So next weekend I get to go and pick up my new little pug to bring home and spoil rotten, and I can't wait. I'm not really looking forward to dealing with my parents about her but oh well. I'm 26, yes we do live in their house but we pay bills here, almost all the bills, and help out around the house. So do I feel that it should be up to them if and when I get a new dog. No I don't. My mom and I had made an agreement about me getting a new dog and I have kept up my end of the agreement, by cooking more meals, cleaning more upstairs, and keeping the downstairs cleaned up better. But according to her no I have not. Oh well, Pat is standing behind me 100% that I have kept up my end of the deal on all of this. Pat also said that if they have that much of a problem with Daisy then we will just move out and get a place of our own.
It was one year last November that I had to put my baby down, my baby boy Rebel. He was only 5 when he left. It was a horrible horrible accident that happened and I don't blame anyone for his death. I miss him so much every day. I find myself thinking about him a lot sometimes. He was such a little brat to say the least about that little dog. He has so much personality it's not even funny. He would follow anyone who was brushing their teeth and growl at them. Why, I have no idea, but that's what he did.
One time he was mad at Pat for some reason or another, and when Pat went to take him outside to go to the bathroom Rebel came over and hiked his leg on Pat's leg. Another time we had brought home an English Bulldog that we had rescued from a very bad situation. We Rebel was not very happy about Meatball in the house, in his house. So he hiked his leg on Pat's pillow one night. Another time I was sitting in bed reading with the comforter bunched up next to me, and he jumped up on the bed, looked at me, then hiked his leg on the comforter that was right next to me. Yes it sucked to clean up after him all the time with his little temper tantrums, but that is what made Rebel Rebel. Yes he was a little turd but I loved that little turd with all my heart. He was always there for me no matter how many times I had to get after him for peeing in the house, or growling at me for no reason. He always loved me. And I always loved him.
It's odd how something so small and hairy can steal your heart away the second you lay eyes on them. He was like one of my children, well before I had kids he was my kid. I may have not given birth to him (thank goodness lol that would be one ugly baby) but just like my kids that I did give birth to, I loved him the moment I saw him. I love my kids the moment I knew I was pregnant with them. And even more love for them when I saw them for that first time.
Some people are not animal people, and I just don't get that. I guess it's the same as people who do not want to have kids. I can't even wrap my head around that. I have always wanted kids, I can't remember a time when I did not want to be a mom when I grew up. I know to each his or her own, but for me, I love kids and I love animals. I can't ever picture my life with out them. I know that someday my kids will grow up and move out and start lives of their own, but at least I will still have my animals to help with the empty nest. Then someday (a very very very long time from now) I will have grand-kids to play with and spoil all over again. (Again a very very very very long time from now :)
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Money
Money truly is the root of all evil no matter what way you look at it. Yet in the bible it says that we are suppose to tithe 10% of our income that we get. Pat and I were tithing for a while but then we stopped. I would love to start again, only we don't belong to a church right now so I'm not sure were to send the money. I guess we could send it to my Father-in-laws church.
I feel that this is something that Pat and I need to start doing again. Taking 10% of each of his paychecks and giving it to the Lord. It would be the same if we were to win the lottery. We would give 10% before we paid the taxes or anything else.
I really don't like how the world seems all about money. Yes there are people in this world that could care less about money, and that's great. I used to be about having nice things and showing them off to show that we had money. Only we did not have money we had credit. Credit is what got us in trouble, but we have figured it out already and are making changes in our lives and spending habits. We are paying everything off and never again putting anything on credit unless it's a car/truck or a house. We will just save up and pay cash for anything that we want. By having to save the money for something it will help give us time to think about, "do we really need this". Or is this something we can live without. Also with having to save for something, who knows something else that is even better might come a long and then we would already have the money for it.
I hope that someone who reads this can learn from our mistakes. Credit, yes it's something that you do need in life unfortunately, but you should be very careful how you build your credit up. If you open a credit card make sure you can pay it off each month. If you can't don't use it, don't even get one. They will just lead to trouble and more trouble no matter what. I started out with just one credit card with a small limit, well I still have that card and they kept on upping my limit for me. Yes it did come in handy when we had a dog that needed emergency surgery, but guess what, four years we are still paying on it. Why are we still paying on it, becuase there was other money still on that card from other things, and we have since put more on it as well. Things that we really did not need to have. So now here we are four years later still paying on an old bill for a dog that sadly had to put down.
