Getting Financially Free

The start of our journey to become financially free: Well, we have always tried to live on a budget and stay out of debt. When Dave went through school we didn't do loans we just did our best to save for it and pay it off each semester. We tried to have a budget but it seemed like our money always went every which way. Well, before Gordon was born we felt like we needed a bigger car to fit three kids in then our lumina. So we upgraded to a mini van, maybe a too big up an upgrade cause we went into debt. I just HATE debt.

Well, we paid the payments and wasn't working after Gordon was born. So Dave worked an extra job to pay for things. Then I was blessed with an AWESOME job! Which has been such a blessing! Well, I was stressing at the end of the summer about being in debt, what we should do with the van. Maybe we should sell it, but we decided to stay with our choose of buying it and paying it off.

Well, in September Mark and Mary came into town. Kristi and I started to talk to Mary about finances and She started to talk about Dave Ramsey and his 7 step program, and how much they believe in it and how they soon will be paying off there house. Well, we talked about ways to start getting out of debt and the different steps. And she gave us some advice, which for me it was an answer to a prayer. Mark came in to see what all the talk was about, and they said that they believed in his principles so much that would send us his book. We said yes, and in October we started our Money Makeover.

It has become such a blessing in our marriage to be on the same page financially and to be so intense or Gazelle as Dave Ramsey puts it, to not spend money when we really don't have it!

Well, we really put our budget into a working one. So that we will actually have a nice Christmas cause we have saved all year for it, saving for clothes so when the need comes then we can use the money that is set aside. It is a no brainier for some, but for us those little things have really helped us! We had step one, our 1000 dollar emergency fund, already. So onto step two onto chipping away at the debt (and saving for a new roof). We worked really hard to buy things that was only on our budget. I started to pick up lots of on call shifts, we made signs to remind us our goal, and when we wanted to something we shouldn't we would remind ourselves that we were GAZELLE! Well, we had our goal set of September that we would be out of debt. That is what we looked for. Well, we found out that we were expecting and things in my mind started to stress about how we would work on our 3rd step making our 3-6 month of expenses in savings. Well, at the same time We started going to some finances classes in the stake. I felt that we were doing what we were suppose to be doing with have our family when the Lord wanted us to, that it would work out. Well, I believed that but it didn't really help. I knew taxes were coming and last year we had to pay. I just worried and stressed. Well, about a month ago I was cleaning (the kids were at preschool, and Gordon was sleeping), and had this impress come out of nowhere "It will be alright, I will take care of it". It was so reassuring, and I started thinking about ways that we were blessed with Jonathan when we couldn't really afford it and how we had AFLAC and he was in the NICU and it paid for the entire delivery of his and mine. I KNEW that the Lord would take care of us as we continued our plan of staying financially free. Well, two weeks later my brother, who was doing our taxes, texted me the amount of return that we were going to get back. I couldn't believe it, it was almost to the dollar of how much to owed on our van. I KNEW that Heavenly Father was indeed taking care of us as he told me he would! It feels so good to start on step 3, so that we will have a little savings before the baby comes! I feel so blessed in so many ways! I had lots of ideas of what I wanted with our finances, like trying to pay off our house, but Dave Ramsey helps you make that reality when you have all your ducks in a row! Thank you Mark and Mary for being an answer to my prayers!

Forget Not!

I loved this talk it was wonderful and what I needed to hear!

Hercules

Tonight for family prayer Jonathan wanted to say it. Dave asked Jonathan to pray! Jonathan usually has a set prayer, but he has been branching out and thinking more about the things he says.

This is about how his prayer went tonight. Dear Heavenly Father, bless the carrots and the tomatoes to grow, and bless the carrots and the zucchini to grow and bless the watermelon to grow (which we don't have in our garden), bless that I will grow big, bless that Sarah will grow, and bless that I will grow strong like HERCULES, bless that we go to trafalga and climb the wall (bless and thankful at this time are the same in Jonathan's prayer) and then he closed his prayer!

