Tiny living

Lately I have been feeling so crammed in our little apartment.  I'm at home a good amount (mostly because I'm a homebody and our one car that we share) and I have been getting really annoyed with not having a lot of space.  Our one bedroom 700 square feet humble abode is starting to get on my nerves!

I want to feel content with where we are right now, but I can't help but feel like it would be nice to have some more space.  It can be a little frustrating at times.  Also, I have dreams about washer and dryers....no joke.  I can't tell you how much I would like our own.....we pay so much to get clean towels.  The worst part is I try to go as long as possible without washing and being the clean freak I am makes me a bit anxious. 

Life is definitely getting harder...part of getting older I suppose.  As we think about more space and having a family, we get flustered with how to afford somthing nice and reasonable.  David currently works at an insurance company, but really hopes to find a teaching job.  This is hard though because our finances will get even tighter since his salary will go down......definitely a sacrifice, but a worthy one.  He just loves teaching and misses it, but I will admit its hard for me to think about things getting tighter!

I'm the first to admit that money brings me intense worry and anxiety.  I've always been like that, but I'm learning how to trust the Lord with this.  It makes me sad how little I make God most of the time.  He laughs at my worries since he will provide what we need.  Most of the time I want what we don't need.  I just love to compare our situation to others....which only makes my heart more frusterated.  Do I fight against comparing....more often than not I don't.  I want a house, and kids, a sweet kitchen, washer/drying....the list continues.  I need to give these things to the Lord and recognize my joy and satisfaction comes from trusting in him and what he has done for me.  Truth really does set you free....free from anxiety, anger, discontentment and comparing.  This is hard and requires a repentent heart....which without the spirit is so difficult.

Its a battle for me to trust the Lord for things.  I really like to rely on myself and others for my joy.  So as we think and pray about what our future has for us, I want to choose to be thankful for a warm home and food to eat.  We are so much more blessed than I will ever realize.

In other news, its my grandmothers 95th birthday today!  Talk about good genes :)  She is in North Dakota in a nursing home and my dad is visiting her this week.  She recently broke her hip and had surgery to replace it.  Since then they moved her to the nursing home.  I hate being so far away from her and miss her dearly.  She is petite and has one of the best personalities I know!  I have so many great memories of spending time with her and the radical things she says.  Not to mention the amazing home videos of Helen saying and doing crazy things.  I feel like most of my personality has come from her in that she is introverted, worries about everything, and frets about how things are organized.  More than anything I love that I look like her and look forward to having white hair when I'm her age.  I love Grandma Helen :)

Here are two of my favorite commercials.  The first is a commercial that was on awhile ago and makes me think about our situation right now.  The other is great because its the reason I hate cell phones so much.....I really wish I didn't have to have one. 

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

ps.  Golf and Ice Skating are on right now.....we're watching ice skating :)  HA!

David reminded me of this commercial and how much we loved it!  So I thought I would share!  Enjoy!

Cup of Love

I'm pretty sure that most people know that I have a love for coffee.....but just in case you didn't I thought I would name my post this since I'm drinking a joyous cup right now!

A good amount has happened since Christmas, but here I am finally updating :)  Blog writing is kinda like dirty dishes for me.....You probably have no idea where I'm going with this.  When there are just a few dirty dishes it doesn't seem that overwhelming to me to clean them, but as they start piling up I get anxious and don't know where to start.  Blog writing is similar in that as the days go by and more happens I get overwhelmed in how I can update our life on here.  So here I am taking the plunge and starting to update......

Type in Chateau Chantal under Google images, you won't be disappointed!

We had a wonderful anniversary trip up north to Traverse City where we stayed at a Bed and Breakfast/Winery that we've stayed at before.  Let me just say that it is truly one of my favorite places!  I always feel so relaxed as I drink wine and coffee by the fire as the snow falls as David and I play games and talk.  There is nothing more fun and relaxing to me.  The rooms are beautiful and you can see both the Lake and peninsula from pretty much anywhere in the mansion like house.   Not the mention the breakfast is amazing and you can try all the wines after hours in the tasting room.....so fun :)  Let's just say that I would highly recommend this place.  Its located on the Old Mission Peninsula and is called Chateau Chantal....check out the link!

After the fun break, it was back to normal life for us.  David took off a couple days for our trip so he's been working hard ever since at Auto Owners.  He seems to enjoy his job in that it challenges him to think outside the box and problem solve.....both things that he loves.  He also misses teaching a lot though and has recently been trying to get tutoring jobs after work.  None have worked out so far, but we are still hoping it will.  It would be really nice to have some extra money since we are saving to buy a home. 

I've been fairly busy with my class.  Its my last class as an undergrad at State....can't even believe it!  Since its my last class....it is quite difficult.  I purposely kept this class to be last since I knew it would be hard.  It is structured a lot like grad classes in that its a lot of writing and discussion.  Its called the Psycho-biology of Development and takes all my previous knowledge of biology, psychology and child development to understand the material.  Needless to say I'm working hard.

Besides this we are saving at the moment to buy a house.  Budgeting has been hard, but we are making it work.  We are using the popular envelope system that Dave Ramsey recommends and it is going really well.  At the beginning of the pay period we take out cash for food in and out and then only use cash when we go to the grocery store.  It helps us to stay on budget and not go over....leading us to save what we can in the end.  Quite wonderful I must say......quite difficult at times too though. 

I'm excited that so many fun things are going on as well.  I feel like we have had the opportunity to be with friends a lot this month.  One of my favorites was a wine and cheese party we went to.  It was so fun to drink wine and eat cheese and chat with some great friends.  We are also involved in a growth group through church and its so fun to see them every other week.  They have been such an encouragement to our marriage, I really treasure their friendships.  One of the couples is expecting their first little one this April so the girls are throwing her a shower here at our apartment.  I can't wait to celebrate baby Ady and Mommy-to-be!  Besides a fun baby shower, I am helping host a wedding shower for my friend Zandria!  I love celebrating upcoming marriages...so much joy! 

There is actually a lot more I could write about, but I feel like I will save it for another day....perhaps tomorrow :)  Hope all of you are doing well and enjoying life!  Sing to the Lord, for he is GOOD!

Ps..  Here is a video of a song that David and I love.  Since we never had dancing at our wedding, we never had a song!  We decided this is it......the lyrics are kinda perfect :)  Enjoy!

David Beckham Ellen Degeneres October 2010

When I'm feeling under the weather and need a laugh....I watch this :)