And So Ends The Month of March

Hi Everyone! March has been good, despite the crazy weather. I quit working for the tanning supply distributor and started working for my dad at his gun store. Having one car between the two of us working makes things a little tricky, but that’s part of the benefit of my new job, I can take my husband to work then take myself to work and leave in time to pick him up. My dad is also letting me have the same days off as my hubby since the pawn store he is working for randomizes his days and shifts.  Anyway the long and short of it is that with one car, we are both working and it is good.

My husband loves working for the pawn store, and they love having him there. He has learned everything quickly and is liked by everyone.  Although he did just take a physical test for sheriff’s department and has an oral review in April…Then he also has another physical test for a local police department, also in April. After that I told him he could take a break from applying for law enforcement jobs because the whole process is so exhausting, plus he likes where he is now, and there is a ladder to climb if he stays there.

So of course we are looking now for a home. Rent-to-owns are becoming more rare as the economy recovers, but my dad said he’d let my husband and I rent-to-own the house he’s been renting out if we like. It’s a very nice offer, and a good house, and therefore a great back-up plan. We are also looking at a local short-sale house that is a great price, in a nice neighborhood part of an awesome school district with enough room that theoretically we’d never have to move. We’ve started talking with a realtor, and she said all we need is 6 months verified income to get a mortgage, but we are going to talk to her more about what that means exactly. Also I have heard that short-sales can be nightmares and take forever to get into, but I’ve also heard happy stories about short-sale homes, so I guess we’re just going to have to give it a whirl (if we can) and see what happens, and if it is worth waiting for.

We are also looking for a second car now. Earlier this week my hubby and I went out car hunting. After doing a thorough search on Craigslist we found a whole lot of nothing.  The car we wanted sold before we got a chance to see it in person, one we couldn’t find, and the two we test drove were awful. I was scared to go to a dealership because I hate being hassled and don’t trust those sales people, but after this week I might be willing to check one out next time. I have to admit, at the moment I’m a bit discouraged by that whole episode, but I think perhaps the money we would have spent on a second car might be put to better use if we can lock down this short-sale house. Having a second car would be nice, but we’re getting on just fine with the one car for the moment. However, the down side to having a second car of course is the extra expenses of insurance, maintenance, registration, and the initial cost of the car of course. So it’s okay with me if we don’t have a second car right away.

Anyway, lots going on, hopes up high and things are going well. As usual, if you have questions, comments, suggestions, critiques or thoughts you’d like to share please feel free to. Thanks for reading peeps!! Take care, have fun, be safe!!

PS The movie the Hunger Games is really really good. And Yes, I am going to read the

books now = ) Oh and I'm hopeful and excited for Disney's movie Brave!

Welcome To March

Hello again everyone! Hubby got a job at the pawn shop!!!! He gets to start this week and they pay really well, plus he will get to work full time! In addition they are more than happy to give him two days off in the middle of the week so he can continue his law enforcement internship! I am so excited! We are so excited! We knew this was going to be an awesome year!

I have also come to a place where I believe I can forgive the people who were not being supportive or nice and move on. Hopefully those issues can just dissolve and everyone can learn to be kind and thoughtful in the future.  I really hate drama, and I hate having to avoid people. But the main reason I came to this conclusion was just thinking about the Lord’s Prayer, the part that says “forgive me for my sins as I forgive those who have sinned against me.” How can God forgive me if I don’t forgive, therefore I forgave.

It has been a busy couple of weeks. A very close friend of mine lost her mother to cancer, and her mother was like my adopted mom. I was at their house a lot 5^th grade through high school. She catered my wedding and often reminded me that I was allowed at their house whenever I wanted. She taught me that I didn’t always need dessert after dinner, and that I didn’t need to finish my plate if I was full. She taught me that it was okay to throw away socks and things if they had holes in them, and a sandwich without mayo was just as good, if not better, than one with mayo. She was a friend to my mom and a blessing to everyone who knew her.

Losing her has been very sad, but I am happy that I’ve been able to here for my friend. It’s like what I said before.  My hubby and I could have gone to Hawaii, there was a police job available there before we graduated and they wanted my hubby to come take the test as soon as possible, but something just told us that even though Hawaii is beautiful and we really want to go there, perhaps live there someday, it was not right for us at the moment. Then there were job openings in the Seattle police department, we thought for a while about going there, but again, something was pulling me (and my hubby since he’s stuck with me lol) back toward my home town, even though there were next to no jobs and it’s not my favorite place in the world.  We didn’t know why or what we’d do when we got there, but it was one of those feelings you have to follow. Then we found out all about my friend’s mom getting sick and I knew that’s why I came back home. I’m sure God guided me back here so that I could be here for my friend through these tough times.

I’d also like to ask my readers for a moment of thoughtful silence or prayer for the family who lost Linda, a fantastic friend, amazing mother, fabulous cook, and shining light of joy to all those who had the opportunity to meet her. I for one (and I know I am not alone in this) will never forget her, her contagious laugh, creative ability or warm hugs all which will always be a favorite memory of her.

I will continue to keep everyone updated on my life and all that it entails as often as I can. Please let me know if you have any questions, suggestions, comments, or critiques! Thank you very much everyone for reading! I hope you all have a great week! Much Love, Val