His Hand

I want to write down my feels of things that have been happening in our life! After having Gordon and before that I have been wanting to be home, I have wanted to be able to have more time with my children- for they will only be little for such a short time. I thought that when I went on Maternity leave that I would go back to the hospital on PRN (or as needed). When the time came to start getting my schedule together, it just didn't feel right to go back to the hospital. The 12 hour shift just wasn't going to work with Dave and I. I wanted to be home!! I felt strongly that I wasn't supposed to go back, and I was at peace with it. I was enjoying being at home, and so was Dave.

Although, it was very much of a burden on Dave's shoulders to provide financially for our family. He worked hard and worked an evening job, for awhile. He also started his own little business on the side to do deliveries. But, everything just didn't cut it. I felt the burden myself and felt that I could help out. One of the reasons that I into nursing was to be able to be home and help out financially as needed. Well, i started looking into home health and hospice. I called around everywhere- but no one was really hiring. So I stopped and then I felt the need again. So I called the same places and was going to send my resume in if needed. But, one of the companies was hiring, which last week they weren't. So the manager said she wouldn't talk to me even though I didn't have home health experience. The position she needed was a on call/PRN position. It felt right , and it felt good. I thought that I had the job! But with people in the small company they did some moving around and they ended up not needing me. I was bummed, but moved and enjoyed being home. So the next week, I emailed and faxed companies my resume and left as that.

A few weeks past, and on Monday another company wanted to interview me and needed a part time person/PRN. I set up an interview with them on Thursday. Well, I talked with the manager and at first I didn't know how it would work with my family? But was we talked I thought I could do one-two pts at a time. She pretty much offered the job to me, but I needed to think about it and talk to Dave about it. My Dad was watching Gordon (Jonathan and Sarah were at a friends house), so called to tell him I was on my way home. He asked how it went and I told him and I said that the previous job was better but I thought this would work. I felt that by saying that, I let the Lord know what I wanted and was thinking and he blessed me- IMMEDIATELY. About 2:30 Dave was home for lunch and we were talking about the pros and cons of the job. I got a random phone call, we were out of minutes, but I felt like I should answer it. It was the Manager from the first company I interviewed with and she said they did actually did need me. I just started to laugh, and she was really nice and told me they really wanted me and to choose them. I told her I would get back to her about my decision by Today. Well, when I got off the phone. I KNEW that the Lord was blessing me, and it was no coincidence that she called me today. I know that as I try to be faithful in the little things in my life such as prayer and husband/wife scripture study he blesses me. But, he continues to bless me and I am able to see it more easily how he is blessing our life's and directing our paths!

My thoughts

Well, I thought that I would write down some of my thoughts. The big thing that that is going on is that Jonathan is not sleeping or having a hard time. We started this back when we came home from California. It has been very hard two weeks. We cut out naps, which is so hard for me cause this is my quiet time, although I knew it was coming to an end. But, even cutting out naps didn't help. It would be one thing if he just wasn't sleeping, but there is outrageous crying and wanting the other parent, wanting to sleep in our bed. So for the first few days after Dave was done with patience, it was my turn (being around 1 am). I was so tried and having to work the next day. I would either put him into bed with me or lay him on the ground. Well, after doing my four days of work close together, and having over a week off. I decided that we needed to figure something out. He was saying he was scared of monsters, so I had this thought that I should read a book series to him. We have started reading the Magic Tree House Series. He really enjoys it, I will read to him tell he is either alseep or almost there. But, he will wake up and after 1 or 2 hours. Then the shift work begins with Dave and I. We have rearranged his bedroom at Jonathan's request, given him little treats in the morning if he stays in his bed. We have had to shut his door, which doesn't seem that bad. But, Jonathan is VERY scared of the dark and this freaks him out. He screams and kicks- he did this for about 45 minutes, but he was so worked up that he was about to throw up. He finally calmed down and Dave opened the door. We have only had to do that once. The last two nights have been the most successful, so we are hoping that he is getting out of this phase. So we are doing 21 days in his room and when he has done this he gets big reward either Chucky Cheeses or making his own build a bear. He hasn't choose yet! However, the one thing that has come from this is more one on one time with me, which is nice. He usually wants me to read to him at night and we read a little during quiet time. I have enjoyed this part of it.
Another subject that has been on my mind recently is Motherhood. I am so thankful that Heavenly Father has blessed me with Jonathan and Sarah, and another one on the way. I am thankful at this time in my life that Heavenly Father blessed me with Jonathan and Sarah so close together. I remember when I found out that I was pregnant with Sarah. I didn't know how I would do it. But, Heavenly Father has given me little blessings and tender mercies to help me when they both were so small, and now they are so close and love to play with each other (most of the time), and Sarah just loves Jonathan she will come up to him randomly and just put her head on his lap and he will just stroke her hair. It is so precious! With that said I do believe that each one of us has a plan of our own of rearing children and when to have them. I do feel that this is a scared responsibility between my husband, me and Heavenly Father. I know that this little one is supposed to come to our home at this time. I do feel that there is another one to come after her. I might surprise or shock people about the timing of my children, but that is between Dave, me and Heavenly Father. You might ask me how many I am going to have or when the next one will come. I do not know, but I do know that we will have as many as the Lord wants us to have!

