Those were the final words of Outta Nowhere. 

I chose them intentionally because I knew grief wasn’t ending, healing wasn’t complete, and life wasn’t finished writing my story.

Since the book was published, life has continued to surprise me with new lessons, unexpected blessings, growing opportunities, and yes… more chapters I never saw coming.

Over the next several months, I’ll be revisiting selected chapters from Outta Nowhere. Some things have changed. Some things haven’t. Time has given me new perspective, but it has never diminished the love behind these pages.

So… if you read Outta Nowhere welcome back! I’m glad you’re here. Please leave comments ! We can have our own little book club! 

The story wasn’t over then.

It still isn’t. 

Chapter 28 The Doorway of Change 

When I wrote Chapter 28 of Outta Nowhere, I was standing in the doorway between two lives. I had no idea just how much healing, growth, and unexpected joy were waiting on the other side. Looking back now, I can see that this chapter wasn’t just about leaving a house. It was about learning that grief and hope can coexist, and that endings often become the very place where new beginnings quietly take root.

This summer marked another milestone as I made my final mortgage payment. I found myself reflecting on how many chapters have quietly closed since Bob died, and how many beautiful ones have opened. I’m halfway done helping my youngest son cross the finish line of his college education, looking toward retirement, and already dreaming of contributing to Grayson college savings account . 

None of those beautiful blessings erase grief.

They simply remind me that love keeps finding new places to live.

Five Years Later…

As I reread this chapter, I smile at the woman who sat on those stairs staring at the front door, wondering if she could ever leave the home that had held our family’s story.

She couldn’t yet imagine that the home would remain in the family.

She couldn’t imagine that her grandson would be playing where his daddy once romped, or that the walls filled with our memories would continue witnessing another generation’s laughter.

She couldn’t imagine finding such peace in her ‘lil ole house with “good bones” and more than its fair share of projects.

Since moving in, there has been a new fence, a new HVAC system, a kitchen renovation, new gutters, a sump pump, French drains, new crawl space liner, a dehumidifier… and I’m still chasing a few old electrical and plumbing gremlins.

My ‘lil ole house I call “TheHotMessExpress for 18 months  has reminded me of something I have learned about life: 

Sometimes we have good bones but old wiring.

Sometimes the foundation is solid, but the systems need attention.

Sometimes what appears to be a hot mess is simply a beautiful work in progress.

The house has changed, but so have I.

This summer marked another milestone as I made my final mortgage payment. I found myself reflecting on how many chapters have quietly closed since Bob died, and how many beautiful ones have opened in their place. I’m helping my my youngest finish college, looking toward retirement, and already dreaming about beginning a college fund for my great-grandson, Grayson.

None of those things erase grief.

They simply remind me that love keeps finding new places to live.

The woman who wrote this chapter believed she was saying goodbye to a home.

What she was really doing was opening the door to the next season of her life.

Looking back now, I still believe every word I wrote then, but I understand them more deeply today:

This change was wanted.

This change was necessary.

This change has been good.

Thank you for walking this journey with me.

After all…

Aren’t we all just walking one another home?