the debt reduction diaries: June-schmune

I know it's late, but gotta do the june update.

june sucked.

we haven't actually even done our July budget meeting yet so I forget all the details.  it was supposed to be done before the month started, but basically, when you know you're getting all these bills from dumb stuff like doctors physicals and mammograms and spraying for the disturbing number of ants we had and what we THOUGHT was a cockroach (we had a major cockroach problem in our apartment, so we don't mess around when it comes to that), and a broken dryer and a bunch of other things that I'm forgetting, and you know you will have already passed your snowball amount, well, it's just not fun to do the budget meeting. all the more reason to make it a priority I guess. BLECH.

We had a GREAT weekend though in June, celebrating our 10 year anniversary.  if you remember from a previous post, our plan was to go to an all inclusive resort somewhere like Mexico, so many many years ago we started saving a few dollars here and there in an old baby wipes container.  and of course, last year, we had to make the decision: mexico or continued shower issues that might result in falling through the floor to the garage.  it wasn't that bad YET, but we had to spend every saved penny (our guy literally cut the cost $25 for us because we only had a certain number of dollars to spend) on a SHOWER.  boo.

so anyway, no big trip this year, but Steve parents ended up taking the kids to Colorado that week, very last minute, so we had 5 days to ourselves!  Steve had gotten a $200 improv check that we decided to dedicate to our weekend, plus we got a little money gift from each of our parents, so we had a GREAT weekend spending money!  :)  of course in the midst of all the other financial issues, I felt a teensy bit guilty, but I didn't want it to ruin our weekend.  I felt like we "deserved" to stay in a hotel (stayed in omaha to save on gas, which the kids thought was WEIRD!!!!) for a night and go out to eat and celebrate ten years of ups and downs and all arounds. :)  AND we had free college world series tickets, which was AWESOME!  it was a much needed break from the reality of kids and budgeting and cooking. so yeah, it wasn't Mexico, but it was just what we needed. and we took a nice little shower together to celebrate our money well spent. :)

I'm quite certain that the reason behind the financial issues and discouragement comes from fact that our BELIZE TRIP is right around the corner!!!  I was talking with another teammate this past week about how this is the time for Satan to attack.  We've been fighting financial issues, both non-trip related and trip-related (did you know that shots can cost $650???? yeah, me either...), work overload, feelings of major inadequacy (why are WE in charge of the VBS!!???!!!!????), and I have a MAJOR case of nerves.  I'm scared to leave my kids, scared for the plane rides, the boat rides, the change of diet, the bugs, all of it!  When people ask me if I'm getting excited, I either lie and say yes or tell the truth and say that I"m actually only getting more and more nervous.  But I'm fully aware that it's the devil's attack on my mind because he knows something major is about to happen in my heart.  so, I have to change my attitude, and just say BRING IT!!!  in four days I'll be there, serving God, no matter what he tries to  send my way before then.

so there you have it, a not very detailed account of June.  We almost convinced ourselves to quit all this debt reduction stuff and just go back to paying our monthly minimums (because by the time we pay for all the unexpected stuff, that's what's happening anyway...) and decrease the amount of stress we're under each month, but about two minutes into that conversation we decided against that. :)  it would just stretch out this phase of life where we can't do what we want with our money even LONGER...and that's just dumb. :)

so, we carry on. thanking God for the things we have, and the realization of how many things we don't actually need. and we carry on eating rice and beans and spaghetti unless Tom and Carla take us out. :)