So you can see how debt can follow you for years. If you buy something just because you think you have to have it, but then a few months down the road there it sits, not being used. Or maybe you even sold it for half the price you paid for it. If you can't pay the card off in full then you will be paying for that item that you had to have over and over again.
I feel that this is something that Pat and I need to start doing again. Taking 10% of each of his paychecks and giving it to the Lord. It would be the same if we were to win the lottery. We would give 10% before we paid the taxes or anything else.
I really don't like how the world seems all about money. Yes there are people in this world that could care less about money, and that's great. I used to be about having nice things and showing them off to show that we had money. Only we did not have money we had credit. Credit is what got us in trouble, but we have figured it out already and are making changes in our lives and spending habits. We are paying everything off and never again putting anything on credit unless it's a car/truck or a house. We will just save up and pay cash for anything that we want. By having to save the money for something it will help give us time to think about, "do we really need this". Or is this something we can live without. Also with having to save for something, who knows something else that is even better might come a long and then we would already have the money for it.
I hope that someone who reads this can learn from our mistakes. Credit, yes it's something that you do need in life unfortunately, but you should be very careful how you build your credit up. If you open a credit card make sure you can pay it off each month. If you can't don't use it, don't even get one. They will just lead to trouble and more trouble no matter what. I started out with just one credit card with a small limit, well I still have that card and they kept on upping my limit for me. Yes it did come in handy when we had a dog that needed emergency surgery, but guess what, four years we are still paying on it. Why are we still paying on it, becuase there was other money still on that card from other things, and we have since put more on it as well. Things that we really did not need to have. So now here we are four years later still paying on an old bill for a dog that sadly had to put down.
So you can see how debt can follow you for years. If you buy something just because you think you have to have it, but then a few months down the road there it sits, not being used. Or maybe you even sold it for half the price you paid for it. If you can't pay the card off in full then you will be paying for that item that you had to have over and over again.
Saturday, February 6, 2010
I know what's best for my own kids
So Pat and I have been talking a lot about homeschooling our kids. We both agree that we feel that is what is best for our kids. We don't want them exposed to certain things at too young of an age. But we don't want to just shelter them either.
Well me and my big mouth said something to my Mom and of course like always she had to put in her two cents. She pretty much said that if I were to home-school our kids that they would be dumb and not know how to act in the real world. Jeez thanks Mom for the boost of support.
We want our kids to be raised knowing God and what God means in their lives. We want them to know what God should and will be number one no matter what happens in life. He is always there for you and me no matter what happens.
I'm sorry but I feel that our public school systems suck. I was in private school until the 6th grade, then I moved to public school. That's when all my problems started for me. Until then I had gotten into a little trouble but nothing like what I did in Jr. High and High School. Someone please tell me why I would want to expose my kids to that kind of stuff. Why should I send them on a bus or even drive them to a school where I have no control over what they are learning and why they are learning it. Yes they need to know how to read and write, do math and sciences. But what about God and the reason we are all here? What about what God really wants us to do with our lives? How he wants us to grow in His name?
There is no reason they can't learn all that at home and there basic skills for life. There is no reason why I can't teach them how to write their names, learn the alphabet, how to count, how to add and subtract. There is no one in world except God that knows them better than I do, and knows what is best for them.
Well me and my big mouth said something to my Mom and of course like always she had to put in her two cents. She pretty much said that if I were to home-school our kids that they would be dumb and not know how to act in the real world. Jeez thanks Mom for the boost of support.
We want our kids to be raised knowing God and what God means in their lives. We want them to know what God should and will be number one no matter what happens in life. He is always there for you and me no matter what happens.
