life

Sorry I didn’t update once we returned from Russia…it was an AMAZING trip. I can’t wait to tell all about it but for now I’m surrounded by school work. The end of the semester is near. I have a 20 page paper to crank out hopefully by Saturday. Then a huge and crazy case exam. I have 2 other projects in another class (one group and one individual) and another exam to go. I won’t have a life outside of school work for at least 2 more weeks. I will try to update then on the trip from my journal entries like I’ve done in the past.

On an unrelated note…I heard this morning on the radio that they caught the marine in Mexico that killed the pregnant marine…It’s gonna be a good day tater!

Ok everyone…I’m gonna need some prayers lifted high up for me. Last night right before I went to bed I was hit by a ton of bricks it seems. I feel awful and I don’t usually get fevers but I believe I have one. I had to come early from work and luckily I have the day off tomorrow but I need to be completely healed by the time I go to Russia which is two weeks from tomorrow. Please pray that this is just a tough cold that will go away quickly and not the flu. Whatever it is, please pray it’s gone before we leave and that Justin won’t get it from me. Thank you!

Justin and I have been really trying to get out of debt. We are a part of Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University. Justin actually leads the course on Sunday nights at Crestview. We’ve had a really good turn out and much or our small group is from outside of Crestview. We have completed Baby Step #1 and are working towards Baby Step #2 which is paying off all debt except the house. Dave Ramsey always says “beans and rice, rice and beans” and boy is that true. We’ve been eating a ton of sandwiches, rice, ramen, noodles or all sorts (and just recently have been adding veggies to make it a little better for us). It’s hard but we have been able to pay off all of our credit cards (and cancel them). Now we are moving on to the cars which, hopefully will be paid off rather quickly (about a year early). Then those dreaded school loans! But…it will all be worth it in the end. We are “living like no one else so that later we can live (and give) like no one else.” We are excited and really seeing results. I want to strongly recommend this program and hope you will all try to make your futures a little brighter in the end. Nothing is impossible with God! God doesn’t like debt either. Justin’s favorite verse says it all… Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Stacey sent me a cool forward and I loved the quote at the end. I had to share…

“Sorrow looks back… Worry looks around… Faith looks up…”

This sweet dog is pulling at my heart strings. Sometimes I wish I was just heartless and didn’t care about things so much. I know that we can’t keep him but I am protective about where we will place him, meanwhile I am loving him more everyday. Today it’s been a week since we got “Buddy” and it’s going to be really tough to let him go. I just pray we will find the right place for him that will give him all the attention and love that he so needs. Please help me pray about this. We just don’t feel like we’ve been given a definite answer from God yet about what we need to do. Pray for Buddy too because he is still having some…bathroom issues. Also pray for Java because she isn’t getting the attention she is used to (even though we’ve been trying hard). Thanks!