Okay so I made you wait a couple years. I promise I will try to get better at this. Now to help you catch up on what happened in 2018, 2019 and so far in 2020.
Let's see...this might be a very short post at least for the years 2018 and 2019.
2018
In 2018, Brad graduated from the Univeristy of Alabama with a BS Degree in Economics and Philosphy in May. He is still dating his high school sweetheart, McKenzie, there is talk of marriage. After graduation, Brad got a job with Reuters as part of their Graduate Leadership Program. Then the division of Reuters that Brad worked for became Refinitiv. He lived in NYC for about six weeks for training and then lived in Chicago for about 9 months before they transferred him to Houston to work as a Customer Success Manager in Commodities and Energy. McKenzie also graduated with a BS in Pharmacy but continued with her graduate studies.
Ashley is a Junior in college and she is doing well academically and heath wise. We finally bought Ashley a car since she will now have clinicals in various hospitals from West Palm Beach, Florida to Miami, Florida plus she wanted to get a job. College is taking a toll on her mentally. I am finding myself driving to Boca Raton just to help her cope. Let's just say Nursing School is not easy at all. Although Ashley's liver disease was stable, she got Strep Throat at least 5 times. I firmly believe that the stress of Nursing School made her sicker than her liver disease did. Ashley did start working and was still able to maintain her great grades. Her goal at this point in college is to graduate with honors and find a job in Labor and Delivery.
As for me, I left my old brokerage in August 2018 and started working for Keller Williams Advantage Realty in Oviedo, FL. This turned out to the best move for my real estate career. I am not a full-time agent, I work part-time but I have an extremely flexible schedule and I am available to my buyers and sellers pretty much 24/7. My first year with Keller Williams, I sold 10 homes. I know 10 homes isn't a lot but I am only part-time. I love what I do, I don't want to ever be to busy that I can't be there for my buyers and seller, I don't want pass them off to an assistant, or TC, I want them to feel confident that I will be with them every step of the way. So if you know anyone looking to buy or sell any where, I have a great referral network. However, if you are looking to buy or sell in the central Florida area, please reach out. I got you!
2019
Brad is in Houston, still loving his job, still with McKenzie. They got engaged in July and are planning an August 2020 wedding.
Ashley is now a Senior in College and is looking forward to graduation...she can't wait, she is over studying...lack of sleep...cramped dorms...but mostly she is over studying. Her favorite part of Nursing School is her clinical rotations..it's where she sees her future. Ashley's liver is stable and happy. Her blood work has been normal or close to normal for many years now. Her platelet count is low but not terribly low, it averages about 115. Ashley is taking care of her own health and scheduling her own doctors appointments one hundred percent of the time.
Joey and I are still working at our jobs, him with the US Navy and me as a Realtor with Keller Williams. Life is grand.
2020
A lot has happend this year so far. Personally, it has been one of the busiest years for our family. Let's see my production with KW started off well. I had many people lined up in my sales pipeline but unfortunately the Pandemic stopped everything. However, I was able to find and close on a house for one of my buyers before things started closing down. Although real estate was considered essential, I choose not to work to stay healthy and to keep my family healthy since we had 4 family weddings to go to this year and two college graduations. COVID was not going to stop us from living. We quarantined but we were still very positive about all of the celebrations happening this year.
Well COVID screwed Ashley out of a proper graduation and McKenzie as well. Both girls had to finish the last 3 months of college online. However, they did graduate. Ashley graduated Cum Laude and received her BSRN and she passed the Nursing Boards to obtain her Multistate License. McKenzie received a Masters in Business Administration and she also got a Doctorate in Pharmacy. I am so proud of these girls; they both worked so hard.
Before I continue...Ashley's disease is still very stable.
Over the summer, we were supposed to attend my nephew, Austin's wedding, but they had to postpone their wedding until November 2021. My other nephew, Chris, was also supposed to get married but they ended up eloping in April due to Covid.
Brad and McKenzie got married in Birmingham, Alabama on August 29 and had a big wedding despite Covid and now they are living in The Woodlands, Texas. McKenzie is a licensed Pharmacist in Texas and is currently looking for work.
My nephew, DJ, got married October 3. See I told you we had a lot going on personally not to mention we went apartment hunting for Ashley, moved Brad and McKenzie into their new apartment before they got married, went to bridal showers, etc. It's been crazy! I was gone one week out of every month since July...crazy! Don't worry people, I wore a mask and followed the CDC guidelines but honesly life doesn't stop because there is a pandemic.
Ashley started applying for jobs and had several job interviews but finally accepted a job at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and is a Nurse in their Transplant and Surgery Unit. We moved Ashley to Nashville at the beginning of October and she started working on October 19. We know she will be in Nashville a mininum of two years but she also plans to go to graduate school at Vandy in probably 2022. She is looking at their RN to DNP path as well as Nurse Midwifery/Family Practitioner Dual Program. So she might be in Nashville until 2025 and beyond. This girl has goals, and I believe she will reach everyone of them.
I finally decided to get back to work and try to sell some more houses. Many of my customers have lost their jobs because of Covid but they have not lost hope and plan to purchase a home in 2021. However, I have been getting a lot of referrals and sold a house recently and my listing is currently under contract. I have buyer that is looking to buy new construction before the end of the year. My goal is to sell one or two houses a month through my anniversary date with KW which is August 1. I know I can do it and referrals help a great deal. I am not a Realtor who cold calls, or door knocks unless it's around my listings, open house or when I have sold a home.
Now that our house is empty...no kids living at home. I am creating projects for myself. We have turned Brad's room into our quest room, Ashley's room is our home gym, the living room will become an office. I am painting walls, furniture and seriously changing the color scheme and look of the interior. I am really looking forward to updating our house. We are not ready to sell or downsize besides our house will paid off very very soon. Change is good and 2020 seems to be the year of change in every way imaginable.
Hopefully we can finish 2020 better than we started it. Stay healthy everyone and I'll see ya next year. Unless of course you want to buy or sell house with me now.....
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