I’m here.

It has been a while.

I know! I know!

I’ve been so busy working, picking up extra hours, saving money, trying to get everything aligned to maybe buy a house next year.

I’ve been trying to get my car paid off – as I don’t have much left to go, and getting it fixed because I’m still dealing with the headaches of either nobody knowing what’s wrong with it, or nobody wanting to touch it because it’s foreign and “complicated”. I’m also looking to trade this car in within the next year or less and get something bigger and better.

On top of dealing with working so much, saving money, and still – the car issues – I’ve been dealing with weeks of frustrations about the moving situation.

Months ago, I told my previous landlord we may move at the end of May when my daughter graduates.

We wanted to go back home to IL. or close to it. To friends. To family. To familiar places we love so much.

That didn’t work out, and I decided it was probably best to stay here for one more year – no matter how much we were looking forward to moving back or moving closer to IL. and everyone / everything we love.

I was a little surprised when my landlord messaged me and asked if I would be out by May 1st. I told him no, and that he was informed if we move – a big *IF* – We’d be out by May 31st. He replied and said he’d tell the new tenants they could move in – June 1st.

Um – what?!!!!

I never said we’d be moving for sure, and I let him know that I’d tell him for sure around the end of April, but he took it upon himself to get a deposit, first month rent and a new lease signed from whoever he claimed was moving in.

I know he hated empty apartments because he was losing money, and he always tried to rent out apartments fast. It didn’t matter to whom – he did no credit checks or background checks, and we’ve had our fair share of crazy, wild, people who were up to no good – living in the building – because he didn’t care who he rented to – as long as he had income coming in from each apartment.

So, I wasn’t surprised when he rented my apartment out that fast, and who knows if he was telling the truth or not, but he was ready to have someone move in – from what I heard. I told him that’s not how it works, and he told me, “That is how it works. I’m not renewing your lease. You said a few times you were moving or wanted to!”. I told him no, I said I MIGHT move, and yes, I want to – but we weren’t for sure.

I also let him know my lease goes until 2027 – if I decided to stay.

He said he already has new tenants moving in, and I knew he didn’t want to give them their money back if that was the case.

He ended up selling the building to these new landlords we have now. (A sweet young couple). I felt so bad for them because this is their first ever residential property they’ve owned, and they had to walk into this mess that the previous landlord left behind. So many things need to be repaired, and the husband and I have talked – and he has said if he knew everything he was walking into, they may have thought twice about buying the building.

On top of the building being neglected for so long by our previous landlord, and the new landlords having to fix it all up, now they were dealing with this issue of me not moving until next year, my lease going until 2027, and them feeling like their hands were tied because they felt like they had to honor the leases and the landlords new tenants that he supposedly had moving into my unit.

I let them know that if they had to honor the leases, again – mine goes until 2027.

They were unsure what to do, so I did what I had to do and contacted a lawyer – just to get a legal take on the matter.

The lawyer asked for my lease. I sent it to her. She looked it over.

It was plain and simple.

After putting facts together, she said the new landlords had three options.

………Let me stay another year because my lease doesn’t expire until May 2027.

………Try to take me to court at the end of May of this year and the judge will say the same thing the lawyer is saying and dismiss the case because I have every right to stay if I want to – with the lawyer also letting me know that this won’t cost me any money. It will cost the new landlords money to try to take me to court for something that will be thrown out, and all it will cost me – is time off work to show up.

or

………The lawyer said the new landlords could honor the lease the previous landlord just signed with the new tenants if there really are new ones, and write me a check for $5,000 for my moving costs, as well as giving me my deposit back the same day as the apartment walk-through – as long as it’s clean and in good condition.

These options were told to the new landlords, and I know they have no fault in this matter for the headaches the previous landlord was causing, but they were in it now and had to deal with it, since they are the new owners of the building.

The husband and I had a great conversation after weeks of back-and-forth on this topic, and me having a lawyer to stand with me on this, and the husband apologized. I told him he had nothing to apologize for because the previous landlord caused all of this and not him or his wife. He said whatever he does – he believes in God, walks by faith, makes all his decisions in faith, and absolutely doesn’t want to go to court over this issue.

He agreed my lease goes until 2027, I have no lease violations, my rent is up to date, and there’s no reason to try to make me move earlier, so – he said he was allowing me to stay – which is legally my right anyway. After weeks of that nonsense and trying to figure that out – it all worked out and I’m grateful. 💕

The previous landlord?

