Flanagan on their knees and Itaught Darion the fine art of negotiation (grin).I’m a chicken, or brilliant, but I knew in the bottom of my gut, inthe deepest of my soul, I just couldn't let go of EVERTHING; thiswas one thing I needed to keep. Does having to walk away from arelationship mean walking away from everything you built beforethat relationship even began? Hell no! Yep, I am rebuilding myhome and filling it back up with love. For a nano second I worriedabout the realtor’s thoughts of me, but I don’t really care if I’veleft them scratching their heads the more I think about it. The lessonlearned was just too big to be worrying about anything at thispoint. And quite honestly, those folks were part of my journey andawakening, whether they know it, or even care. Subsidiary lessonlearned – let go of the fears that you can’t really control Jami(worrying about letting others down) when in reality, they were letdown for a momentary minute, and replaced me with anothereager-to-sell customer.Change to ChargeI am emotionally charged and believe it or not, I am mentally andphysically realizing this isn’t just some emotional panic attack.It’s my life, my love and my children’s roots, and it matters. Infact, we really haven’t lost that much in the big picture anyway!We have managed to forgive and still love and remain friends withthose in our past, who are no longer part of our inner family. It’strue; life is the thing that happens when you’re busy making plans.I was so focused on a solid, smart plan of re-building a life thatonce sort of happened and guided me away from moving forward.May/June I 267-767-4205 I www.phillyfit.com PhillyFIT I 7