Happy Easter!

He Lives!

http://www.youtube.com/mormonmessages#p/u

Life

These are some pictures of this last week, and they seem to be all of Sarah! Oh well, that is just how it is! Some weeks it is more pictures of Jonathan then Sarah!

Sarah absolutely loves watermelon, she must take after her Mom!!
This past week my Mom and I were able to Met up with a great friend of ours that we grew up with in California. Oh how I miss Kirsti!! It was great to talk with her and see where the Lord has has directed her paths. It was a good reminder that we all have different paths we are supposed to take, each id different, one is not better then the other just different! It is wonderful to see how she is doing good in New York and making a difference out there! The kids loved her! Sarah wanted to be held by her and wanted to continually touch her with her gross hands! Jonathan picked up her name way fast, it may help that we have a cousin named Kirsten. We ate lunch at the MOA, after we looked at some exhibits and if Kirsti wasn't moving as fast as Jonathan wanted he would say "Come here, Kirsten". It was way fun to see you Kirsti!

Sarah loves to be nakey, and she recently has found a new toy she like!

Sarah is growing up so much, I really don't think that she is almost 18 months old since she isn't walking it just makes me think that she is still little. But then I caught glances of her when she is actually walking she just looks like a big toddler! Sarah is doing more and more walking which is great! I try to encourage her to walk and not carry her, cause she just loves to be carried! Sarah is starting to sign more, she has made up her own sign for birdy. She is starting to say a few more words such as : hi, Dada, Mama (but she is actually directing them to us), she is getting the P syllable for Papa. It is coming! I need to help her with more sign words cause she just gets frustrated when she can't communicate and just squeals! Her hair is getting so blonde these days and way long in the back!

We are finally getting tomatoes out of our garden, little by little, and I totally forgot how amazing fresh grown tomatoes are! We are continually painting and almost half way done and getting better with each section! Happy Birthday Sweetie!! I have a wonderful husband that works so hard for our family and is working today. He is also, willing to pint on his Birthday! We are celebrating on Saturday, but I have a few surprises for him when he gets home! When I asked him what he wanted for his Birthday, he said he just wanted a Happy wife and kids!! Well, I guess he got one present already! We got an early present, this past weekend one of the mangers at Costco told Dave that after his student teaching was done he would have a job at Costco when he is done! We don't know all the details of it, but that is okay we just wanted a job to help pay the bills! With how the economy is it is a major blessing. A while back we fasted that we could keep Dave's job during student teaching, after the fast we both were at peace that everything would work out. Then the weeks to follow they just didn't seem to be working with him, and we both got very frustrated because we were losing a lot besides his job. But now we know that there is a job waiting for him maybe not in the pharmacy, but Heavenly Father can see the big picture and he is blessing us little by little, and helping us put different pieces into the puzzle!

I love this clip, I just think it is way cute, when they enjoy each other and play together! (Prior to taping Jonathan was helping Sarah all by himself without us saying that anything!

Joesph is here!

Kristi had her sweet baby boy on Monday. I was able to be at the delivery. My job description was photographer and ice giver! Birth is amazing!! I saw some deliveries in nursing school, but it isn't the same when you are not up there close and personal, and it wasn't your sister I just didn't feel that bond before. Kristi is an amazing pusher, she pushed him out in about 25 minutes (which I think that is awesome)! I followed taking pictures of Joesph till he had to go to the NICU to help him with his breathing! Thank you so much Kristi and Jason for letting me experience the birth of Joesph with you guys, I feel very blest!

