Debt Free!

Today, we are officially (well when the checks clear :) ) DEBT FREE!! It's a great feeling! It's definitely not something we thought we would be able to accomplish with me not working a full time job, but thanks to tax returns we have done it! We didn't have a TON of debt, but we did have some hospital bills left to pay, a little on a credit card, and some to nick's grandparents that they let us borrow for a car that my brother is fixing up for us. But I am so happy to say that we are debt free, AND all our bills for this month are paid, on time... before they are actually due since we are normally having to figure out through out the month when we can pay our bills so that we don't overdraft (and it's car insurance month which is usually a REALLY stressful month for us). It is ALL paid and now we can enjoy the rest of the month (and months to come!) without having to worry about if we are going to be able to pay bills.

Also, while on this money note, God has really provided lately. Not that he always doesn't because he has ALWAYS provided for us, but in December Nick used up all his semesters for the North American Mission Board internship which he was getting paid to do. That money, while not a ton, helped us tremendously. On top of that we started going to physical therapy and had two more months before we reached our deductible so we were having to pay for each visit. But, great opportunities opened up for us. Ben and Bethany took Avery out of daycare and now I watch him Tuesday, Thursdays, and a little while on Friday and they are so graciously paying me to watch my nephew (I mean, I would do it for free because it's my nephew for goodness sakes!) But we were really down to the point to where we were going to have to figure something out as in me going back to work at least part time to help pay for the bills until I got a teaching job in August, so them paying us to watch Avery helped out ALOT. I also watch a friends little girl on Fridays and then last night, another friend found out that she may need someone to watch her boys on monday, wednesday and fridays (monday and wednesday i don't have avery and one of her boys goes to preschool from 9-12) and fridays my mom has kayden so I would have the little girl and then one little boy until the other gets done with preschool and by then nick is usually home, and he is definitely home by the time they bring avery so it's not like i have an over abundance of kids all at once by myself. The logistics of it all has just amazed me and it's only something that God could have orchestrated. At no time will I have more than 3 kids at one time by myself, and when I do have 3, it's only for about an hour until Nick gets home. And both boys are older than the other kids so they will both be able to help for that short time where I will have 3 at the same time. I am so so thankful for these opportunities and am so thankful that God has yet again provided... he does everytime so I do not know why i doubt that he will but I also hope this story encourages others that may be going through that difficult time and may be doubting also :)

and sleeping is going great! It took 25 minutes last night, he woke back up at 12:30 (which this was for his normal 10-11 bottle but he didn't get a bottle until 8 so i let him sleep until he woke up) and then went back down until around 3 where he came back to bed with us. So thankful this is getting easier!!

The 5 month picture you ask... well it's coming. It may be the last day of his 5 months but it will still be when he is 5 months. We are having problems with the light fixture in his room so we only have a really dim lamp in there so it's not good lighting for the picture... and I refuse to take the picture anywhere else :) so it's coming... i promise! :)