Chapter 1: The Long Road to a Dream Realized For as long as I can remember, I had dreamed of a place to call my own—a home that would be a sanctuary from the chaos of everyday life. I envisioned a bright, welcoming space where my children could play in a spacious backyard and where

I, finally, could breathe without the weight of constant worry. Every early morning and every late night was spent working hard toward this goal. I took on extra shifts, sacrificed weekends, and even found myself trading sleep for quiet hours at my desk, determined to gather every dollar that could one day unlock the door to my dream home.