My thoughts

Today I went for a run (rather a jog, I was just enjoying thinking and listening). I am thinking bout doing one last tri before the season is done. Well, Dave downloaded the Henry B Erying book on his Zune for me. It has been really nice think about what he is saying and have time to ponder. As I was pondering I came upon thinking about my calling. I am in the nursery, which is good and bad at the same time. It is very nice because Sarah is not 18 months yet and we would be just out in the halls cause she wouldn't be able to sit the entire time. But, it is hard cause I feel that at church I want to enjoy and be filled with the spirit. But I am lucky to be able to really listen in sacrament and then we go straight into nursery. It makes it hard to get my spiritual fill. I am been struggling with it, but as I have pondered about this I have felt that I should sign up for an institute class in the fall to help me get spiritually filled. In lessons in nursery I try to bear my testimony so if I m the only that feels the spirit of my testimony then that is okay. Well, listening to Pres Erying he talked about his amazing Dad that had bone cancer and how he was pulling weeds for the Lord (there is a long story a long with it that I won't repeat). But it made me think that I am in the Lords errand in the nursery, if that is where he needs me I am doing for him. Although it is hard to not get a break and be spiritually feed, I will pull the weeds for him!

This summer is going so fast I just can't believe it. I feel that I have so many things to do, with the house and plus normal life and piano. Piano continues for me during the summer, and I have made goal for the next recital to memorize my next piece which will be very challenging but I think I need to do it. In theory this last week, i finally figured out how to figure out the V7 cord, which my teacher has been trying to teach me but it just hasn't clicked. However I finally figured it out on my own and showed my teacher and I was so excited for myself (It was a little thing)

As we are almost done with school in December, and it has became very stressful for us not knowing what the next step will be in our lives! We are trying to step forward with faith but it is HARD. I just want to have a little piece of the puzzle given to me! PATIENCE, I know but once gain that it hard!

Sarah stood for the first time this past week, and that is awesome and exciting for us since tomorrow she will be 17 months! These are some of my thoughts for today being kind of like my journal

Temple Trip

They were so excited to play with each other!!

Dave captured this- Isn't it sweet!

Last weekend we were able to go up to Logan to be at The Wright Families Sealings. We left very early to get there on time. On the way up Sarah was crying and Jonathan was trying to comfort her. He said "It ok Sarah goin' tempole" It was so cute. Jonathan would point out each temple that he saw along the way. We has this nice lady from there ward watch the kids from the sealing!

The sealing was so nice, it was nice to be reminded of the things that we need to be doing and also to sit and feel of the spirit and be inspired of things to make us be better. I think that one of the best things of the sealings was when there two little kids walked in the room and the spirit was so strong. It was incredible to see this family be sealed for time and all eternity. It was wonderful to see where this family has come with the use of the Atonement in their lives! We are so proud of them to get to this point.

Afterwards we were able to spend time with the family. It nice to relax and talk and just be together. Jonathan and Kirsten were excited to play together! And Sarah just kept saying "ba ba" and point to Jericho or patting him, I thought it was so cute! It was a nice day trip

Thoughts

Thoughts: I have many thoughts on my mind. I have found old friends on facebook, which puts a smile on my face to become once again reacquainted. As one of my friends has or is going through a hard time with losing a precious daughter. As I have read many care pages and posts on her blog. My heart is filled with compassion for everything that she has gone through. But, the one thing that has hit me the hardest is through this hard trial in her life she has found JOY in the journey. Yes, she is hurting, but she finds joy in the little things that her daughter brought to her! As I think about what is to come for my life, I wonder will I too have a child that has a LOT of special needs? Over a month ago coming home from the gym in the early hours of the morning before the roads where busy I was listening to Dave's Zune and the thought came to me that Heavenly Father is preparing me for something, and that it is possible that I might have a child that has special needs. But that is OKAY, I will love that child because they have so much to give me and teach me. As I pondered upon those thoughts. I thought if this is the case Heavenly Father then I need more time before I bring another on into our sweet family! I need time to get these two little ones not so dependent on me. Now I think back to when I was told we possible would have a child with trisomy 13. I was terrified all I wanted was a MIRACLE, a "normal" child. But, now I my heart has changed. I have matured (just a little). I will take whatever personality of a child that Heavenly Father give me or spirit that is very dependent upon me. I have more faith and trust in Heavenly Father now then I did back then. I would say that I am wiser! So with that said, who knows what will happen or what kind of children we will have have. But, one thing that is for certain is that our arms will be wide open to receive them!

