Yippee, $ for me!

This will be our 4th summer here. Do we love it? Not necessarily, but we are firm believers in finding good in wherever you are. Given the twists and turns we've been dealt in our life, we feel as though we can't complain about where we've gotten or how we've gotten there for that matter. We know we are where we should be and (hopefully) doing what we're supposed to be doing.

Choosing to go to school was tough. I felt as though there were a thousand other things that I should be doing with my time and school would consume lots of time. [Any of you who know me know I'm a complete numbers girl. The numbers have to work, that's just how I operate.] Our initial plans a year ago were for me to go back to school and we based that off of the tuition back in CA. We did the math and decided we would forge ahead and do it. We put the house up for sale and... well ok nevermind, God didn't want us to move back to CA. (silly us, thinking we knew what should happen) As the next summer approached, we knew that God had made his point and we weren't going to try to sell the house, but we would still continue with my school plans.

I go about my business and look into going to school here instead and hold up! No, this can't be! Seriously, tuition is how much? Initially we based my going to school on $xx each class (remember, I'm a #'s lady) but now it's going to be 3.5x that amount?!?! Aaahhh! Serious second thoughts because we planned for the original amount but not the 3.5x the amount price. Talk about sticker shock.

After much praying and informing Heavenly Father (just in case he hadn't been fully aware of the situation) that I was very uneasy about the immediate financial costs but would leave it up to him. In all honestly, it made me feel better just in case it didn't go right, at least (in theory) it wasn't me making the final decision. Sounds lame I know, but that's me. :p

So we ponyed up and start saving what little we have so we could afford to pay for school without sacrificing what has become "necessities" for our family. Summer 1 tuition, paid! Slightly painful, but we did it. Summer 2 tuition, paid! Hurt a little more, but it's for a good cause. It's not like it's going towards some fancy smancy electronic gadget or something, it's an education for crying out loud. Fall tuition's due date is rapidly approaching... aahhh, brace yourself, it's gonna be a doosy.

I was in the shower and ..... [ring ring ring- no I take that back, it rang we wish you a merry christmas because we still haven't changed the ringtone; just preparation for this year, that's all] you hear E on the phone then the talking stops and he comes in to say, "uumm, I think you may have just gotten a scholarship." I immediately warn him that he can't tease me like that, that's one place he didn't want to go. I quickly finished my shower and returned the phone call.

"Hi, this is Karen from the Chamber of Commerce and we've selected your essay as the recipient of our 2008-09 scholarship." Alright! It was exciting to know that people acknowledged my hard work and my essay stood above those other thousands that also applied. The following week, E and I got to go to the sit down dinner (400 people in attendance) and smooze with all the big wigs of the city. For those of you who live by us, OMG words wouldn't describe how awesome our city is. Getting invited to attend this awards banquet was an amazing opportunity. We got to see first hand all the hard work people have put in, to make our city what it is today. We also got to see the recognition that the Chamber of Commerce gives to people from large companies, to Mom & Pop shop owners, city police officers, and well as teachers and principals throughout the school district. All the more reason to enjoy where we're at right now.

Add that awards dinner to the scholarship that will cover 1.5 semester's tuition and I am one happy lady. Once again my Heavenly Father has given us blessings when we're doing what we're supposed to be doing. I want to send a big thank you to Mrs. Barbara and Joshua for watching our little monkeys so we could have our "date night" dinner.

really, it's 100 degrees outside and we're going inside a tent?


But it wasn't your ordinary tent, it was a tricked out version. Ya know, the kind with chandeliers, big screen TV's, and an ice cold AC




these guys work for the company that sponsored my scholarship


I pitched in some $ (100% goes back into the scholarship account to be awarded to other students) and got to keep the centerpiece. Isn't it cute?