I'm sorry but I feel that our public school systems suck. I was in private school until the 6th grade, then I moved to public school. That's when all my problems started for me. Until then I had gotten into a little trouble but nothing like what I did in Jr. High and High School. Someone please tell me why I would want to expose my kids to that kind of stuff. Why should I send them on a bus or even drive them to a school where I have no control over what they are learning and why they are learning it. Yes they need to know how to read and write, do math and sciences. But what about God and the reason we are all here? What about what God really wants us to do with our lives? How he wants us to grow in His name?
There is no reason they can't learn all that at home and there basic skills for life. There is no reason why I can't teach them how to write their names, learn the alphabet, how to count, how to add and subtract. There is no one in world except God that knows them better than I do, and knows what is best for them.
Friday, February 5, 2010
NW Kids Club
So in Salem Oregon there is a kids play place called NW Kids Club. It's only $5.50 for each kid to get in. They have a huge sand box, bounce house, a few different sizes of slides, play kitchens, dress up area, an area for babies to play, and lots of other toys and goodies.
My kids loved it there. Of course they did not want to leave when it was time to go. My son kept asking if we could go back after we left for something to eat. We had to tell him, no not today but we will come back sometime. Yes for for us it's a little bit of a long drive but that's okay. It was nice to have a nice clean area for them to play and not have to worry about bigger kids pushing them over and jumping in mud puddles like we would have to worry about if we went to the parks in town.
At NW Kids Club it's only for kids ages 6 months to 7 years old. If you were to have a birthday party then there is no age limit since you pretty much would have the place to yourself and wont have to worry about knocking little ones over. If it were closer to our house then it would be a great place to have a birthday part for the kids. But it's a little to far to ask our friends and family to drive for a birthday party, oh well.
Here is the link to their site if you would like some more information about the place. NW Kids Club.
And even better I know that my kids will sleep perfect tonight. Well a mother can always dream right?!
My kids loved it there. Of course they did not want to leave when it was time to go. My son kept asking if we could go back after we left for something to eat. We had to tell him, no not today but we will come back sometime. Yes for for us it's a little bit of a long drive but that's okay. It was nice to have a nice clean area for them to play and not have to worry about bigger kids pushing them over and jumping in mud puddles like we would have to worry about if we went to the parks in town.
At NW Kids Club it's only for kids ages 6 months to 7 years old. If you were to have a birthday party then there is no age limit since you pretty much would have the place to yourself and wont have to worry about knocking little ones over. If it were closer to our house then it would be a great place to have a birthday part for the kids. But it's a little to far to ask our friends and family to drive for a birthday party, oh well.
Here is the link to their site if you would like some more information about the place. NW Kids Club.
And even better I know that my kids will sleep perfect tonight. Well a mother can always dream right?!
Thursday, February 4, 2010
My head hurts
So tonight we had bible study again and I have never really, I mean really, studied the bible before. Yes I have read it, and I know to trust God and believe in his word. But to really look at the bible and sort of pick it apart and understand the meaning. Kind of reading between the lines so to say. It makes my head hurt. I'm trying to follow along and understand. But I think what would help me is to try and take a nap on bible study days. I have to get up early to take my son to school and since he likes to sleep in my bed, along with the dog and my husband, I end up in the recliner at night a lot. I don't mind but on these days I think I need a little extra boost, like from a nap. Some might drink coffee but that make me feel like I'm going to throw up all day so I try not to touch the stuff.
But I am learning a lot. I never know that you could break down a simple Psalm that I have read more times than I can count. I remember have to memorize it in first grade. But I guess I never really understood it all the way.
I'm so glad that my Mother-in-law had the idea from God to start this bible study. I know my whole family needs this. We all need to have a better relationship with God. You can read the bible from cover to cover and not really understand any of it if you don't take the time to read between the lines. I feel so blessed to have a Father-in-law that is a minister that I can trust and talk to when I need him to help me understand something. I know that looking back at my high school years, and even Jr. high years that I would not be were I am today. In a great and loving relationship with God. I have the most wonderful husband anyone could ask for. Together we have truly found God. Together we have been able to grow as a couple in Gods love. We are raising our children to know who God is, and how much he means to us. How to praise Him, how to love Him. How to grow in his ways. How to trust that God will provide us with everything we need and then some. That God is always with us no matter what we do or where we are. I know that I still have a lot to learn about what God wants me to do with my life, but I know that I'm on the right track.
