Things are looking up for us! I am almost scared to be excited....
This might not be the appropriate place for this, but I wanted to share my good news!
I have posted many times about how we struggle and how hard this economy has hit us. I am a small horse trainer and my husband does construction. We have a small, but lovely farm that we have been trying to make support us for the past 3-4 years. It is trying, but the facilities are really limited, so I have had a hard time luring customers away from the larger, fancier farms. I have managed to fill the place, but it doesn't offer enough stalls, there isn't an actual arena...anyway, we have managed to do OK there, but the potential is limited. Plus, it is ten miles from our house and we have to be back and forth a lot just in a day and the gas was killing us.
I got wind of a large, GORGEOUS facility 2.5 miles from my house that was empty for awhile, but the owner decided to put it up for lease. I got to them before they put it up publicly. And today I signed the lease on the perfect place for us!! The owner was very cool about giving us time to build the business up and the lease is arranged in a way that allows me to pay more as we fill the place up! That means that we aren't saddled (pun intended) with huge overhead while we are trying to get this place off the ground.
I just cannot believe it. It has an indoor arena (the only true indoor arena in our area), full size dressage arena, jumping ring, round pen, two nice barns, clubhouse with air conditioning and 30 acres of turnout.
And get this...I have already had a call about a new boarder AND a new student and we just announced that we are moving to this place today!!
It is going to be a ton of work and we WILL struggle, but I feel like we have a chance now. I keep wanting to pinch myself or wait for something bad to happen, but everything has gone so smoothly.
This is a dream come true and a better opportunity than I could have ever wished for. Sorry to gush, but we have been struggling for so long, it is nice to have good things happening for a change!
= new reply since forum marked as read
GO FOR IT!!!!! 
I know you'll do well. Hang in there, and watch while your work makes your dreams come true!
I'm delighted to hear that your persistence and proactiveness have paid off. As you pointed out, there will be hard work ahead, but you will press on, with great results. Thanks for sharing!!
I'll bet you feel like this:
Good news pulls us all up a little, don't be sorry for gushing! Congrats on your good fortune. 
when you share good news like that. Best of luck to you.
glad for you. You deserve it. good luck!
Sounds like a great opportunity. 
This is wonderful news. Best of luck!
So happy for you. Someday, if we old hippies get our dream, we'll be able to retire to a place where we can raise llamas or alpacas,as well as be a rescue place for donkeys & horses, goats, & wolf hybrids. (we have 4 hybrids now, two were rescued & 1 I trained to be Ric's assistance dog.).
Our story needs a little karma so I thought I'd put it out here & invite some karma our way on the heels of your good fortune. We lost our teaching position after 23 years (teaching for 35 in total) & I say we because my husband is legally blind & for the last 13 years I have been our driver in chief & his assistant, aid, & driver. He was given pink slip in May. This was due to his long tenured position and the fact that he made too much money. About 4 yrs ago he & 7 other teachers in our age group were promoted to annual contracts. A normal contract is 9 months. Ric (RJLobo422) has his Masters in special ed & PHd in education, technology & learning. Regardless of his students & excellent reviews they let him & 7 other teachers go saying..."we eliminated annual positions". They promoted the few longest and tenured, beloved, educators just so 3 years later they could "eliminate annual positions",, thus going around union ruless re: tenure. Normally, that couldn't happen with union rules...but they eliminated ALL of the 220 day i.e. annual contacts permanently. We are still paying off his student loans but I hope it will all work out one way or the other.
They wanted to eliminate all of the longest, most dedicated, highest paid, teachers even though they were sent to any site, regardless of their current students. These students were not from easy family situations. The fact that these kids & young adults were succeeding much more with my husband than ever before didn't matter to the bean counters nor to the Superintendent. My guy worked with troubled kids, comeback kids, (pregnant girls who left school to have baby & came back to graduate from HS). He taught independent study, dyslexic kids, adhd, & kids in chairs. He was beloved. He did it all & The Riverside County office of Edu said they would put him in first available position & never did. The kids were told he retired. Temp retirement is his only choice now, but he applies every day for teaching positions that he sees online.
We are positive & hopeful, & reading your good fortune makes me think we will get this figured out job wise, legal wise, & maybe find a way to eventually relocate to a place we can find a small farm, some like minded progressive folks, & see our farm dream come true.
YOUR STORY GIVES ME A KARMA VIBE & YOU DESERVE IT ALL! GOOD ON YOU ALL!
(I say we lost our job due to the fact that I am the only driver & the last 4 years he was sent to 4 or 5 different schools in the alternative education programs. Riverside county encompasses approx. 300 miles all told. Up until the "promotion" he taught in or near our town...which was 5-15 miles each way x 2 since I drive. Riverside County is located in the southern CA desert. Our county office of education stretches to the city of Blythe to the east, Temecula, to the south, Jurupa, Riverside to the west. They did it all on purpose, knowing what a difference he made in so many lives, yet due to his not driving they thought all the changes would make him say"enough"! He stuck it out so they ended it themselves.
Public education in general is top heavy in administration, which only ends up hurting the kids, families, & in the end...our country. I hope in my heart of hearts that for every kid or young adult, or teacher... that it gets better for theom & their families. We will be ok eventually. This I know. Why...because I believe in the law of KARMA! 
That post was my saying good for you & people like you & yours deserve it! WoooHooo
I got carried away a little but it sure felt great reading your story. Where are you living? If we are ever in the area we'll come pet your horses for sure! xxoo
It's always good to hear that things are turning around for a DUer.