"Conclusions and How Life's Always Changing" by Lesley Michelle Patterson

I had to come to some difficult conclusions in my head recently.  Mostly, I am coming to grips with my daughter now being all grown-up with her own husband and their baby.  I've raised her so well that she has things pretty much figured out.  Today I was invited over to their brand new apartment and I got to sit and feed the baby.  His name is Raiden May Kohrdt Ironcloud, and he's the most precious little guy that you'll ever see.  I am so proud of my daughter and my son-in-law.  We had some difficulties at first, upon being asked to leave our prior apartment due to someone else's behavior in the household.  This made it so that the whole family had to uproot themselves, and we all soon ended up going our separate ways.  

At first, this scared me deeply, but with time, I saw that that's exactly what we all needed, to go our own ways.  It hurt like hell, but we parted because we had to.  No one was healthy or happy in the family, and I saw that the time had come to act on that and do something about it.  I had to leave my mother and my little brother as neither of them were healthy, and because it's their behaviors (for the most part) that got us being asked to leave the apartment over.  So, we all split. 

 My mother and my little brother got a hotel room, which I imagine they still have, but I don't know for sure as she's cut contact with me.  She cut contact with me because I hurt her by leaving her.  The last thing she shouted at me was that quote, "I protected you from your father."  This is heartbreaking because I was molested by and abused by my biological father and it's true, she did protect me from him.  However, was I supposed to spend my entire life taking care of her and all of her wants and needs because of that fact?  Of course, not!

I soon realized that I deserved to be happy, everyone did.  So, I let go, and I set everyone free to do as they would.  As I said, my mother and little brother left, and my daughter and her then-finance also went out on their own.  My husband and I stayed together just as we have for the past 22 years or so now.  We ended up getting our own home which we move into on January 2nd, 2020.  The kids (meaning my daughter and her hubby and their baby) got their very own place, too.  We're all doing much better for it, too, and I am just so very proud of them and how well they're doing.

It's been hard to let go and let be, but I'm glad that I did because without taking that chance we could've all stayed together and remained miserable.  Instead, today I got to witness how very grown-up and mature the kids are,  and I got to observe that they are also both terrific, loving parents in their very own right.  To think that I was ever worried about the whole situation is almost laughable now, but you know us moms; we're going to worry.  It helped to see how under control the kids have things though.  We're moving back to the city, and they are staying behind.  It made me feel more okay about moving back, although I know I'll be missing out on some things, I am certain, that for the more important things, my daughter will make sure that I get to be there with them sharing in it.

So now, as I write this, I smile.  I'm happy that things are going so well for them, and I'm also happy about the things that my husband and I get to look forward to in our own home.  All in all, this event that while indeed tragic, was also a pivotal moment in my life that evoked change with a positive, lasting effect.  Now I get up in the morning more eager for the day, and I'm excited about what life has in store for The Patterson's next.



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"This Weekend, I Overcame All Odds: A Housing Miracle" by Lesley Patterson AKA Lady Opaque

This weekend, I overcame all odds.  My husband and I have been having a very tough time, especially with the current Housing Epidemic happening here in Northern Nevada at the moment.  The Reno and Sparks areas of Nevada are especially struggling with the current rise and a surge in population and it shows no signs of slowing up.


My husband and I have been staying at a friend's house temporarily, but after much, much effort we finally found a home.  We'd been discriminated against in our last home for our disabilities, and the landlords tried to make it impossible for another landlord of a rental unit to accept us.  They dragged my name through the mud and even accused us of staying past the agreed-upon vacate date, which we had never done.  


Finally though, and only after filling out literally over 250 Rental Applications, we were accepted for a lovely little duplex home in the City of Sparks, Nevada.  Then, we had some unexpected blessings occur.  


My Clinic, HOPES in Reno, Nevada has Social Workers.  We went to see one of the Housing Counselors there and along with her and the Aging and Disability Services of Northern Nevada and the City of Reno; they helped us with the first month of rent as well as with the required security deposit.


Our house passed inspection today (done courtesy the City of Reno), and we're approved and able to move in on January 2nd, 2020 right after we've signed the Lease.  We were truly blessed with a miracle, and we're sincerely grateful for the hand up and the opportunity to have our very own home again.


The duplex is adorable, and it even features a backyard in which my Kali Pup can play. (She's never had her very own yard before, so I'm excited to see how she'll react to that.)  It's even got a little tree and a small storage shed (which we've asked if we could also rent).  Another thing I love about it is that it's got exotic Aladdin-looking door frames which make it really unique.  The kitchen is a bit cozy, but it makes up for it with its subtle charm and the nice bathtub and shower that it has.  Most importantly, it will be our home and ours alone. 


We've been waiting a long time for this moment, where we could live on our very own again as we'd been taking care of our family.  (Not all of whom were even appreciative of that fact, and when things fell apart after we left the last apartment, we all split ways.  It has turned out to be for the best and is one of the wisest things that I have ever done.)


Finally, we can get out of Fallon and move back into the city where we belong, and no longer will we need to pay $10 gas just for a quick ride into town and back.  Most importantly though, we're moving into our very own miracle home.  Once only a desperate and hopeful vision, but now a dazzling reality that we're astonished came together quite so well.  I do have to seek employment now once we're in the city, as our rent takes most of our income, but it's all going to be worth it just to be on our own and have our own place again.  Miracles do indeed happen, and you're looking at one!










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