The Holidays are JUST around the corner, and I have begun stressing. We have Halloween, my 21st birthday, the Marine Corp Ball, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Kazleigh's 2nd Birthday coming up in the next 4 months. Although I am thrilled for all of these fun events, I am naturally trying to plan ahead financially as well. As a lower-enlisted military family, we don't have a plethora of extra money (which is one of many reasons why military members-and their families- are performing a great service).
I have been crunching numbers, cutting down on monthly expenses, and trying to fit the puzzle pieces together. Our first cut back was our smart phones. Although it was hard to say goodbye to the convenience of mobile banking, Facebook mobile, GPS, and the ability to google anything anytime, anywhere, I am pleased to announce that it has been a rather fantastic change. We are ridding ourselves of distractions and unnecessary expenses. I prayed for guidance in this situation, and the Lord delivered (of course).
On our way to church on Sunday I was talking to Bobby about our new budget and contemplating what else we could possibly cut back on. I felt as if there was something God put on my heart regarding our finances, but I just couldn't figure out what it was. I was missing something big and desperate to understand. During the sermon the Lord spoke right to my heart and convicted me in many ways. On the car ride home Bobby and I talked about our numerous blessings. For example, we could be living off of eggs, potatoes, and water, and God would be providing. We are blessed with luxuries of buying fajita meat, cheese, milk, fruits and veggies, and sometimes even steak at the grocery store each month. Maybe we can't afford the biggest and the best, but we are taken care of. This is when my gauge shifted. We have health coverage, a great little 3 bedroom town home that fits us perfectly, food on the table, healthy earthly bodies, and love in our hearts. Why must we always be focused on "more, more more?"
I am so thankful to have an intimate relationship with the Lord. I am thankful to have an extremely loving, Godly husband who encourages me every single day, to have the smartest, most beautiful little toddler that we have ever laid eyes on, and a tiny, sweet baby waiting for us in heaven. God has provided us with more than I could ever imagine, and I am eternally grateful. I am also thankful to be lovingly reminded by God that although we aren't outrageously wealthy, we are taken care of. Stressing to fit each financial piece together on your own, is pointless. Relying on God, in all aspects of your life, all of the time, is essential.
Luke 21:1-4
1 As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. 2 He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. 3 “Truly I tell you,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. 4 All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”
Monday, October 17, 2011
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Adventure Overload?
This past week has been crazy busy! Is it possible to have too much fun? No, no I don't think it is! If it were possible though, I would be suffering from a fun-overload. California is full of all sorts of adventures just waiting to be explored! I'll fill you in on our weekend.
Thursday-Bobby had to work late so Jacy and I explored downtown Oceanside with Kazleigh in tote. It is such a cute little town. It isn't a typical "downtown" scene. It is downtown with a very beachy laid back vibe. I love it! There are tons of small shops and restaurants and it is one block from the sweet pacific sand. There are gorgeous views and the streets are lined with palm trees. Again, I love it! After walking around for an hour we stumbled upon the Thursday Night Farmers Market! In Dallas the farmers market consists of yummy home grown fruits and veggies, but in Oceanside the farmers market consists of.....EVERYTHING! It was so neat to walk through all of the vendors tents with homemade crafts and all sorts of cool little treasures! My favorite part was the samples. Delicious, homemade, unique, FREE samples! After trying oreo cheescake, fresh garlic spread, and chai tea I was sold! I will be attending the farmers market weekly!
