Merry Christmas from the Youngs!

Below is this years' Christmas letter and photograph. All family and friends have received them now, so it's okay to post! ;) Be sure to click on the image for a larger view!

We Moved!

Nothing has changed too much - life is crazy, as usual.

Last week, we moved! It's about time! After losing the house, we had to stay in our old (not so nice) apartment until we could get back on our feet and move - moving is expensive!

We did downsize - we had to if we wanted to stay in Noblesville (as well as in a nicer apartment). We traded our 2nd bedroom for a washer and dryer. It was worth it. We have made our dining room an office. Who needs a dining room when you're so busy anyway? We'll get some TV trays until kids come along, and we will be just fine! ;) I'll have to post pictures once everything is in it's place. We are also on the first story (we do NOT miss the third story stairs at all).

We ordered a new living room set two weeks ago. It could take up to 6 weeks to get here, so we are getting antsy. We can't wait! We were on a hand me down love seat sleeper sofa (that has been through 3 generations). We also had a hand me down recliner that had seen better days. We ordered a chaise sofa, rug, arm chair, and ottoman. We are relaxing in the bedroom for now, since we don't have any furniture out in the living room at the moment.

While it is great to get new furniture, it was even better that our old furniture went to a family in need (someone we didn't even know). We had to get rid of our sofa, chair, and dining room table before we moved. We sold the recliner, but couldn't get the table or sofa sold. I asked around at church and we got a private request from a single mom of 6 that they needed furniture because the ex-husband literally left them with nothing. It felt so great to give them furniture to get through this time. The sleeper sofa was also nice because it sounded like a lot of them were sleeping on the floor.

Anyways, back to the new place. Our shower/bath pooped out on us Friday night. The water was literally down to a trickle. Maintenance came and can't fix it until Monday - sounds like they need to suction out the pipe. All I can say is, I hope it's fixed tomorrow because I would LOVE to take a shower Tuesday morning. I've been taking baths (filling the tub from the kitchen sink - pot by pot), but I sure am thankful for showers. 

Mia also went trick-or-treating at PetSmart yesterday morning. She is Miss Piggy this year. ;)

New Job!

I accepted a job at Panera Bread this week. I filled out the application on Monday, got a call on Tuesday, and interviewed/was hired on the spot Wednesday. What a crazy turn of events!

I'm happy to finally find a job because:
1. Bills need to be paid, and we are already behind.
2. Classes start in 2 weeks.
3. I CAN GET OUT OF THE APARTMENT!

I emailed my contact at IU Bloomington a few times during the past 2 weeks about the status of my application. After not hearing a peep since my interview, I decided I did not want to let Panera Bread go and went ahead and accepted the offer.

But Ashleigh, why Panera Bread? You are ridiculous for stooping down to such a low level.

Well...in a few weeks I will be working 60 hour work weeks (Panera + teacher assistant at school) as well as taking a full load of Graduate cla
sses...after taking a semester off. I really did not want to wait any longer for a job. It's already going to be stressful starting classes back up again. If we would have had to pick up, move, and have me start a new stressful job + classes and lots of commuting....

Yeah. That's why. So no, not ridiculous. Smart. It's time to focus on my Masters and finish that up.

I'm actually really excited about this opportunity. It's as a shift supervisor. The first 90 days will mainly be training (learning all of the positions and duties). Once I get 2 employees trained, I'll be making salary instead of hourly (+ benefits!). I've always had strong leadership skills and I haven't been able to put them to work in the last year. I'm way too excited. I'm also thrilled to be meeting new people. After being in Noblesville for a year now, I have yet to meet many people. I did join a women's Bible study group this summer and made some friends! Now working at Panera, I feel like more friends will be made. So incredibly happy about this.

What's another perk? Free food! I won't get free food until I'm "officially" a manager, but they still offer a hefty discount on meals! It sounds like any leftover bakery items at the end of the night can go home as well - we will see what happens on Monday!

I am also thrilled to get out of the apartment. I love my time with Mia and the boys, but I've been stir crazy. My first day at Panera is Monday! There is a bread baking seminar and then they want me to stay and help close so I can see closing procedures (since I will mainly a day worker).

