My Too Tight Jeans

Yesterday I pulled out a pair of black jeans that have been tucked away since last winter. They were tight fitting jeans then but now…well, I could barely squeeze in and fasten the button! But I did. And wore a long, loose shirt to hide the squeeze.

For some reason, I kept them on all day and was so relieved to change into lounge pants and a T-shirt when I returned home.

The reality is that it’s not been a great fitness year for me. I still run regularly but far less than I have in the past. This time last year I had just completed my third full marathon – running and walking 26.2 miles along the hills of Maui, Hawaii overlooking the Pacific. It was an extremely tough race in the heat and hills but a wonderful vacation with my husband.

Looking at my RunKeeper app on my phone, I had logged 679 miles of running by this time in 2018! I’ve got 242 miles so far for 2019 – not bad but almost a third of what I did last year. I still eat healthy-ish but I certainly don’t meal prep or avoid carbs and sugar. I haven’t packed on a bunch of weight but there are a few extra pounds showing up.

My RunKeeper App showing the miles I ran this year vs. last year...Much Less this year.

Meanwhile, I look around me and see friend after friend sharing how they’re much healthier than a year ago – eating better, losing pounds and inches, lifting more weights, running faster and farther. I am amazed and so proud of them! It takes so much discipline, planning and self-control to achieve what they’re doing. It’s great to see people taking charge of their bodies and strive toward healthy living and greater self-confidence.

It is tempting to compare and feel disappointed by my own lack of fitness discipline recently. But I know that’s foolish and totally unproductive. I am still active and healthy. I take care of myself and feel beautiful. And I know that I’m doing what I can in this season of my life.

Unexpected Changes

It is autumn. The season of change. Any my life has been full of it the past few months. Some heart-breaking changes mixed with exciting new things.

Over the summer my husband faced health challenges that we kept more private. Then the tragic accident happened where I worked, resulting in the loss of a beautiful, young friend and co-worker. A few weeks later, I suddenly lost my job.

Yes, I have cried a lot these past few months. And I know many others have too. So many of us in this community have endured tragic, heart-breaking losses. Being forced to say Goodbye to young souls far too early. Unanswered questions lingering in our minds while we grieve.

But we remain. And I believe the best way to honor and remember those we have lost, is to live with purpose, intention and a thankful heart.

A New Goal

Before all the changes and challenges of the summer hit, I had a goal I was working toward. It was something I had thought about for a couple years but never committed to pursue. It would take a lot of time, which is something very precious to a full-time working mother with three young children. But for various reasons, I knew that I would want to make a job change within the year, so I took action.

In May, I signed up to take the 99-Hour Delaware Real Estate licensing course online. I plugged away at it, one hour at a time. Usually I fired up the laptop at 9 p.m. after putting the children to bed and went through a section of the course and took the Exam for that portion. Sometimes I woke up as early as 3 or 4 a.m. to get in a couple hours before getting the kids up and heading to work.

The course material was extensive but not too difficult, since I have been selling new homes for the past 12 years and know a great deal about land, home features, mortgages, etc.  Some weeks, I did not get much done, especially during the challenging times of summer but I pressed on. After the tragic death of my co-worker, who had the same sales position as me, I had no idea what the timeframe would be for making my career change.

It ended up being decided for me. I was let go from my job of 6 years at the end of August. Though that rocked my world a bit, it gave me time to finish what I had started.  Exactly two weeks later, I completed the course while sitting on my couch at 4 a.m. and passed the 3-hour long Delaware Real Estate License Exam the very next day! Victory. What a relief.

I joined a successful real estate team, and my official Real Estate License arrived in the mail just last week! The next few months may not be easy as I establish myself in the highly competitive real estate world, but I’m ready for the challenge. I know a great deal of people in the area and have a proven track record of being able to sell homes. Plus, the faith that God will provide.

My black jeans may have fit too tight yesterday, but I had the realization of a different goal in my hand as I placed that new licensing card in my wallet.

And thus begins a new chapter in our adventurous journey.

In Loving Memory of Kaity

Generally, I don't like to wear waterproof mascara, but about a month ago I purchased some. I needed it to help keep a professional face in the wake of an unbelievable tragedy. Every day I wear it to work to avoid unsightly black mascara smears, just in case there's a weak moment and a few tears escape as I look at the empty office beside me.