Friday- We spent the evening at the beach! Although after the sun goes down the pier gets a little chilly, it is still loads of fun! We walked around and envied all the native Californians having beach bonfires and enjoying delicious s'mores, we strolled down the pier, and finished off the evening by enjoying amazing Kobe beef cheeseburgers at Ruby's! For those of you who have not experienced Ruby's...it is simply FANTASTIC! They have flavored fries, wow. Why don't more restaurants smother their french fries in fresh chopped garlic or a mix of cajun spices? It is beyond me! I am officially a Ruby's cone suer. After eating we were walking back down the pier and enjoying the sound of the waves when we were caught off guard. A woman approached us with a small card and asked us to attend her church. I was excited to learn about the church since we are in the process of finding a new church home, but her attempt to real us in really rubbed me the wrong way. I told her we had just moved here and were interested in attending when she proceeded to blatantly ask Jacy whether or not she was saved. Jacy told her that she attended church regularly and that she has a relationship with her lord and savior (in a very respectable way). The witness then asked Jacy how she knew she was saved. Jacy told her that she knew God was in her heart because she has faith. The woman abruptly blurted WRONG ANSWER and proceeded to tell Jacy why she didn't have God in her heart, and that she didn't understand God's grace. I was offended by that. I don't think that anyone can possibly understand the depth of God's grace, it is too pure and deep for human beings to fully grasp. I completely understand and agree with wanting to bring others to know Christ and to be bold in your approach. But in this instance we all felt so attacked! She assumed that none of us were Christians, and talked down to us. She told us we needed to choose between Heaven and Hell before its too late. Having a relationship with the Lord is MUCH deeper than simply not wanting to go to Hell. I know her intentions were pure, but it was just so judgmental, which is the opposite of what the Church should be. I believe that when you initially invite someone to attend your church or bible study you should tread lightly! You want them to feel welcome, loved, and accepted no matter what. We listened to her rant and rave as respectfully as we could and thanked her for her time as we walked away in shock. It was a disappointing experience, if I wasn't already a Christian I would have stereotyped all Christians to be extremely over bearing and judgmental after that. I suppose her indiscretion was fueled by her passion to spread the word.
Saturday- SAN DIEGO ZOO!!! We finally got to go to the San Diego Zoo! It was such a blast! Thanks to Liz's free passes we got in for free (which makes the zoo even more awesome). There were tons and tons of animals and we burned TONS of calories walking! After going to the zoo we headed to downtown San Diego and ate at an INCREDIBLE Indian restaurant! I have never had Indian food before, but I definitely will eat there again! We had Lamb Curry, Garlic Naan, and Humus! By far the best meal I have had in California to date. I love finding new favorite restaurants!
Sunday- We tried out a new church, Calvary Chapel Living Hope in downtown Oceanside. It was fantastic! It felt like home right off the bat! The church family was so warm and welcoming. The worship was beautiful and very low-key. I enjoyed that I could connect with God through song but not feel like I am at a concert or on a TV set. The pastor was very clear and actually had a very soothing voice (which is good, but also a little bad cause he made us all sleepy!). I am eager to fellowship with other christ followers and spend some quality time with my God. I am also excited to begin the women's bible study next Tuesday! I hope to meet some other marine wives and mommies. We are thrilled to have found a church that feels like HOME, it is where God wants us to be. After church we got some El Pollo Loco (YUM) and hit the road, Canyon Falls bound! I found a really cool hiking trail online that ends at a beautiful waterfall so we decided to give it a shot! After driving for an hour and a half we finally arrived! The hike was super long, I think 6-8 miles in entirety. The hike TO the waterfall was the easy route, mostly all down hill. We had to wade through two streams and weave through a few mountains. Once we arrived at the waterfall we were in awe! It was BEAUTIFUL! Bobby and his friend Lee jumped off a cliff into the swimming hole a few times (even though is was SHOCKINGLY cold). Jacy and I took pictures and took in the gorgeous scenery! It was a blast. The hike back up to the car was ridiculously difficult! It was COMPLETELY UP HILL! We took a lot of breaks, and poor Bobby had an extra 30 lbs on his back (Kazleigh in her little baby backpack). I should add, Kazleigh did so good! She didn't fuss at all! She loves being outside. After 3 1/2 long hours of SERIOUS hiking we finally made it back to the car! We felt so accomplished and relieved! It was my favorite day in California so far! When we finally got home we made waffles and watched movies! What a perfect Sunday!
Thursday-Bobby had to work late so Jacy and I explored downtown Oceanside with Kazleigh in tote. It is such a cute little town. It isn't a typical "downtown" scene. It is downtown with a very beachy laid back vibe. I love it! There are tons of small shops and restaurants and it is one block from the sweet pacific sand. There are gorgeous views and the streets are lined with palm trees. Again, I love it! After walking around for an hour we stumbled upon the Thursday Night Farmers Market! In Dallas the farmers market consists of yummy home grown fruits and veggies, but in Oceanside the farmers market consists of.....EVERYTHING! It was so neat to walk through all of the vendors tents with homemade crafts and all sorts of cool little treasures! My favorite part was the samples. Delicious, homemade, unique, FREE samples! After trying oreo cheescake, fresh garlic spread, and chai tea I was sold! I will be attending the farmers market weekly!