This is exactly where God wanted me and I couldn't be happier.

Welcome to the Family, Bo! (& Life Update)

After picking up Oscar up at the vet last Monday, we went inside the humane society to see if his brother was still there. Bo was there alright, but not the happy kitten I remembered. He was very depressed looking and his fur was so dirty. After closely monitoring his profile on their website all week, I could not believe he still had not been adopted by Friday!

We went in on Friday, ready to add another furbaby to the family. Unfortunately, he was at the vet getting neutered...so we couldn't get him until Saturday. On Saturday, Jon was gone for a guys weekend, so I got to the humane society right when they opened to get Bo. He still seemed depressed and was very anxious the whole car ride home. Once I got him home, he ran around like a crazy cat. He was very, very scared. Oscar hissed when he first saw him, then they immediately bonded again. They've been inseparable ever since - we're so happy we kept these brothers together!

Mia still hasn't figured out how to play with kittens. She was so used to 13 pound Ying, and now she has 4 pound kittens. We have to constantly remind her to be gentle. It's going to take some time, but I think she's finally learning.

Bo seems more comfortable here (less terrified) and his fur finally feels clean! I think we have a pair of very happy kitties. They have also been eating all of their food! The first few days, they were barely eating anything, which made mommy and daddy a bit nervous.

They've been such a blessing this last week and a half. I love them both so much. I originally thought Oscar would be the cuddle bug, but Bo is starting to come out as a sweetheart. I think Oscar keeps reassuring him that he'll be okay and we're a good family.

Bo is on the left, Oscar on right

Last night, we got the call that Ying is ready to be picked up. We are going to go get him this evening. I'm still so, so sad about him leaving us. While the new babies have been a blessing, we still miss Ying. Even Mia misses Ying - they were best buddies (even though they did fight a lot). I keep hoping all of it was just a nightmare that I have yet to make up from. We are still working on what we want to do for him. On our list so far is a memory album and a shadow box with his bowtie(s), favorite toys, and pawprint).

Now for a job update - still nothing. Some of you have been asking, I did get a job offer last week from a company. I accepted the offer, and the salary they sent me was not what they had originally proposed. I rejected the offer because I just did not have good feelings about all of the shadiness that was happening. I do have an interview in Bloomington next week, though. It is for a position I really want (it's in the industry I'm aiming for). If this job doesn't work out, it's my sign from God to focus on my Master's next month and find a part-time opportunity or internship. These past three months have been so stressful, and it is definitely taking a toll on my body. I don't feel well very often. I have canker sores and migraines all of the time, and my IBS is constantly acting up.

The unemployment office has been ridiculous, but it looks as though the new claim will be starting next week. I just need to keep reminding myself - God has provided this whole time. He knows what He is doing. I'm ending this post with one of my favorite verses (that will soon be added to my Breathe tattoo).

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?" 

- Matthew 6:25-27

Welcome to the Family, Oscar!

On Sunday after church, Jon and I decided to go take a peek at the Humane Society across the street. We went in there and it was so chaotic - they were having a sale on cats this weekend because they had over 400!! I have never been into a shelter before and had no idea what to expect. They had 4 different cat rooms, as well as some kitties in the lobby.

There were so many sweet older cats, but because we have never experienced kittens, we mutually agreed we would try to find a kitten (or at least a younger cat).

Then we looked over and saw this little boy (4 month old Luke) >>

He was crying and once I reached out to pet him, we had an instant bond. He loved having his chin and nose rubbed. He was so incredibly cuddly and such a lover!

After checking out his information, we noticed he was a stray and came in on Friday. I looked at Jon and said it was meant to be! What a great way to honor Ying's memory.

We couldn't take him home on Sunday because he wasn't neutered yet, so we got to bring him home yesterday evening after surgery. He loves exploring the apartment! He has only sniffed Mia through her kennel. We aren't letting them interact until his wound has healed.

Last night he did so good! He only woke us up a few times with his ninja-ness (attacking, jumping, and running). He is too sweet!

Some may say it's too early, but we were so incredibly distraught and depressed with the loss of Ying. Oscar has brought so much joy into our life already (and he's only been here a day!). Ying would have loved for us to save another cat. We saved him, and now it was time to pass it forward!

