Heather Downey

OK, so we've covered the fact that I was born. I went to grade school at Holy Innocents in Sheraden (I lived across the street), then briefly to Canevin (only 1 semester) and on to Langley High School. I did a bit of everything in school. I always got good grades (until my Senior year), was a cheerleader, on drill team, on stage crew, blah blah. I started working as soon as I turned 16. First at the food court in the mall (how teen movie-ish!), but then, because I could type, I worked for Equifax. I actually typed reports on a typewriter. Really.

So, I graduated in 1988 and went on to Pitt. For a little bit. Hated it. Had a few jobs in between. Worked at Kennywood in kiddieland. Rough. Then, when I was maybe 19, I started working at West Coast Video in Ingram. I also went back to school at a community college, but I never finished. I never really figured out what I wanted to 'be.' I'm not really sure I ever figured that out.
When I was 23 I met my hubby. We dated for a year. I started working as a waitress at TGI Fridays in the Pittsburgh Airport . It was a very fun time of my life. Late nights, cocktails, and lots of new friends. Eventually, (after a year break-up) Tony and I moved in together (well, he moved into my little apartment). By that time I was a bartender, and I was making enough money to start buying cool stuff and going neat places. Tony (aka hubby) was also a bartender. We definitely had fun. We lived in a few different places in Carnegie, and in June of 1998 he finally proposed. We were on vacation in the Outer Banks. We bought our first house in April of 1999 and got married that October.

Well, after we got married we started trying to get pregnant. Along the way, I miscarried twice. I also left TGI Fridays and started working at Applebee's in Robinson (I was one of the opening staff members). Then I moved over to the North Park Clubhouse. I started taking Real Estate classes, and as soon as I finished...I found out I was pregnant. I continued bartending for a few months, but eventually quit and sold real estate full time with Howard Hanna. Becca was born on May 29, 2003 (six and a half weeks early). She was only four pounds, but was otherwise fine. She spent 2 weeks in the NICU and then came home.

When Becca was six months old (and I was on a break from working), we decided to build a house. (Well, the house was in the middle of being built, and we bought it.) I had graduated to suburbia. Weird. Chloe was born on May 25, 2005 (6 lbs 1 oz and 3 weeks early). We had our family all set.

I worked at Howard Hanna until Chloe turned 1. Life was getting just a bit too crazy, and I was getting busy with real estate. I had to pick work or family, and family (of course) won. But I do have to say that I'm extremely glad that I sold real estate. I learned a lot. Especially marketing and negotiations. And if it wasn't for that, I wouldn't have had the chance to start my virtual assistant business, Out of Sight Assistant (which is now closed, but I did it for about a year). Real Estate was definitely one of those things that I'm really glad I did, and I'm really glad I stopped doing. I also met some great people. I don't think that the public realized just how much a REALTOR busts their a** for the money that they make (and how much money they have to put out). Anyway...I digress...

So, that's about where I stand. We live in a small plan of homes (70 or so houses) in a growing area. This is the first time in my life that I've had to get in my car to go ANYWHERE. Weird. I'm totally suburban now...White Picket Fences (although we don't actually have one), pre-school, playdates and all that good stuff. It's fun.

So, I just re-visited this lens after about a year. I'm not EXACTLY stay at home anymore. Tony and I, along with his brother and his wife, bought a restaurant/bar. It's called 'Downey's House' and it's in Robinson Township, PA. Life got really crazy there while we were opening, but we opened in May of 2008 and it's going pretty well. I do get to stay home with the kids, and I'm at the restaurant a few days a week, doing the payroll, paying bills and marketing. It's been fun, and I can't wait to see what else life has in store for us!!!