Sorry I haven't posted a while, life get's crazy when you are "living" in two states at the same time!
Benton and I (and Isaac!) got to spend 8 days last week in OKC with Chris, and it was by far the most wonderful 8 days I've had in a long time. It was so great to just enjoy being together as a family again, and I LOVED having Chris get home from work every day almost 2 hours earlier than he used to! We spent lots of time at the lake, the library, and feeding the ducks in the neighborhood pond.
Everyone is asking how Chris is doing with his classes and I am so PROUD to say that he's doing GREAT! He just finished his first class with flying colors and only has 2 more "module" (classes) until he gets to come home in August. On every test he scored the class average or better (always an A) and had no problems with the final exam either.
He's very cautiously optomistic, on the day of his final for his first class he heard of a few students in the class ahead of them who were on their last day of the final module that failed the very last final exam and were sent packing. He said these were good students who had done well on all previous exams and, unfortunatly had just enough slip ups on the final to be told they no longer had a job! HOW SCARY! On the other hand, his teachers have told him that they think he will do great and get through OKC training just fine becuase he is such a hard working student. I know he can and will succeed. Like I said, I am just SO PROUD of him!
Benton is doing great too, I think we are going to start potty training round two in a couple weeks...eek! Not so excited about that, but looking forward to having that stage behind us. I LOVE seeing all the new things he's picked up in the last few months, such as coming to me to give me a big hug and a kiss out of the blue (without me even asking!), singing "Deep and Wide" (with the motions!) and saying "EWWW" when he has a dirty diper (can we say "time for potty training?")
As for me, I had a really rough patch in the weeks leading up to and following Easter, but I've been doing a little better since we went to OKC. It helps knowing we are already one month down. I've started casually looking at various adoption websites and blogs. While making that decision will not be anything that happens anytime soon (we are still going to try testing/treatments starting in August before we give up on getting pregnant again) it is already starting to intimidate me to think of all the things (including $20,000+ in costs) that go into that. If any of you know of any good resources send them my way!
Well, thats life for us in a (rather large) nutshell. Still wishing on a star and praying for some miracles!
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Thursday, May 5, 2011
From worst to best, in one shopping trip flat!
Okay, for all you out there who HATE Wal-Mart with a passion, I can totally relate. They used to be one of my least favorite places to buy groceries because: A: it's almost always packed, B: it never seemed to be as good of quality as Target or the regular grocery store, and C: I always seem to find an extra $50 worth of junk to buy that wasn't on my list.
However, I had recently read some acticles on Walmarts updated price matching policy and I decided to give it a shot. Suddenly, I think I'll be shopping at Walmart a LOT more often!
Here's the srategy that worked great for me:
First, I sat down at home and scanned all the local grocery ads for the week (the ads have to be local in order for them to guarantee price matching). I made a list of the things in the ads I wanted to buy that looked something like this:
Buy 4 Less deals:
Wonder Classic White Sandwich Bread- 1 loaf $1.19
Red Strawberries- 1 lb $2.39
Homeland Grocery deals:
DiGiorno pizzas 24-31 oz: 2/$7
Etc.
You have to be a little detailed becuase the item in the store has to be the same as what the ad lists. For meat and produce, it has to be sold by the same units (such as $2 per pound ) so if Buy 4 Less is selling apples by the pound and Walmart sells them as a price per apple, you won't be able to use that deal. Also, Walmart won't match "buy one for x, get one for y" type ads. However, pretty much anything else goes. They also honor deals that other stores require a "frequent shoppers card" for. Also, you no longer have to bring the ad with you. Stores are now responsible for keeping all local ads on hand and if they don't have them, too bad for them!
So, like I said, I made my list so I would know exactly what I needed to tell the lady at checkout, and also added on the things that weren't on sale already somewhere.
Next, I headed to the store. I didn't want to be one of those people who goes during the busiest times and holds up the line for 20 people, so I went about 10 in the morning when there were no lines. When I got to the store, if there were some things that Walmart was already selling cheaper than the deal on my list, I crossed it off so I wouldn't get confused at checkout. Then, when we got to the front, I put all the things that were going to be price adjustments at the end of the black rolling counter (what the heck are those things called, anyway?) I told the lady I had a few price matches and she didn't even roll her eyes at me!
When she got to those things, I just told her who had that item listed and for what price and she adjusted it right there, without even looking it up, so it only took a couple extra seconds per item.