Now time for kitty pictures!!

Rest Easy, Ying

Yingy, Buddy, Kittle, Baby Boy...

On Friday evening, my husband and I lost our first child. Our hearts are broken, but we know we gave him a great last year and a half of his life and his last few moments, he was doing what he loved best - playing with a feather toy.

On Wednesday, I heard an awful cry come from the hallway and went to check on him. He was panting, having trouble walking, and looking terrified. Once I got him calmed down, he came out into the living room and pooped in the corner. That has never, ever happened before - I knew something was wrong and called the vet. The vet said since he was panting, he was clearly in distress and to bring him in immediately.

After going to the vet, we were told it seemed he was just constipated or had a urinary obstruction. The vet was leaning more towards constipation. The vet said we could do bloodwork, but it probably wouldn't show anything. His heart and everything else sounded fine. We were instructed to watch him for a few days. As I monitored his eating and litter box, his bowel movements and peeing were normal. He was drinking and eating like usual. He loves wet food, so I made him a batch in hopes it would help clean out anything that was going on inside of him.

Thursday and Friday were pretty usual. He slept most of the day, came out when daddy came home, and cuddled with us at night. He even came to smother me during a nap on Friday.

Friday evening, we were playing with him on the bed with his feather toy. Jon and I were about to walk across the street to get some fountain pops. I looked down the hallway and saw him just laying there. I called his name and no response. I made the noise I usually make when I make him wet food (which always gets him meowing and attentive)....still nothing. Jon and I rushed over and noticed he was struggling to breathe. He made a choking noise and his breathing started slowing down. I immediately ran to the computer to find an emergency vet clinic's number. Meanwhile, Jon was performing CPR on him. He had stopped breathing completely. Jon wrapped him up in a blanket and we rushed to the animal hospital. The closest one was about 30 minutes away (it was around 9:30pm, so not many are open) - we couldn't get there fast enough. Traffic wasn't bad, but it was dark and raining...and on top of that, I was crying my eyes out.

We got to the animal hospital and they gave us a room. They were very caring and let us take as much time as we needed with him. As I filled out paper work, Jon was cuddling him. We asked about getting an autopsy done, but that would include us driving his body up to Purdue and back. We just couldn't do that - this was hard enough. We chose to have him cremated privately. We gave him one last kiss, nose rub, and chin rub before letting our baby go. We threw away the blanket that we brought him in. I didn't even want to deal with washing it (he had peed and pooped in it) and using it again.

After we got home and all family had been called, we held each other (and Mia) a little tighter. This weekend has been so hard, but I'm happy we have Mia. She has made us laugh a few times this weekend. She has also been comforting. Last night, I was folding the blanket I washed that hangs on the back of the chair. Ying hair was all over it, so it needed to be washed because it was a very painful reminder. As I placed it on the back of the chair, I lost it. Mia was so concerned for me. We have put most of his things away, but sometimes memories come rushing back.

Losing a baby is never easy - especially when it came so suddenly and we had no idea. He was only 3 years old. After going online and looking around, it looks like it was due to a heart condition or urinary obstruction. Either way, we couldn't have done anything different to help him.

Yes, we will probably be getting another kitty, but I don't think my heart will ever heal completely from losing Ying. I've taken so many anti-depressants throughout the years, and he was the best medicine I could ever ask for. Whenever I was sad, he would often come and curl up on my lap or hug my neck. If I was sad and he wasn't around, I would go find him (usually sleeping under the bed) and hug him. He would hug me back, purr, and rub his face on mine. I never even liked cats until I got Ying. He was such a sweet little boy.

He was famously known for his bow-ties. My husband and I are currently working on several things to remember him by. A shadowbox with his favorite toys (his blue mouse, fishy, straw, and feather toy), his black bowtie + collar, and a picture. The cremation services includes an urn with his ashes as well as a paw print (we should be getting those in about a week). We are also creating a photo/memory album of him. Friends and family - please let me know if you have any pictures of him as we would like to collect as many as we can!

I was planning a thigh tattoo out in April before I lost my job, but my next one will be in honor of Ying. I can't decide if I want his paw print or a portrait...or even where I want it to be. All I know is a black bow-tie will be somewhere in the design.