There’s so much I could sit here and write when it comes to him and all the drama, craziness, nonsense and weirdness he has caused – not only with me – but other tenants who seem to be sharing their stories with the new landlords as well. I’m not the only one who has had issues for years with the previous landlord – and it makes me feel better because others are grateful that we have new owners as well.

Our previous landlord – he was something else, but I’m not here to bash the guy, and I won’t sit and write all the crazy, wild, off-the-wall stories I have of harassment, drama, and his lack of professionalism. I don’t think he was a bad guy, but he had a lot of his own issues.

I’m not here to mess up his reputation, and I hope that man gets his act together and treats people better.

That’s all I can say.

At the end of the day, even if my car issues aren’t figured out and I have a million other things on my plate – and on my mind – at least the moving situation is figured out, and we’ll be staying here for one more year.

Do I want to deal with another Minnesota Winter that goes from October sometimes – all the way through April? Hell no.

I am happy that we don’t have to hire movers right now or rent a moving truck – continue to pack up and have this deadline hanging over our heads now. 🤗

I feel like because the previous landlord knew that some tenants spoke up against him and the way he was – he caused issues for those of us who didn’t stay quiet, and I look back now on this whole moving situation where he tried to force me out, and I feel like it’s true when the Bible says:

Again, in all fairness, I did tell him I planned to move, so maybe he was just trying to fill the place fast in case the building didn’t sell, and he’d have money coming in from this apartment again right away.

I never knew what his intentions were because they were always changing, but – that chapter of my life is over, and we don’t have to deal with him anymore.

I hope God blesses that man and his family and takes care of them – because I do also know and I can also say – that it wasn’t always bad with him. Yes, there was more bad than good – but there were times we had decent conversations, and I remember one time telling him, “You are too young to be this stressed out! Go have a drink and relax!”.

I remember one time when he called me randomly and told me, “I’m not an asshole like you think I am!”. I laughed a bit because I have no idea where that came from and wondered if he was just at home and thinking about me speaking out against all the repairs he didn’t make, or the way he treats his tenants or what!

That call made me giggle as well.

Anyway, pray for me because I’m here another year, but God is good and I also know it’s a blessing and gives me more time to save for a down payment on a house.

I never wanted to own a house as I’ve said before because of all the headaches that go into it, but I think it’s time. I want my own washer and dryer without having to worry about who is doing laundry when I need to. I want my own driveway, so I don’t have to worry about anyone being parked in my spot when I come home.

I want my own backyard, so my kids can go outside without worrying if someone is going to fly in or out of the parking lot.

My life is far from perfect, and I handle every curve ball it throws at me with faith and grace.

I always say that even if God doesn’t answer my prayers the way I want him to, he answers in ways that he knows he needs to – and that fit his plans for me and my little family. So, if it’s meant to be next year – it will be. If not, it is what it is!

Besides the moving issue and the car still not working properly – let’s talk prom!

My daughter is all signed up to go.

She needed $40 for her prom ticket, and I gave her that.

She told me students have to be there at 5 PM, and parents are allowed to go in for the Grand March and photos at 6. I’m totally going to be there and I can’t wait! 💕

I thought she was going to wear her red dress again that I got her a few months ago for Winter formal.

That dress was $260.

This teenager of mine tells me a few days ago, “I can’t wear that dress again! They’ve already seen me in it. I need a long gown type of dress. It’s prom”. Her dream dress is a black sparkling dress.

We went yesterday to a place that has decently priced prom dresses, but they didn’t have her size.

It took her forever to try on 5 dresses, and as I stood there looking around right by the dressing room area, I smiled a bit when a woman in her 40’s or early 50’s came out and asked if I would zip up a dress in the back for her.

I told her it’s beautiful on her – after I zipped it up. She thanked me and kept on trying on dresses and coming out to show her daughter – who came by the dressing room area, and this woman was looking in the 4 mirrors the shop had.

She was upset because she ripped one of the dresses as she was trying it on, and she was upset because no matter what her daughter (or myself) told her, she announced that she hates this because she’s too old to be trying on things and expecting them to fit.

My heart broke for her because she didn’t even realize how perfect she was in my eyes, and I saw absolutely nothing wrong with her. 🥺 She was fit. She had tanned glowing skin. Her hair was amazing. She had a great figure, and she looked beautiful in those dresses she was trying on. Her teenage daughter giggled about how picky she was being, and I almost wanted to knock her daughter upside the head when her daughter went to the mirror and started complaining about “flaws” on her own face.