It's difficult to put this into words. It's almost impossible to believe it actually happened. But on Sunday, July 21, my dear friends and co-workers Kaity West and Zach Evans had just arrived to work at the model home in Greenwood. I'm often there with them on Sunday, but it was my weekend off. Almost inexplicably, a vehicle ran directly into Kaity's office while she sat at her desk. That day was a blur of activity and emotions for so many. For the next two weeks, the community rallied around this beautiful girl, supporting and praying for her and both her personal and work families, as she was treated under expert medical care.

Our hearts were broken when her journey on this earth ended early on Sunday, August 4. We gathered together on Sunday afternoon, two days ago, to remember and celebrate her beautiful life. Hundreds of people arrived, who had been touched by her positive personality and beautiful soul. We hugged her family and loving boyfriend Andrew, wanting them to know how special she was to all of us and how we ache for their loss.

My way of processing things and healing is to write it out. I did not share anything publicly that day at the gathering, but this is what I wrote that morning as I thought about what I never would have imagined... saying a long goodbye to Kaity West at such a young age. I contemplated whether to share this, but then I thought about what her mother and father asked at the gathering - Keep her memory Alive.

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Today is for Kaity

Over the past month, we have witnessed an incredible outpouring of love and support for this amazing woman who touched the lives of so many in her 31 years. I am one of the fortunate ones, who got to see her almost every day for the past few years.

I first met Kaity West about 6 years when I started working for Bay to Beach Builders. At the time she was a talented loan officer for one of our preferred lenders, Tidemark FCU, and her ability to get my clients construction financing helped me finalize many home sales and even finance my own new home.

Then, I had the opportunity to help her build her first home with Bay to Beach Builders. She was seriously one of my best clients ever. She was organized, decisive and actually did what was asked of her in a timely manner. I was totally impressed by this beautiful, young woman.

When the time came for our sales team to grow 2.5 years ago, Marc Keeler and I were apprehensive about who they would hire. We had a great working relationship in this competitive, commission based sales job. When the Parkers told us they hired Kaity, we were so excited and could not have imagined a better fit for our team! I trained her how to sell a new Bay to Beach home, and we soon were a tight knit team.

Since that time, Kaity and I became more than co-workers sharing an office space, we became friends. We experienced many highs and lows together. We said goodbye as friends and co-workers Marc, Kristy Andrew, and Jeff Murphy moved on. Then we welcomed Zach Evans, Chase Marvel and Evelyne Adams. While all these new youngsters made me feel old, we clicked so well and formed a special bond with Kaity at the heart of it all.

In 2018 Kaity experienced some challenging times in her personal life, but she did not bring drama to work. Instead, she powered through it and came into 2019 with a fresh focus that was impressive. By the end of July, Kaity has sold 20 new homes, far surpassing her total sales from last year and well ahead of both Zach and my sales numbers. She was truly the Sales Super Star of the Year! In addition to a successful sales year, Kaity took on extra projects that she spent a lot of personal time completing. She had put together an electronic version of our home selections in the Design Studio, and we were all impressed.

But it was so much more than these successes that made us love Kaity. She was fun, welcoming, quirky and entertaining. She loved dogs to her core and would play with any that came into the office, sometimes even rolling around on the floor with them. She would eat her healthy meal prepped lunches and pickled peppers for snack. She taught us about make-up and eyelash extensions. She was the SnapChat queen and had sent almost 200,000 snaps, mostly of her dog, healthy food, outings with friends and the beach. She was a great friend to so many, as we can see.

Kaity was strong physically. She woke early and went to the gym most mornings and completed rigorous routines of strength and fitness. She even told me that she could hold a plank for 6-7 minutes. Amazing!

Kaity was strong emotionally. Even when she faced challenges in her life, she didn’t lose her cool. She remained professional and rarely shed a tear in the workplace.

Kaity was strong mentally. She displayed incredible grace and patience with her clients. We see the best and worst of people when they invest hundreds of thousands of dollars with us, and she handled the challenges well. She developed great relationships with her clients and provided them with wonderful service. 

Almost immediately after the accident, family and friends started sharing about her with the hashtag #KaityStrong. Bracelets, stickers, t-shirts, hats and banners were made in a community show of support for her. We hoped, prayed and believed for her healing and recovery. But even as we mourn the loss of such a dear soul, we are Thankful for the positive impact that she had in our lives. And now we will be Kaity Strong Forever!

Girl, we miss you sooo very much!

Your friend,

JuJu