It's times like this when I want to say - why, God? Why do you let this happen? I lost my job, we lost our house, and now this? I would give anything just to hold him again. Satan needs to back off, because seriously....I'm not sure how much more our family can take. Jon and I have been through more this first year of marriage than most couples go through in their first five...

We miss you, baby boy. I know we will have a hard time finding a kitty that comes close to you. You were such a sweetheart. Have fun up there with all of the birdies and wet food. We'll see you soon. <3

Well, it happened.

Earlier this week, we got the call saying they can't hold our house like they thought, and it will be on the market June 1.

We are heartbroken.

Today, I am going out to check out an apartment complex in Noblesville. I honestly never thought this is what we would be doing at the end of May. We were supposed to close on our house next week.

No job offers yet, which is also very frustrating. After what seems like dozens of interviews, I have a few companies that are still making decisions. Money is low, so I'm hoping I will get an offer sooner rather than later.

Short post today - don't really feel like talking about it. Seems like a nightmare I can't seem to wake up from.

Cleaning Recipes Pt. 1

Here are a few recipes I have successfully made, and loved! I wouldn't share recipes with you before I tried them out for myself. Saving money for the same (if not better) quality is awesome!

Dishwasher Detergent

This was the first DIY recipe I have made. I was a bit skeptical at first, but after trying it out for a few weeks - I'm a believer!

1 cup borax
1 cup washing soda
1/2 cup food grade citric acid

Mix it all together and there you have it! Homemade dishwasher detergent! The ingredients above fit in an average mason jar (+ a little, which I just threw in an extra container).

Use 1-2 Tbsp. per load. Use white vinegar as a rinse aid.

I use 2 Tbsp. because I don't exactly clean my dishes completely off before tossing them in the dishwasher. It eliminates having to send some dishes through the cycle twice.

Warning: The citric acid WILL make your solution as hard as a rock. Tips? I left mine open on the counter for a few days and stirred every so often. I also threw it into the fridge. It still gets solid, but not too bad - it's easy to scrape apart. I also used my Ninja blender to break it apart the first time it went solid - an excellent solution. Some also leave the citric acid out until when they're putting it in the dishwasher (leaving it separate from the rest of the solution).

Laundry Detergent (Powder)

I found several recipes like this on Pinterest. Some add OXYclean, but I think this works fine (for our household anyway). This detergent is also safe for HE Machines.

3 cups Borax
2 cups baking soda
2 cups washing soda
1 bar Fels-Naptha bar soap

Use a grater (or blender - I used my Ninja) to grate bar soap. Mix all contents together and pour into mason jars. Makes enough for 2 regular sized mason jars.

Use 2 Tbsp. per load.

Tip: This stuff gets in your nose if you aren't careful. I used my blender, which has a sealed lid. This helped with the powder and pouring it into the jars.

Some people use essential oils on a wash cloth to get fragrance. Honestly, I loved the smell of the Fels-Naptha soap...so that's what we're sticking with! ;)

Liquid Body/Hand Soap

I love liquid soap, but hated spending the price. I will admit, I bought a $20 bottle of Philosophy shower gel JUST because I loved the smell of it - yikes.

1/2 bar soap of choice (I used Yardley Oatmeal & Almond)
2 cups of water

Add grated soap with 2 cups of water into large pot. Turn the stove on medium heat, and stir until flakes disappear (the mix will look milky). Once flakes are gone, let pot cool for several hours. After 2 hours, check the thickness with a spoon to see if it is the right thickness for you - if not, add more water. When you add water, heat it up on medium heat and stir again. Let sit for several hours to cool.

This makes 24 oz. of body wash. I did not want to make a lot at first, because I wanted to make sure I liked it! ;) As always, you can adjust the measurements to fit your needs. I used 3 of these 8 oz. bottles to store my soap in. (Be sure to grab a funnel!)


Coming soon (once I try them): Laundry Fabric Softener, Sugar/Salt Scrub, cleaning chemicals, and more!

New Year's Resolutions - $465

How are your New Years Resolutions going?

