$65,000 Paid in Full in 3.5 Years!!

God is good everyday that He chooses to wake my family and I up, but especially today. Let me rewind back to May of 2007: Chris was getting ready for his first deployment Christian was 13 months old and I was seven months pregnant with Noah. We had two cars but were still paying for 3, 3 student loans, a personal loan, and 2 credit card debts. All together totalling around $65,000!!! I woke up today and realized it was the payday that we would finally be able to pay off our last debt! A $993 dollar payment to Nelnet for a student loan. I logged onto the website and even though it said we didn't owe another payment until 2017 because of how much ahead God has blessed us to pay back, I made the payment in full! What a blessing, it feels almost as good as the day I recieved Jesus Christ as my own personal savior for the debt of sin that owed back in 2004! I realize that not everyone out there is in the same financial situation as we are in but here are some things we did to pay back our 5 figure debt.

1) Put God first! Pay your tithes if you name the name of Christ!

Abraham paid Tithes before the law, the jews paid during the law and Christians did more than just give as their heart directed them to give. It took us a while to figure that one out but if you search the scriptures with an open heart you will see for yourself. This is one of the scriptures God used to guide us into laying aside 10% and then give on top of that as the Lord leads

1 Corinthians 16:2 (King James Version)
Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.

2) Share a Car with your husband if you are married:

Yes I know it is 2010 and people have places they need to go but if God has given you a husband and an opportunity to be a keeper at home as God commanded in Titus 2:5, then this should not be a problem. We have shared a car for 3 years and have been content in doing so. If I really needed to go somewhere I would put the kids in the stroller the baby in the wrap and walk sometimes 2-3 miles. If there was somewhere I needed to be that I couldn't walk to, I dropped hubby off and took the car or my friend Liz would pick us up in her van =) Not a big deal.

3) Pay on debt first before making any big purchases when you get tax returns:

Yes it is very hard to do when you see the IRS has deposited several thousand dollars into your bank account and your mind begins to wonder and plan out all the things you could buy with that nice chunk of change.....but stop.....Pay Your Debt!

4)Stop buying new stuff, and sell stuff your not using anymore

I take pride in our home being clutter free and do not wish to have a bunch of stuff in our home that just collects dust. I regularly go through our home and find stuff we are not using and see if someone I know needs it possibly if not, I sell it on Craigslist or a yardsale. I have made well over $1000 doing this and have kept our home clutter free!

5)Create a budget:

Well you must know where your money is going. We do one every month on a spreadsheet and just fill in the purchases we make everyday and review for a few minutes so we know how much is left and what still needs to be paid so we don't overspend.

6)Have an emergency fund:

This is very important because something always comes up always! You don't want to have to go and beg from a family member/friend or put your unexpected expenses on a credit card and pay 17% interest when you could have saved a little instead of spending all you had earlier on! The car needs new tires, we want to go visit family/friends in another state, we have another baby, the cat visits the vet, I buy a reclining chair for my mom to sit in, we need a washer and dryer..etc...etc....We need to be good stewards and save in the good years like Joseph did way back in the book of Genesis!

7)Co-habitate:

Okay this one I know not everyone is able to do, but it helped us save a good amount. While chris deployed to Quatar in 2007 and Iraq in 2009 we put our stuff in our generous friends, garages and basements (Thank you Reid, Lawhon, and Pittman Families) and moved in with my sister.

Trip to Costco

Today we went to Costco and well I couldn't contain myself at first! I wanted to buy so many things. I seriously don't get out much and the marketing at Costco definately trapped me! Within 10 minutes I wanted to buy a train set, toy story bikes, leapster learning games, dresses for my nieces, heated blankets, a leather recliner for my mom to sit in, an old fashioned popcorn maker........didn't even get to the food yet! I had to really think and not be impulsive, a little hard with Joshua throwing a fit losing his shoe on a different aisle, Christian crying about having to share his sample and Noah just being whiny Noah! So since they were not on good behavior that immediately eliminated any of the toys I wanted to buy, the recliner would not fit in my van with 3 carseats, and so I escaped with only buying some glitter scrapbooking kits for my little sisters and two books for the kids that I have never seen before. One to help tell time, and a book with animal x-rays in them. I also bought some bathmats I have been meaning to buy since we moved over 3 months ago, and 2 scrapbooking kits for my little sisters. Then I realized I was going to go out of town for 5 days and shouldn't buy too much food. Glad I came to my senses somewhat and didn't loose control, knowing how close we are to being debt free I have been thinking I can buy so many things for people and some stuff for me too but we are not there just yet!

Maternity fashion show....Not Really

Love This brown Motherhood sweater I got for $2! Am I glowing yet?

Not sure what kind of face I am making.....

Well Today I am 21 Weeks along with the 4th child =) God is so good. I usually try and avoid maternity clothes until the last trimester just because I don't like looking pregnant. Most maternity clothes fit in such a way that they really accentuate your belly. Oh and not mention when I go into a store with 3 young children the looks and questions I get....."Are they all yours?"....."You've got your handsful." ......"This is the last one right?"