Open House

This is Jonathan in the bus going up to the temple!

This past Friday we went to the Draper Open house! It was so beautiful, there was a wonderful spirit there. I loved the African cherry wood through out the temple. Going to the open house, it brought Back fond memories from my childhood. I remember going to the Las Vegas temple and driving at night to go to it, and just remembering that going at that way for the open house it must be a wonderful place and it was. I also remember going to the San Diego temple, I was older, going with my Aunt Loretta's family and also with the Young Men and Young Women. Temples are a sacred place where we make sacred covenants with the Lord! I am really glad that I went to start the tradition of bringing my children to open houses so they one day will remember it with fondness like I did, even though Dave couldn't go cause of work. I couldn't have done it without my Dad holding Sarah the entire time.

My thoughts

This afternoon during "my time" I decided that I would just enjoy my presents that I got from Christmas. I decided I could clean later. I taught myself how to use my label maker. I absolutely love it! I have made tons of labels in the laundry room and on random things. I need to organize more to be able to put more labels on things. The other thing I have been doing is enjoying the book and CD my parents gave us by Elder Erying. It is wonderful already. While reading it I had this impression that I should write it down, and since this has become somewhat my journal. I will write it down. Yesterday I had to work. Because of the schedule and the holidays I have had to work every Sunday this month. Which I can't say that I am happy about. But, an awesome thing about living in Utah is that we are able to take the sacrament, which for me is a big blessing. Well, yesterday prior to taking the sacrament I was listening to this doctor chew this nurse out over the phone, being very arrogant as he did. It was the same doctor that chewed me out over the phone the week before about not texting him the right way. I felt this doctor isn't considerate and forgets that us nurses aren't perfect. I wanted him to think about what he says to us nurses. So I was going to give him a piece of my mind. But, he was doing a dictation and they called us back to take the sacrament. I thought to myself, "after I will talk to him." We received the sacrament and received a thought from one of the ladies, with her thought the spirit was strong. After receiving the sacrament and hearing the thought; I commitment to myself to be a little better. When I left the room and then went to talk to the doctor I decided against it. It wasn't going to change the doctor and it would just make me upset and drive the spirit away. So I opted against it. I know that the power of the spirit is real and through the spirit it can bring me closer to Heavenly Father, if I let it and obey his whisperings!

2 years from today....

Yes, I am a mother. The first time holding my baby. I remember not knowing how to hold him, or what to do. I felt so inadequate to be a mother, I always knew I would be a mother when that time came, but I never dreamed of it in my mind. But, I have to say that I love being a mother, it is one of the most wonderful gifts that Heavenly Father has bestowed upon me. I feel so blessed to have these wonderful children in my life forever. It has been hard, but I think once I realized that Jonathan walks at his own beat of his drum. Being a mother became a lot easier for me. I am so thankful for my Jonathan who brings so much joy to Dave and I (and all that know him). He is a wonderful boy that loves life!