Surprisingly, mine is still going really well - and has become a habit! Every year, I chose to get more active, eat healthier, or lose weight. This year, I decided it was time to start tithing regularly at church. Throughout the years, I honestly have given ~$100 to all of the churches I have been attending. That's not so great considering the salary I've brought in all of those years..

Today, I logged in to look at how much we have tithed so far this year - $465! That's so awesome! Do you know what's even more awesome? Seeing what the church is doing with it! This is from pastor Paul Mumaw:

1. The student ministry is growing. We don't do any student ministry fundraisers because we're able to fund that important ministry because of givers like you. 
2. We made our building lease payments. I'm glad we're able to meet indoors. Aren't you? While paying rent on our church buildings isn't sexy, I think we'd all agree it's a really good thing.
3. We gave the staff paychecks. Don't we have a great team at Genesis Church? I'm blessed to work with them every day. We're grateful to be able to serve you.

And it's not even the end of March yet! I can't wait to see how much our giving will affect the church by the end of the year. Giving back to Him has also affected our family - we are getting a new house in a few months! This year has definitely been a blessed one.

Baby Step 2: Pay Off All Non-Mortgage Debt

Baby Step 1 - COMPLETE! $1,000 is in the emergency fund!

Kohl's Credit Card - HISTORY!
(Did I mention I was also a Most Valuable Customer because I spent $600 in 60 days? Yikes!)

The second step will probably take the longest for us. However, after paying out my maxed out ($600) Kohl's card in a few weeks - I know we can do this. We have a lot of non-mortgage debt to pay off, but we'll get there. Baby steps, right?

For the first time in my life, I am no longer worried about my gas lasting me until next paycheck. Since budgeting it out, I know I'll always have the gas to get to work and back (and some extra if we plan a trip to Kokomo). That's a huge sigh of relief. I always used my other credit card as a crutch for gas. I already spent my paycheck at the mall?? Hah, oh well - just charge the gas! Not anymore!!

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In other news, I met with the builder during lunch today. All is going well! We even have a driveway now...kind of..

No bad news at the meeting. Found out we are not in a flood hazard zone - woo! We moved around the cable and phone jack and the entrance to the attic. He said the foundation and walls can be up in about 1-2 weeks. I had no idea they moved that fast! We are still aiming at closing the end of May - so much excitement!

Meet Manuel

Age: 5

Region: South Asia

Country: Bangladesh

Program: Beldanga Child Sponsorship Program

Personal and Family Information: Manuel lives with his grandfather and his grandmother. His duties at home include caring for animals.

There are 2 children in the family. His grandfather is sometimes employed as a laborer and his grandmother maintains the home.

As part of Compassion's ministry, Manuel participates in Bible class. He is also in pre-school where his performance is average. Soccer and playing with cars are his favorite activities.

He lives in an area with higher risk of exploitation and abuse.

He will be getting the wonderful news today that he has a sponsor, after a long awaited 280 days!

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I have wanted to sponsor children for a long time, but have never had the finances to do it. That's a lie - because I've always had the finances to do it, I was just too selfish. We have been regularly tithing since January 1st, but haven't been giving the full 10%. I will be sponsoring one child for this paycheck, and another on my next paycheck. Those children + our church tithe = 10%+ back to God. Will it stop here? I don't think so. It always feels good to give back. We live in such a selfish society - I can't believe it took me almost 22 years to start giving back. Better late than never, I guess?

I chose Manuel because he was waiting for the longest time out of all the children and he was in a high risk area. I love the fact that he likes playing soccer! I can't wait to start receiving letters and updates from him. Giving back to the church is rewarding in itself, but actually seeing young lives being changed for the better? That's extremely rewarding to me - that I can make a difference in someone's life.

Do you want more information on how to sponsor a child? Visit Compassion International to learn more.

Keeping Momentum: A Debt Free Lifestyle

When we signed up for FPU, I was so excited to get started. I started budgeting January 1st and have been going ever since. Watching Dave Ramsey's sessions are always inspiring (and quite entertaining).

Ever since last weekend, I've felt overwhelmed by everything. With so much debt, I feel like we'll never get out. AND we just bought a house? What the heck were we thinking??? I'm so depressed and my anxiety has been the worst it's been in a long time.

