Only hours away, not much sleep, kids away in Washington, D.C., on a school trip and soon I will be closing on my own brand new home. I just can’t believe it. Finally our very own home here on the Vineyard. Wow. I have worked so hard my entire life and raising the twins alone for the last nine and a half years has been very hard but rewarding.

I have raised such great kids and now I can offer them a home they can call theirs. Words can’t describe this sense of security or what this means to us. As I sit here writing this letter to my dear family and friends, I am overwhelmed with emotion. The tears keep coming, but they are good tears — tears of excitement, some stressful tears too, but mostly tears of love for all of you.

We have been so blessed to have you remain in our life all these years, especially for those who are so far away. Thanks for supporting me. Today at 2 p.m. I will be signing the papers to own my very first home. This is the best present I could give Kyle and Korrine — I love them so much and they deserve this. If it wasn’t for the awesome support from my parents, I’m not sure I would be able to do this. I am forever grateful to them. It would mean the world to me if one day you could come and see our new home. I welcome your support and miss you all so much. The tears keep coming, so I’m going to end this now.

Karen Altieri is an advertising account manager at the Vineyard Gazette. She recently won, through a town lottery, the right to buy an affordable home at Jenney Way in Edgartown.