I feel his love all around me all the time. I know that He is with me no matter what. Even in the darkest of times, He is there for me. He will walking me through my darkest times, and celebrate my greatest joys in life. I know that He was there with me when my son and daughter were both born.
I know that he answered my prayers when I was blessed with a healthy baby girl. My daughter is the first girl in 63 years on my husbands side of the family. I can remember praying every night after I found out I was pregnant with our second child for a healthy baby girl. I wanted a girl so bad. He listened, He heard my prayers and blessed us with Peyton on March 2, 2008.
Two healthy kids what more could I ask for from Him. He has taken care of my family from day one.
He has taken care of me from the start. When my birth-mother found out she was pregnant with me at 17, He was there. He knew that she would not be able to care for me at such a young age. He had already had everything planned out for my Mom to adopt me.
Yet there are prayers we don't get answers to, and we may never understand why. We just have to have faith and trust in Him. Everything in our lives happens for a reason, a reason that God has chosen. Sometimes we know right away what His reason is, sometimes we have to wait a while, and sometimes we never understand why. God does not have to give a reason for anything He does. We just have to have faith and trust in Him that he knows what is best for us no matter what.
About two weeks ago there was a wonderful man from my town that was killed trying to help others in need. This man had a wife and a three year old son. For me it was so hard to understand Gods reason for taking away a father and husband. So I was talking with my Father-in-law about it. That is when he told me sometimes we don't know what Gods reason is for a long time, and sometimes we never know until we ourselves get to heaven and are able to ask God for ourselves. But it's the trust and faith again, we have to have trust and faith.
Trust and faith in our Lord is what gets us through everyday, every heart ache, every pain, every fear that we will ever have. But remember He is there, always there, good times or bad. He will always be there, and his love for us is there for us as well. He sent his son to die on a cross just so we could be saved and live with the Father in heaven for all of eternity.
But I am learning a lot. I never know that you could break down a simple Psalm that I have read more times than I can count. I remember have to memorize it in first grade. But I guess I never really understood it all the way.
I'm so glad that my Mother-in-law had the idea from God to start this bible study. I know my whole family needs this. We all need to have a better relationship with God. You can read the bible from cover to cover and not really understand any of it if you don't take the time to read between the lines. I feel so blessed to have a Father-in-law that is a minister that I can trust and talk to when I need him to help me understand something. I know that looking back at my high school years, and even Jr. high years that I would not be were I am today. In a great and loving relationship with God. I have the most wonderful husband anyone could ask for. Together we have truly found God. Together we have been able to grow as a couple in Gods love. We are raising our children to know who God is, and how much he means to us. How to praise Him, how to love Him. How to grow in his ways. How to trust that God will provide us with everything we need and then some. That God is always with us no matter what we do or where we are. I know that I still have a lot to learn about what God wants me to do with my life, but I know that I'm on the right track.
I feel his love all around me all the time. I know that He is with me no matter what. Even in the darkest of times, He is there for me. He will walking me through my darkest times, and celebrate my greatest joys in life. I know that He was there with me when my son and daughter were both born.
I know that he answered my prayers when I was blessed with a healthy baby girl. My daughter is the first girl in 63 years on my husbands side of the family. I can remember praying every night after I found out I was pregnant with our second child for a healthy baby girl. I wanted a girl so bad. He listened, He heard my prayers and blessed us with Peyton on March 2, 2008.
Two healthy kids what more could I ask for from Him. He has taken care of my family from day one.
He has taken care of me from the start. When my birth-mother found out she was pregnant with me at 17, He was there. He knew that she would not be able to care for me at such a young age. He had already had everything planned out for my Mom to adopt me.
Yet there are prayers we don't get answers to, and we may never understand why. We just have to have faith and trust in Him. Everything in our lives happens for a reason, a reason that God has chosen. Sometimes we know right away what His reason is, sometimes we have to wait a while, and sometimes we never understand why. God does not have to give a reason for anything He does. We just have to have faith and trust in Him that he knows what is best for us no matter what.