2 years from today I became mother! This is a picture of me about 3 weeks before I was due. I can't find any closer to my due date, I think it is because I didn't take any because I thought I was huge. Although in retrospect I wasn't big at all, maybe just swollen. But here I am before I was a mother. I was not sure what to expect. I was scared and nervous because of everything that the Doctors had told us that might be wrong with our little boy. I was stressed a lot of the time, instead of enjoying my first pregnancy. If I would have gone back, I would have just had the first ultrasound and let him be and not listen to the doctors of what could have been wrong with him. BUT, of course that is now looking back. I have been thinking a lot about the weekend that Jonathan was born. I was admitted to the hospital for PIH (Pregnancy induced hypertension), but I of course was in denial and thought that I was just stressed and thought that the nurse just needed to use a manuel cuff and that it would be fine. I am not sure if you have herd that a nurse is the worst patient and yes that was me. I was so upset that the doctor, not Dr Wolsey and that was half the problem because my Doctor was out of town, was admitting me I had an agenda and that was to have Jonathan on Monday morning when Dr Wolsey was in town ( I was going to have Jonathan early anyways because my placenta wasn't giving him the nutrition that he needed). Well, I just rested a lot and waited. Well, Sunday morning they were going to start to soften my cervix, which they applied some gel. Well, it didn't do much to my cervix but Jonathan wasn't tolerating the small little contraction, that I couldn't even feel. So later that afternoon I had heartburn, so I asked for some milk. The nurse came in and told me that things weren't looking good and that the Doctor needed to come and talk with me. He felt that Jonathan was so small and that he wasn't even tolerating small contractions that he wouldn't tolerate full on contractions, so he felt that I needed to have a c- section. And with the plan before, I was going to get the gel the Sunday night and soften my cervix and send me home till Monday morning so then I could have Jonathan with Dr Wolsey. However, if we would have stuck to my agenda we never would have know that Jonathan was having problems, and something horrible could have happen. A stronger testimony that Heavenly Father is in charge and he knows what needs to happen and to trust him was reaffirmed to me that day. So Dr Thrope told me that it would be in my and my babies best interest to have a c-section within the next 2 hours. I of course knew that this is what was suppose to happen, but I wasn't happy with it first Dr Wolsey wasn't there and second I had the prefect baby delivery in my head ( you know Dave on my one side, my mom and my sister and the excitement...), well that didn't happen. All my family came to support me, and I was wheeled in and Dave was in his marshmallow suit. And they delivered him at 6 pm on October 22, 2006 Jonathan David, and Dr Thrope said as he was delivering him and showing him over the drape to me, "That he won't win any weight competitions, but he is healthy".

So as I got stitched up Dave watched Jonathan, and they tried to send him to the well baby nursery, but he was 40 grams shy of the requirement to be there. So he was sent to the NICU. As you will see up about that is me holding Jonathan in the NICU. I then was sent to my room in the postpartum floor. That night I started to have my own problems. I started to have a few liters of oxygen put on me, and an O2 monitor on me. So I couldn't sleep cause every time that I was started to fall asleep it would beep. I couldn't breath I started developing a cough, and by the end of the night I was on 10 liters of oxygen. Finally The nurse called Dr Wolsey, he gave me some lasix and something else I can't remember. I finally started to get an hour or two of sleep. Well, at 5:30 I woke up and that motherly insist was in me. I felt panicked I needed to see my baby. However, I couldn't move I just had surgery, I still couldn't breath. It was about shift change and of course when I called, no one was going to let me leave to see my baby, and I am totally sick and the nurse was going to kill me by the end of the night. So I finally say Dr Wolsey and I had to go and do all these test to figure out what was wrong with me. I didn't get to go see Jonathan till early that afternoon. But, then I was exhausted, emotional, and needed sleep. And on top of that I couldn't feed him (or attempt to) cause I had contrast through my IV for a CT scan. They finally found out that I had pulmonary edema! So I stayed in the hospital longer then most and the nurses were of course done with me and I was done with them. Jonathan stayed in the hospital for 10 days to gain weight and learn how to eat. It was very hard to be discharged from the hospital and not bring my Jonathan home with me even though I knew that was what was going to happen. We finally brought him home, it was a wonderful day!

Sarahs Day

This was a wonderful day! Thank you for all that came and supported us on this great day! Dave gave a nice blessing. Then after church we had lunch (thanks again Mom and Dad). Then we enjoyed each others company, by eating talking, playing games, and the kids playing outside. It was lots of fun! I am glad that it is over, we are all exhausted and ready for life to get back on its normal routine, esp Jonathan!

General Conference

The boys making breakfast!!

We always enjoy Conference weekend! But, yesterday was great to sustain Pre Monson and to be part of the solemn assembly! For some reason I don't remember sustaining Pre Hinckley, although I was in 8th grade. But, it was awesome to see the different groups sustain him, and the wonderful spirit that was felt! It is great weekend to be spiritually uplifted. I loved it!