Here's the kicker, between that and a few coupons, I saved over $30 on our $70 grocery bill! THIRTY DOLLARS! And I probably only spent an extra 15 minutes between scanning ads and the extra time in line!
I know, its nothing compared to the people on those "Extreme Couponing" shows, but I was still pretty excited about it, after all, thats an hour less of work, or a meal out one night!
Well, I guess thats enough about my grocery habits for one day. Maybe tomorrow I'll tell you about how I got a new dress and shirt at the Gap for $15 :)
However, I had recently read some acticles on Walmarts updated price matching policy and I decided to give it a shot. Suddenly, I think I'll be shopping at Walmart a LOT more often!
Here's the srategy that worked great for me:
First, I sat down at home and scanned all the local grocery ads for the week (the ads have to be local in order for them to guarantee price matching). I made a list of the things in the ads I wanted to buy that looked something like this:
Buy 4 Less deals:
Wonder Classic White Sandwich Bread- 1 loaf $1.19
Red Strawberries- 1 lb $2.39
Homeland Grocery deals:
DiGiorno pizzas 24-31 oz: 2/$7
Etc.
You have to be a little detailed becuase the item in the store has to be the same as what the ad lists. For meat and produce, it has to be sold by the same units (such as $2 per pound ) so if Buy 4 Less is selling apples by the pound and Walmart sells them as a price per apple, you won't be able to use that deal. Also, Walmart won't match "buy one for x, get one for y" type ads. However, pretty much anything else goes. They also honor deals that other stores require a "frequent shoppers card" for. Also, you no longer have to bring the ad with you. Stores are now responsible for keeping all local ads on hand and if they don't have them, too bad for them!
So, like I said, I made my list so I would know exactly what I needed to tell the lady at checkout, and also added on the things that weren't on sale already somewhere.
Next, I headed to the store. I didn't want to be one of those people who goes during the busiest times and holds up the line for 20 people, so I went about 10 in the morning when there were no lines. When I got to the store, if there were some things that Walmart was already selling cheaper than the deal on my list, I crossed it off so I wouldn't get confused at checkout. Then, when we got to the front, I put all the things that were going to be price adjustments at the end of the black rolling counter (what the heck are those things called, anyway?) I told the lady I had a few price matches and she didn't even roll her eyes at me!
When she got to those things, I just told her who had that item listed and for what price and she adjusted it right there, without even looking it up, so it only took a couple extra seconds per item.
Here's the kicker, between that and a few coupons, I saved over $30 on our $70 grocery bill! THIRTY DOLLARS! And I probably only spent an extra 15 minutes between scanning ads and the extra time in line!
I know, its nothing compared to the people on those "Extreme Couponing" shows, but I was still pretty excited about it, after all, thats an hour less of work, or a meal out one night!
Well, I guess thats enough about my grocery habits for one day. Maybe tomorrow I'll tell you about how I got a new dress and shirt at the Gap for $15 :)
Monday, May 2, 2011
When God is quiet
"I believe in the sun, even when it's not shining;
I believe in love, even when I am alone;
and I believe in God, even when he is silent."
-found inscribed on a wall in a Nazi concentration camp following WWII
Throughout the last several weeks of lent, and the week following Easter, my heart has been in a battle.
I've spent weeks asking God why, what now, why, how long, why.
Every time I ask, I get the same answer.
Silence.
I've cried out to God for peace, screamed at him for answers, pleaded with him for blessings, shouted at him for a sign.
I keep getting the same answer.
Silence.
I've bargained with God, trying to use every chip I can come up with; I've searched the Word looking for hope, in my darkest hours I've threatened to take my own life.
His answer?
Silence.
But today, on my drive home from work, I remembered this quote I had come across a few years ago, "...and I believe in God, even when He is silent."
I don't have the answers I want, I don't have the peace I'm craving, I don't have the hope I once did, but I still believe. I still know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God is up there, hearing every word, every shout, every teardrop.
This morning a song entered my head, and it's been stuck there for a few hours. It's by Joy Williams and the chorus says:
"It's okay to answer me with silence,
It's okay if you don't say a word,
'Cause you're testing me to trust you'll be faithful in this quiet,
So okay, answer me with silence."
I'm suddenly renewed in the fact that I will get through this time, I will come out a stronger woman, a better mom, wife, and follower of Christ. But for now, I'll just have to live with
SILENCE
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