About two weeks ago there was a wonderful man from my town that was killed trying to help others in need. This man had a wife and a three year old son. For me it was so hard to understand Gods reason for taking away a father and husband. So I was talking with my Father-in-law about it. That is when he told me sometimes we don't know what Gods reason is for a long time, and sometimes we never know until we ourselves get to heaven and are able to ask God for ourselves. But it's the trust and faith again, we have to have trust and faith.
Trust and faith in our Lord is what gets us through everyday, every heart ache, every pain, every fear that we will ever have. But remember He is there, always there, good times or bad. He will always be there, and his love for us is there for us as well. He sent his son to die on a cross just so we could be saved and live with the Father in heaven for all of eternity.
Growing up
It's a new year for me on my blog. It's a new year for a lot of things. My husband and I have decided that we are done living the American dream. We are done with credit cards and anything that has to do with them. The only thing we will ever finance again is a house or a car/truck. Other than that will we be paying cash for everything we buy from now on. We have a four year plan, in four years we are going to be debt free and that includes our truck as well. So we will have no debts what so ever. It feels so good know that. I know that we might have a few speed bumps on the way, we have already hit a few, but we will keep going. We have faith in God to help us through this, to help guild us in the right directions in our life's.
Also in this new year my daughter is turning two next month. I'm happy and sad all at the same time. She is growing up way to fast. Her brother just turned three last October. I keep getting the feeling like we should have one more baby. But we are not sure, we are praying about it and leaving it up to God if we should have more or not. Peyton is getting so big, she is starting to sit on the potty, has not done anything yet, she loves to be read to all the time. So we are working on getting her more and more books. We have also started taking Ross to the library since he also is into books and being read to as well.
We have also started a bible study in our house. My Mother-in-law keep on getting the feeling that God was telling her we needed to do this. So after talking with me and my Mom we all agreed. Last Thursday was our first study, and tonight will be our second. I'm really looking forward to it. I enjoyed last Thursday's study a lot on the 23rd Psalm. While reading it i figured out I have a stalker, his name is Jesus. He is always with me no matter what, always watching me, taking care of me, guiding me, and keeping me safe. So not your typical stalker, but still He is my stalker.
This year will be mine and Pat's five year anniversary. It seems like so much longer sometimes and such a short time other times. I do know that I'm so happy with him, I know that he loves me no matter what. I never have to worry about him and me, and if we are "okay". I know that our relationship is even stronger now than it was when we first got married, because we have Jesus in our lives. Before we got married yes we both believed in God, but we did not really act the way we should. We were not reading our bibles and praying to God. We were not living ours lives the way God would want. We still have a long ways to go, but with Gods help we are on the right path now.
With God all things are possible, without God nothing is possible.
Also in this new year my daughter is turning two next month. I'm happy and sad all at the same time. She is growing up way to fast. Her brother just turned three last October. I keep getting the feeling like we should have one more baby. But we are not sure, we are praying about it and leaving it up to God if we should have more or not. Peyton is getting so big, she is starting to sit on the potty, has not done anything yet, she loves to be read to all the time. So we are working on getting her more and more books. We have also started taking Ross to the library since he also is into books and being read to as well.
We have also started a bible study in our house. My Mother-in-law keep on getting the feeling that God was telling her we needed to do this. So after talking with me and my Mom we all agreed. Last Thursday was our first study, and tonight will be our second. I'm really looking forward to it. I enjoyed last Thursday's study a lot on the 23rd Psalm. While reading it i figured out I have a stalker, his name is Jesus. He is always with me no matter what, always watching me, taking care of me, guiding me, and keeping me safe. So not your typical stalker, but still He is my stalker.
This year will be mine and Pat's five year anniversary. It seems like so much longer sometimes and such a short time other times. I do know that I'm so happy with him, I know that he loves me no matter what. I never have to worry about him and me, and if we are "okay". I know that our relationship is even stronger now than it was when we first got married, because we have Jesus in our lives. Before we got married yes we both believed in God, but we did not really act the way we should. We were not reading our bibles and praying to God. We were not living ours lives the way God would want. We still have a long ways to go, but with Gods help we are on the right path now.
With God all things are possible, without God nothing is possible.
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