Friday- We spent the evening at the beach! Although after the sun goes down the pier gets a little chilly, it is still loads of fun! We walked around and envied all the native Californians having beach bonfires and enjoying delicious s'mores, we strolled down the pier, and finished off the evening by enjoying amazing Kobe beef cheeseburgers at Ruby's! For those of you who have not experienced Ruby's...it is simply FANTASTIC! They have flavored fries, wow. Why don't more restaurants smother their french fries in fresh chopped garlic or a mix of cajun spices? It is beyond me! I am officially a Ruby's cone suer. After eating we were walking back down the pier and enjoying the sound of the waves when we were caught off guard. A woman approached us with a small card and asked us to attend her church. I was excited to learn about the church since we are in the process of finding a new church home, but her attempt to real us in really rubbed me the wrong way. I told her we had just moved here and were interested in attending when she proceeded to blatantly ask Jacy whether or not she was saved. Jacy told her that she attended church regularly and that she has a relationship with her lord and savior (in a very respectable way). The witness then asked Jacy how she knew she was saved. Jacy told her that she knew God was in her heart because she has faith. The woman abruptly blurted WRONG ANSWER and proceeded to tell Jacy why she didn't have God in her heart, and that she didn't understand God's grace. I was offended by that. I don't think that anyone can possibly understand the depth of God's grace, it is too pure and deep for human beings to fully grasp. I completely understand and agree with wanting to bring others to know Christ and to be bold in your approach. But in this instance we all felt so attacked! She assumed that none of us were Christians, and talked down to us. She told us we needed to choose between Heaven and Hell before its too late. Having a relationship with the Lord is MUCH deeper than simply not wanting to go to Hell. I know her intentions were pure, but it was just so judgmental, which is the opposite of what the Church should be. I believe that when you initially invite someone to attend your church or bible study you should tread lightly! You want them to feel welcome, loved, and accepted no matter what. We listened to her rant and rave as respectfully as we could and thanked her for her time as we walked away in shock. It was a disappointing experience, if I wasn't already a Christian I would have stereotyped all Christians to be extremely over bearing and judgmental after that. I suppose her indiscretion was fueled by her passion to spread the word.
Saturday- SAN DIEGO ZOO!!! We finally got to go to the San Diego Zoo! It was such a blast! Thanks to Liz's free passes we got in for free (which makes the zoo even more awesome). There were tons and tons of animals and we burned TONS of calories walking! After going to the zoo we headed to downtown San Diego and ate at an INCREDIBLE Indian restaurant! I have never had Indian food before, but I definitely will eat there again! We had Lamb Curry, Garlic Naan, and Humus! By far the best meal I have had in California to date. I love finding new favorite restaurants!
Sunday- We tried out a new church, Calvary Chapel Living Hope in downtown Oceanside. It was fantastic! It felt like home right off the bat! The church family was so warm and welcoming. The worship was beautiful and very low-key. I enjoyed that I could connect with God through song but not feel like I am at a concert or on a TV set. The pastor was very clear and actually had a very soothing voice (which is good, but also a little bad cause he made us all sleepy!). I am eager to fellowship with other christ followers and spend some quality time with my God. I am also excited to begin the women's bible study next Tuesday! I hope to meet some other marine wives and mommies. We are thrilled to have found a church that feels like HOME, it is where God wants us to be. After church we got some El Pollo Loco (YUM) and hit the road, Canyon Falls bound! I found a really cool hiking trail online that ends at a beautiful waterfall so we decided to give it a shot! After driving for an hour and a half we finally arrived! The hike was super long, I think 6-8 miles in entirety. The hike TO the waterfall was the easy route, mostly all down hill. We had to wade through two streams and weave through a few mountains. Once we arrived at the waterfall we were in awe! It was BEAUTIFUL! Bobby and his friend Lee jumped off a cliff into the swimming hole a few times (even though is was SHOCKINGLY cold). Jacy and I took pictures and took in the gorgeous scenery! It was a blast. The hike back up to the car was ridiculously difficult! It was COMPLETELY UP HILL! We took a lot of breaks, and poor Bobby had an extra 30 lbs on his back (Kazleigh in her little baby backpack). I should add, Kazleigh did so good! She didn't fuss at all! She loves being outside. After 3 1/2 long hours of SERIOUS hiking we finally made it back to the car! We felt so accomplished and relieved! It was my favorite day in California so far! When we finally got home we made waffles and watched movies! What a perfect Sunday!
