A Letter To My Daughter: 4 Years at home

Kobi: four years apart

My Dearest Katherine: Today marks THE DAY you came home from the hospital after you stayed in the NICU for two months four years ago… that was a mouth full, that’s for sure.

It may not seem like a huge day, but in retrospect, it’s everything to me! This was the day that we finally got to take you home and start living life fully and completely, and today, four years later, you have already surpassed my wildest dreams!

Right now, you can read and write, and your storytelling abilities are fantastic. You are a great athlete (soccer and pseudo volleyball). You are super into drawing, and you are beginning to help out around the house more by making your lunch and folding laundry. You care about people genuinely and are very emotional, and you’ve got a funny way of calling me bro and dude in casual conversation.

Simply put. Kid, you’re fantastic!

Today we did school work: we worked on odd and even numbers, and you memorized Deuteronomy 31:8, which says

It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you. He will not leave you or abandon you. Do not be afraid or discouraged.

NIV

Kobi’s memory verse written out

We also played outside for a little bit, and we got to pray with Mr. Red and Mr. Leo, who are essential personnel during this COVID-19 situation. You blew them bubbles and wished them a happy, almost April! We told stories together using your story cards, and you picked what you wanted for dinner.

You’ve changed so much in four years, and even though I’m sad that you will never be this young again, I am so excited to see where you will go and how much more you will grow with each passing year! I love you, Kobi, and I hope you always remember you can always come home.

Kobi, my love, I simply wanted to say thank you for being your beautiful sweet self and always remember that I love you.

Love mom

We’re doing it

This is our paid in full box

Since we’ve started our Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University, plan we have paid off three debts! This box houses our paid in full statements or at least the biggest lump sum payment it took to get our balance to zero!

So far, we’ve been able to pay off my ring, a credit card, and now our car, when my car was totaled back in May of last year, we had to scramble for a car when I started working. It took a little longer than we wanted too, but the person we bought it from was more than gracious, and we were finally able to pay it off.

As of today, we have paid off almost $10,000. It may not sound like a lot, but I’m stoked! I see our total debt balance going down! Right now, we have two credit cards and two student loans left until we are completely debt-free! That will probably still take four years, but it seems like it’s doable as long as we continue to stay the course, stick to our budget and let that snowball keep rolling!

Hopefully, I’ll be able to keep you all better updated on our Dave Ramsey journey, but even if I don’t, know that we have a monthly budget and are doing our best to stick to it, and make adjustments as necessary and that has made all the difference.

Have you done Financial Peace University? Do you do a monthly budget? How’s it going?

My Soul Is Tired

I’m tired. I’m not just the usual tired because of daylight savings or because I have spent several hours in the car commuting. No, it’s a different kind of tired, one I haven’t experienced too many times in the past but enough to known something isn’t right.

I contacted my therapist, I ate the chocolate, I drank the wine, and I will end my night by reading the Bible.

I feel like a weight is on my chest, and I’m drowning. My heart is just so heavy. I can’t make sense of things. I know it’s not supposed to be like this, but trying to wait for the relief isn’t fun either.

I just needed to vent to get it out in hopes that I will feel better. Maybe a good night’s sleep will refresh my soul after reading the Bible.