However I got some really great deals on maternity clothes at a yard sale and my sister picked up some shirts at a consignment sale they were having at her YMCA. I figured tommorrow is not promised neither are any more pregnancies, and don't want all the cute clothes to get little use. So I might as well as enjoy my pregnancy despite any discomfort from my varicose veins, tiredness, and having my husband miss the whole pregnancy and birth due to a year deployment. So today I decided to bring out the maternity clothes at just 21 weeks along . I have so much to be thankful for and know so many women out there have heavy hearts because they can't even have one successful pregnancy. I am so blessed and am going to enjoy my growing belly everyday that God gives me =)

Military Hospitals

So, since someone at the whiteman AFB finance office decided not to process our move and change our housing allowance for the last 2 and half months (over 1 thousand dollar difference) I cancelled with the midwife. I decided I would rather not take anymore from our savings account and focus on paying off one last debt we owe. So that leaves us with another military Hospital experience. The first birth at Nellis AFB went well we checked in so late they had no time to give iv or suggest pitocin. The staff however had some rude comments about us refusing the pitocin after the birth, the erythromycin in the babies eyes, the hep B vaccine, and not getting Christian circumcised. We signed an early release form and left the next day. The 2nd birth at Portsmouth naval hospital was terrible: I didn't have the baby until 17 hours after checking in and was badgered about not recieving pitocin and an epidural for the whole 17 hours! I was needed told to starve and not eat until the baby was born. I had to sneak out and eat at the cafe, ask to use the bathroom during the last part of labor so I could squat and not have to lay down and sit still with that cursed fetal monitor around my belly. So finally after having a natural birth the staff tells me that I have no choice, I have to take pitocin for the next 6-8 hours...ouch with a nursing baby and no drugs. I got two roomates, one left our shared toilet bloody and had a bunch of cursing loud navy friends in and out of the room. I had the side of the room with no window and had to walk across her side of the room to use the toilet. I had to threaten to stay the rest of my visit in the lounge room with the vending machines before getting my own room. The Third baby at a civilian hospital in Missouri was much better. However, since I checked in 3 days early because my water broke I was again interregated as to why I would not take pitocin. Doctors and midwives came and told me how I was going to die and the baby if I didn't take it. So finally I had the baby with no drugs or interventions and the recovery room was great no roomates and I got to leave the next day =) They even let the boys spend the night in the room in the pack n play =)This time around Fort Belvoir Army Hospital will be where I deliver. I have had one appointment so far; aside from it taking 20 minutes circling the parking lot to get a parking spot it went pretty well. I go in for a sonogram on wednesday =) The ladies at church and my mom have been so helpful and reliable for help with the boys. So I think I can survive at most 6 more appointments and 24 hours of military care. Prayerfully our bah will be changed soon and we will be debt free within the year =)

$$$$ Drug Store Deals $$$

Well since we are in an area that has all 3 drug store competitors I figured I should take advantage of the deals. So Last night I went to Riteaid and my mom stayed in the car with the boys good thing too I was in there for over an half hour making sure I got all the up rewards (riteaid money). I think I threw the machine off because I had more coupons than items. So here is what I bought

3 jumbo packs of Huggies pure and natural diapers (some for Joshua some for new baby)

2 oral B cross action toothbrushes

1 crest toothpaste

2 packs of kotex pads

1 container of quaker oats

2 bottles of windex green works spray

24 pack bottled water

I spent $30 out of pocket got $15 worth of up rewards and will get a $10 riteaid gift card in the mail! So after the rewards and gift card it is like spending $5 on all of the above. So excited tonight I will get 2 free deoderants from CVS and Tommorrow we will head to Walgreens to get 3 free reach toothbrushes!

Really need some rest.

I have been so sleepy. Maybe it is because I have been staying up past twelve almost every night or the two flights of stairs in our house or the bday party or maybe the extra workload from not having chris to help or maybe from being pregnant I don't know.....I have been in VA for a month now and I can't say I don't miss my friends in Missouri I didn't know how attached I was to those ladies until the day before we left. Chris has been gone for 17 days!! It feels like forever. I get to see my mom alot and am thankful for that I wish she would come and stay with us for the year .....I don't know why she wants to stay in a smelly old apartment. Contimplating on whether or not to find out if I am having a boy or a girl and going to meet with the midwife on friday. I think I might just have a surprise just for fun I am sure by the time I venture out of the house I will have had time to shop online for some clothes I will just get some yellow and white layettes and diapers of course. Okay I am sleepy and going to be it is 11:24 pm....

Deployment #3

Sigh....Yet another deployment. It seems the deployments get worse and worse each time. the first one to Quatar for 4 months, a relatively safe place and short time period. The next tasking for Iraq for 6 months (2 months completed) after 2 months of training a little less safe and alittle more drama. The next one just 9 months later to Afghanistan for 365 days! So sad and I am 3 months pregnant. However we are still blessed and have no need to complain, we are all alive and well and are getting to spend some time with family in VA. Week one is done though just 51 more weeks to go!