Monday, January 10, 2011
I'm a horrible blogger!
I have let my blogging community down! But, in my defense, we have had a lot going on. I promise from now on I will update regularly! So much has happened in the past month and a half that I don't even know where to begin! I suppose I'll start from the beginning of our new adventure!
I was so nervous about our 22 hour drive to Oceanside. To my surprise, it could not have gone any smoother. Kazleigh watched Yo Gabba Gabba and Veggie Tales the entire time. She did SO good. I am so proud of my little baby, she was such a trooper! On the first day we drove to El Paso and stopped to get some sleep at a Hilton. I chose to stay at a Hilton because I assumed it was the "nicest" of our choices, but right as I was laying my head down I noticed a dried up drop of blood on my pillow. REALLY REALLY gross! Bobby called the front desk but they only offered us a room change, which seemed like way too much work for how tired we were. So tossed the biohazard in the corner of the room, inspected our other pillows, and got some rest! The next day we only made 3 or 4 quick stops, which really isn't that bad with a 10 month old! We finally made it to Camp Pendleton around 7pm! We stayed in a hotel for 4 days and then moved into our new home!
Our house is cute. We got upgraded to a 1500 sqft. 3 bedroom 2.5 bath with an attached garage, so I don't have anything to complain about! It is plain on the inside, cause the military wanted to build as cheap as possible, but I am working on giving our home some pizzaz. It's a process. I would have to say my favorite thing about living on base is that I just feel safe here. I am a big worrier, but I tend to worry much less now! The most important part about this house is that Kazleigh, Bobby, and I live in it TOGETHER! It is so nice to be a family again.
As I've been adjusting to our new home, I've also been adjusting to school again! I started school at University of Phoenix, and so far so good. After giving so much of myself to Kazleigh and Bobby everyday and making sure everything around the house is functioning it feels so good to do something for me. I really enjoy school, maybe a little too much. Last week when Bobby and I laid down for the night I said "I wish I had more homework..." HAH! What has gotten into me!
On top of school, I am also working on getting my Real Estate license. I never realized how much I enjoyed real estate until we moved here and I looked at SO many homes! Each time an agent showed us a house I thought to myself "Wow, I could sell this a lot better than she is". Then it hit me...Why don't I! So, here I am. I should have my license in about a month. In the mean time I am going to train with an agent at Keller Williams so she can teach me all the in's and out's. This is a fun journey!
Becoming a real estate agent is bitter sweet. I have to put my sweet baby Kazleigh in part-time childcare. I'm hoping it will only be 3 days a week at the most. On Friday I decided to go check out the childcare facility on base. I pulled into the parking lot and cried like a baby! I suppose thats when it finally hit me that I have to trust a stranger with the most important part of my life! It is so hard give up some of my control! I know when she is home with me she is safe with a full tummy. She is also exploring and so happy! It is hard for me to trust that someone we don't know will take care of her like I would. So I just sat in the parking lot and cried and cried. I think all mommies experience this separation anxiety at some point. I composed myself, and drove back home! I walked in the door and explained to Bobby why I was crying so much, and he (being the amazing husband and daddy that he is) hopped in the car and headed back to the daycare with me for moral support! I love him for that!
I walked in the day care feeling so skeptical and uneasy. But those feelings quickly changed to excitement and relief. I loved it. They had such a reassuring staff. We got a tour by the sweetest woman ever! She showed me the room Kazleigh would be in, and the schedule of what she would be doing each day. In her room the have a cute little table and all the sweet babies sit together and have lunch! SO CUTE! :) They also work with each child every day on simple things like coloring. They have story time and a little play ground outside. I feel so good about letting Kazleigh spend time here while I am working. I am so relieved and so thankful. Now I am just praying that there is room for her there, and if there isn't, that the waiting list isn't too terribly long. It's all in God's hands, so I will wait patiently and trust HIM!