Snap out of it, Ashleigh.

That's what I've been saying to myself all week. This weekend we are going to have our $1000 emergency fund and paying off the first credit card - isn't that success enough to keep on going? No, no it isn't. Not for me anyway. I need to constantly surround myself with positive things like: bible verses, daily devotionals, success stories, Air1, and KLOVE. The success stories are really helping so far this week. Seeing people with our same income and debt...getting out of debt in 8 years? That's awesome.

One thing that really shot me down last weekend was realizing we can't take the vacations we wanted to this year (Disney World, Frankenmuth, and St. Pete Beach). Well, no one is telling us we can't (COUGH Dave COUGH), but we have goals and we are trying to accomplish them. Eyes on the prize, they always say. We are still going to the beach with my grandparents in December/January, though. We owe it to them, and I really wouldn't mind unplugging for a week.

I can hear Dave yelling at me right now, but we have cut 3 vacations down to 1. He would be proud, right?

No Surprise Here: I'm The Nerd

With budgeting, there are nerds and free spirits. Jon is a free spirit with a little nerd, and I'm 100% nerd. I'm honestly not surprised because working on a budget excites me and I swear I change it every paycheck - have to keep it accurate! 

We currently have an Excel spreadsheet set up with our numbers. Dave recommended doing it on paper first, but paper has always reminded me of homework. Technology is fun, so we're going the spreadsheet route. If you guys are interested in seeing what our budget looks like, don't hesitate to shoot me an email or leave me a comment. I just don't want to post that information publicly for privacy reasons. ;) We've been at it for a few months now, so we have a good idea of how much of our money should be going where.

After discussing grocery budgets with some of my friends (and looking online), I've decided our grocery budget is fine, but we need to increase our eating out money. Date night is important to us. With a new puppy and a cat to take care of, we don't have much time to ourselves anymore....I really don't want to know what it's going to be like with kids around. We used to have date nights every Thursday night, but since we got Mia . . that just doesn't happen anymore.

We are also adding more money to our vacation fund (and starting a money jar for that). We are going to Frankenmuth, MI for our anniversary in September and Florida/Disney World in December - January. We want to be able to enjoy our trips without feeling bad about spending money while we're there. Financial peace, here we come!

FPU: Baby Step One - $1,000

I knew this was going to be the easiest step and the hardest step..

Breaking out of your old habits is always rough, no matter what you're doing. When people step out of their comfort zone, they tend to get, well..uncomfortable. I've always been a spender - I guess I just wasn't born with the saver gene. It's time to change that.

As most of you know, we have been budgeting since January. I've been updating the budget every paycheck because things change. Dave's first step was to get $1,000 in the bank for an emergency fund. An emergency is . . . a blown out tire, a sick animal, etc.  NOT a couch that is on sale for one weekend only.

After shuffling the budget around this week (and taking away some "fun" money) we were able to get up to $800. We should have that $1,000 by next paycheck...easy. We still have "blow" money and covered all of our bills this month. Makes me wonder where all of that money went during the last 6 months...

Baby Step Two is paying off all debt (except the mortgage). This is a scary one for me, considering I have $100,000+ of non-mortgage debt on my shoulders. Deep breaths...we can get through this, right?

Our Newest Journey: Financial Peace Univeristy

First, I'd like to apologize for being MIA for a while. I caught a nasty cold on Monday last week, and I've been suffering ever since. I even missed out on our Valentine's Day dinner we had planned for a month or so. I went to the doctor on Saturday and he finally gave me some antibiotics. Not doing much better, but hopefully they will start working soon. This has been one nasty cold season for me.

My husband and I have been wanting to take Financial Peace University for the last year or so. We wanted to wait until we could register as a couple and only pay $100 instead of $200. Our church announced a new class and we knew it was our chance to sign up!

Yes, it is possible to be debt free (with no mortgage).

The overall picture is pretty overwhelming, but I am happy we are starting this journey so early in our lives together. With $100,000 in student loan debt, plus $140,000 in mortgage debt...this class couldn't come at a better time. I'll be posting updates each week with how things are going. I already implemented the envelope system at the beginning of January, so fingers are crossed that it will be an easy transition! I even shredded my credit cards as soon as we got home from the first meeting - now to pay them off...

