How do you explain a five-year plan to a 7-year-old? You don’t.

My son James wants a dog. So do I, but our apartment lease doesn’t allow dogs, and I’ve resolved myself to accepting that it would be more sensible to get a dog once we have a house.

Right now, I am at the beginning of a five-year plan to get to the point where I could purchase a house. The plan involves saving and paying off debts.

The thing about plans: Life often intervenes. I reached step one of the plan, then step two. Then things started going sideways. I accidently dropped my phone in the toilet. I managed to resurrect it, but a couple months later, I dropped it in a parking lot. At that point, I had to say okay, the phone was fated to die. I bought a new phone. No, it wasn’t in the plan. But it was necessary. I also bought a nice new phone case.

My tax refund was a bit smaller than I expected. And my state taxes are somewhere in limbo. And one of my ex’s checks was rejected by my bank. Sometimes, life interferes with plans. I was pretty much freaked out.

It took a conversation with my financial advisor to remind me I was making progress, and what moves to make next.

Still, when James asked when we could buy a house, I couldn’t say in five years.

I told him we were at the beginning of the process. He couldn’t understand that. He’s still little. Heck, I’m a lot older, and I have trouble understanding. But I have a plan, and a belief that things will work out. Add that to grit and determination, and some luck, and it will happen. That belief keeps me sane.

I am also going to talk with mayoral candidate Dana Grubb about affordable housing. The need for it is clear. The solutions are elusive. I am not the first person to face a housing problem. I hope someday to shake hands with the last.