My best friend will be here tomorrow! Jacy is coming to visit us in California! WOOHOO! I really need some girl time. Although I appreciate Bobby watching girly shows with me and dying my hair, I miss my friends! Jacy just graduate from UNT (hooray!) so she is staying for a month! We are super excited for her to arrive! I am enjoying blogging, but I really need to clean! We have a lot to do today to get ready for our first house guest! :)
I promise I will blog again soon! Thanks for reading! And again, sorry I neglected my blog for so long!
I was so nervous about our 22 hour drive to Oceanside. To my surprise, it could not have gone any smoother. Kazleigh watched Yo Gabba Gabba and Veggie Tales the entire time. She did SO good. I am so proud of my little baby, she was such a trooper! On the first day we drove to El Paso and stopped to get some sleep at a Hilton. I chose to stay at a Hilton because I assumed it was the "nicest" of our choices, but right as I was laying my head down I noticed a dried up drop of blood on my pillow. REALLY REALLY gross! Bobby called the front desk but they only offered us a room change, which seemed like way too much work for how tired we were. So tossed the biohazard in the corner of the room, inspected our other pillows, and got some rest! The next day we only made 3 or 4 quick stops, which really isn't that bad with a 10 month old! We finally made it to Camp Pendleton around 7pm! We stayed in a hotel for 4 days and then moved into our new home!
Our house is cute. We got upgraded to a 1500 sqft. 3 bedroom 2.5 bath with an attached garage, so I don't have anything to complain about! It is plain on the inside, cause the military wanted to build as cheap as possible, but I am working on giving our home some pizzaz. It's a process. I would have to say my favorite thing about living on base is that I just feel safe here. I am a big worrier, but I tend to worry much less now! The most important part about this house is that Kazleigh, Bobby, and I live in it TOGETHER! It is so nice to be a family again.
As I've been adjusting to our new home, I've also been adjusting to school again! I started school at University of Phoenix, and so far so good. After giving so much of myself to Kazleigh and Bobby everyday and making sure everything around the house is functioning it feels so good to do something for me. I really enjoy school, maybe a little too much. Last week when Bobby and I laid down for the night I said "I wish I had more homework..." HAH! What has gotten into me!
On top of school, I am also working on getting my Real Estate license. I never realized how much I enjoyed real estate until we moved here and I looked at SO many homes! Each time an agent showed us a house I thought to myself "Wow, I could sell this a lot better than she is". Then it hit me...Why don't I! So, here I am. I should have my license in about a month. In the mean time I am going to train with an agent at Keller Williams so she can teach me all the in's and out's. This is a fun journey!
Becoming a real estate agent is bitter sweet. I have to put my sweet baby Kazleigh in part-time childcare. I'm hoping it will only be 3 days a week at the most. On Friday I decided to go check out the childcare facility on base. I pulled into the parking lot and cried like a baby! I suppose thats when it finally hit me that I have to trust a stranger with the most important part of my life! It is so hard give up some of my control! I know when she is home with me she is safe with a full tummy. She is also exploring and so happy! It is hard for me to trust that someone we don't know will take care of her like I would. So I just sat in the parking lot and cried and cried. I think all mommies experience this separation anxiety at some point. I composed myself, and drove back home! I walked in the door and explained to Bobby why I was crying so much, and he (being the amazing husband and daddy that he is) hopped in the car and headed back to the daycare with me for moral support! I love him for that!
I walked in the day care feeling so skeptical and uneasy. But those feelings quickly changed to excitement and relief. I loved it. They had such a reassuring staff. We got a tour by the sweetest woman ever! She showed me the room Kazleigh would be in, and the schedule of what she would be doing each day. In her room the have a cute little table and all the sweet babies sit together and have lunch! SO CUTE! :) They also work with each child every day on simple things like coloring. They have story time and a little play ground outside. I feel so good about letting Kazleigh spend time here while I am working. I am so relieved and so thankful. Now I am just praying that there is room for her there, and if there isn't, that the waiting list isn't too terribly long. It's all in God's hands, so I will wait patiently and trust HIM!
My best friend will be here tomorrow! Jacy is coming to visit us in California! WOOHOO! I really need some girl time. Although I appreciate Bobby watching girly shows with me and dying my hair, I miss my friends! Jacy just graduate from UNT (hooray!) so she is staying for a month! We are super excited for her to arrive! I am enjoying blogging, but I really need to clean! We have a lot to do today to get ready for our first house guest! :)
I promise I will blog again soon! Thanks for reading! And again, sorry I neglected my blog for so long!
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