financial peace...
"two words that don't usually go together" as dave ramsey quips, as he talks about the standard americans' financial situation. i listened to the 2 lessons i've missed of our financial peace university today so i'd be on the same page going into our class tonight. this 13 week course has the potentially to literally change one's life forever. i am amazed at his stories and his successes. everytime i leave class or finished a cd i felt like i wanted to get out my pompoms and/or cry. what a sensitive subject finances is, and i wish so badly that more people would be proactive with their money, myself included. when we were in south dakota, staying with my grandma in her spacious 3 bedroom apartment, there were brief financial-related comments that made me proud. she said that some of her friends ask why she pays for a 3 bedroom apartment. her response to them is, "i can afford it and i like the space." she's been there close to 9 years now, since my grandpa died, and loves it. she also made the comment, "i could travel a lot now, i have the money, but i'm content at home." these comments are made matter-of-factly, humbly. the more i think about it, the more proud i become of my grandparents' planning ahead for a great, high quality of life future. i'm sure my grandpa is looking down, smiling on his cute little wife enjoying these latter years of life without the worry of money. i also am proud of my other set of grandparents, who lived financially free in their later years, and still had plenty to divide between 6 kids when they passed away. what great rolemodels to me and to others!! i pray that conrad and i will have the same wisdom and that God will give us discipline to follow through with what needs to be done...there has already been a lot of "lightbulb" moments since our class started 7 weeks ago, and there will definitely be more to come. it is something i am passionate about and feel like God's given us an excellent tool. can't wait for more!!

fat and happy with the fam...

this is what i've been for most of my vacation. i'm sitting here with fox news blaring and sitting on the couch after a yummy home-cooked grandma meal and my cute grandma sitting on the recliner working crossword puzzles. over dinner, and long after (dishes can wait!), grandma talked about her travels and about her and grandpa's families. she's traveled A LOT and i pray i can go half the places she's gone in her lifetime. i love when she talks about grandpa. it's been 9 years now since he died. sometimes i'm sad that i didn't know him better than i did, but then again, i do have lots of good memories and am glad i knew him through jr. high. earlier today she talked about how she's content with being home. she's in excellent health for 87 and gets out for bridge club and church, however, she said she likes being home, "i've done my working and my traveling, and now i'm just content with life where i'm at." we've eaten like queens, and some of my pants are tight!! it couldn't possibly have the urging for "eat more, there's lots left (twist my arm, grandma)" or the brownie and ice cream every night for a snack, could it?? we hung out with my 2nd cousins yesterday at a pumpkin patch and then pooh and i went to coffee with my uncle bill. it was nice. i remember that i used to be intimidated by him, mostly because i'm a shy person by nature and didn't have the maturity i think. however, i was telling pooh after he dropped us off that i'm glad we're to the point where we can all just sit and have an hour of adult conversation. we also got to spend time with his wife, my aunt cindy. i also loved that. she's easy going and has a good sense of humor. she's excited for conrad and i to have a baby....whenver that may happen. she loves her grandkids and is so cute with them. it seemed like the trip went fast, but also like we've had good times of conversation. i wish we knew when we were young that life was so fragile and to make the most of every moment with family, but i can only make the most of what i have now, i realize that. i am thankful that my kids' grandparents will all live close, what a precious relationship:) sigh

the girls...

jeannie, britt, fawn, and me:)

our presigous dining seats...the old spaghetti factory caboose!

old friends...
well, we were kidding about the fact that we are getting old-25 now (and turning 26 over the course of the next 6 months)!! i traveled with fawn to boise on friday and headed back sunday after spending some time with my "college" friends. i can't believe it's been 7 years since i started college and met these girls. it was so refreshing to catch up and reminisce, laughing and crying together. it's crazy to see where life has taken us--me getting ready to be a stay-at-home wife (gave my notice last thursday!!) and hopefully have a baby in the near future, fawn teaching/blessing a class of 4 year olds, britt working as an NP at a well-known oncology unit and owning a beautiful home with her hubby (i've heard, can't wait to see it!), and jeannie fresh out of the peace corps and using her psychology degree to work with kids and adolescents. who would've thunk it?? although we had lots of laughs, we also comforted each other as we share our disappointments, our longings, and our wanting to know we're in God's will. i pray we continue to cultivate our relationships in such a way that we can always share so openly, even with some distance between us. i don't want it to come to a christmas card every other year and maybe a phone call or text on the birthdays. God, help me to do my part to maintain and nurture all of the precious relationships in my life...