“Ew. Why is this disgusting? Why is this like that?”. Her words to herself as she looked at her reflection.

I wanted to tell the mother and daughter how perfect they are, and how I’d love to look like either of them or wish I could trade bodies / body parts with them because sometimes – I dislike my own, so I get it. To me – they were perfect. To themselves – they saw all the flaws they hated.

It made me realize that each of us has something about ourselves we dislike or hate, and we never know who looks at us in this world and thinks we’re perfect, when we can’t see it ourselves. Who looks at us and says, “She’s beautiful”, when we see something totally different in the mirror? Who looks at us and says, “I wish I had her curves, her hair, her eyes” – when we look in the mirror and see all the things we would love to change about ourselves.

It’s sad honestly.

There is always someone out there who looks at you and thinks you’re amazing, so we shouldn’t be so hard on ourselves and pick apart our flaws, but that’s what all of us do, isn’t it?!

So, when my daughter said she was fat and she’ll never find a dress to fit her – I was aggravated and told her about that mother and daughter complaining about themselves inside of the store – when I saw perfection. How we can be our own toughest critics sometime, and there’s people out there that look at others, want to be them, be like them or look like them – while we can’t see it in ourselves because we’re too busy being our own biggest haters.

I told my daughter how perfect she is. How she’s not fat – she’s Latina and curvy.

How beautiful she is and how many girls wish they looked like her.

How I would love to have her figure and I’d rock it if I was her.

How I wish I looked half as good as she does.

And then – I found myself being my own critic and biggest hater again. Picking apart my own flaws again.

It’s sometimes a sad pattern that many of us deal with and if you say you don’t – you’re lying!

We all have something about ourselves we don’t like, and that’s okay – but don’t let it bring you down!

Embrace whatever you don’t like about you, screw the world if they don’t like what they see, and never forget to compliment others when you can – because it may just make them feel so much better about themselves and the things they dislike.

You never know!

Be the reason someone sees themselves differently today! 💕

I always try to give compliments whenever I can, because it may change someone’s whole way of thinking about themselves.

My daughter and I had the talk about self-confidence and seeing herself in a different way, and how I won’t give up finding her the perfect prom dress before next week – even if I have to pay another $260. I didn’t want to, but if it makes her feel beautiful and she finds the dress she loves, I’m going to go above and beyond.

Thankfully, I was worried about also buying her a graduation dress, but she asked if it’s okay if she wears her favorite flowered summer dress for graduation, and it’s adorable. I absolutely agreed to that, and I’m grateful I don’t have to spend even more money on another dress in a few weeks.

So, the prom dress hunt continues, and I ask for all of your prayers as I go crazy over this one. lol.

She also dropped it upon me today that her friend’s mom wants to come over and hang out with me as our daughters get ready here at my house – like they did for Winter formal. She wants to take photos and have fun with us, and I won’t stop her from doing that. I think she has every right to be here watching her daughter get ready and seeing all the fun the girls have here at my house as they do so.

It’s supposed to be my daughter, and three of her other friends, and I’m looking forward to all the beautiful photos, and excitement that night as they do get ready here.

If you want to giggle – they were all going to go as the “Men in Black” characters.

They were all going to show up in Black dresses with black sunglasses on. 🤣

However, one of the girls found a gold dress, and they all decided not to do the MEN IN BLACK idea.

This journey has been amazing – watching my daughter start 7th grade here at this school when we moved to Minnesota, all the way until now – her Senior year. Seeing all the friends she has made. All the memories she has made. All the extra “adopted children” I now have and call my own because everybody knows at that school – that I’m EVERYBODY’S MAMA! 😁 All the crazy nights of homework and late studying. All the tests. All the high school drama she comes home and tells me about.

I’ll remember it all.

All the “lasts” that are now here – as this chapter of her life comes to an end soon.

I thought her Winter formal was her last dance, and I totally forgot about prom, but this is it.

The very last dance, and then – in a few weeks – cap and gown!

To the Class of 2026 – may all your dreams come true, may life be gentle on you, and may you get to do everything and anything you want to do.

Make life fun. Make lots of memories and be kind to everyone you meet.

As for me – in my own life – I’m just taking it one day at a time, trying to get my daughter graduated and onto the next chapter of her life (EMS classes) / college and preparing for our mini-road trip to IL. in a few weeks.

Love you!

💕Shel💕