14 Days of Love: Valentine's Day

This Valentine's Day, I wanted to do something extra special for my husband. This was the first Valentines Day we were able to spend together (after the last 5 had to be celebrated long distance). I did what I do best, and went to Pinterest for ideas. I already made him the deck of cards with 52 things I love about him, so that was out. I found some wives got their husbands one item leading up until the 14th with cheesy sayings. I loved the idea and decided I had to do it. I am missing the pictures of the Zebra cakes (wild about you), puppy chow (mixed up without you), and the cupcake (have a great day) - we kind of inhaled those before I got a chance

  

I made the tags myself. You can save these and print them out at home if you don't feel like making your own. I had fun coming up with what was going to go with each saying. You can choose whatever your husband likes to go with each. For example, the love potion is Mountain Dew Code Red. I've seen red cream soda and Kool Aid used before. 

Babies, Kids, & An Uncertain Future

This morning, Jon asked me when we should start trying to have kids. I'm okay with waiting until my Master's program is done - so maybe 2-3 years? My job offers a short term leave, so I can take a maternity leave when I'll need it.

After thinking about it, I don't know if I want to bring kids into this world yet. It's so awful - filled with hate, discrimination, greed, etc. I've considered the idea of home schooling, but that may not be an option (unless we can find someone else to teach them). At the same time, most of the home schooled kids I've come across have a hard time making friends as adults.

Don't get me wrong, I would LOVE to have kids soon, but its seriously terrifying to see what the world is like right now. I keep hoping maybe it will die down in a few years, but it only seems to be getting worse. A lot of our friends are having kids, and we're definitely feeling the pressure. Jon is 5.5 years older than me too, so his age is also a concern. I don't want our kids in high school with a 65 year old dad. Okay, exaggerating a bit, but you understand what I mean.

I guess the best thing Jon and I can do as parents is to raise them in a Christ loving home - teach them what's right and what's wrong.

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In other news, I've been feeling really overwhelmed lately. Yesterday, after church, I just broke down. I came home and was hysterically crying for an hour or so. I hate when I have episodes like this, because Jon feels so helpless. I've explained to him how I feel when I'm depressed, or my anxiety is really high. It's just hard for him to understand because he's never been there.

Today is a little better, because I took some of my anxiety medicine this morning (and I'm about to take another). Just trying to hang in there. Praying nonstop that all of this ends soon. A lot is going on, and it's really been getting to me lately. Every day, I just want to put on my pajamas and crawl into bed after work. If the TV was in our bedroom, you best believe I'd be in there every night. I'm just so worn...

We Did It!! - Our First Home

This weekend, we bought a house. A new house. What!?!

Here is a mock-up of what it will look like (except we opted to have brick on it).

 

On Friday evening, my husband and I went to talk to a Realtor  We talked with the bank a few weeks ago, so we decided it was time to start looking at the options that are available. We set up an appointment with another Realtor on Saturday to weigh our options and see who would be best for what we were looking for. After seeing 3 houses on Saturday, the Realtor took us over to a neighborhood to discuss NEW HOME options. We had no idea we could even afford a NEW home. Really?

After talking numbers with the Realtor and the builder of the neighborhood, we decided it would be best if we just built a house. We went home to sleep on it & talk to both of our parents about it. My parents even offered to come down and make sure it all sounds good. We decided building was definitely the option we needed to go with. We even were able to add some upgrades to fit our needs - nicer cabinets with upgraded stainless steel appliances + a double sink and glass door shower in the master bath. Another awesome part of the deal - we didn't need a down payment because we can do it through a USDA loan. That was something that was holding us back, because the bank said we would need $4,500+ for a down payment..which we definitely didn't have. Come on, we're newlyweds!

Us with our lot and it's "SOLD" sign!

The weirdest thing about all of this? At church the last few weeks, we have been in a series about how important it is to tithe and give back to God first. Just last week, we decided to give 10% to God first, so we edited our budget a bit and worked around that. Now? We found the house of our dreams and then some. Unbelievable how good God is sometimes. He knows what he's doing, and he definitely has a plan.