Sunday

So, today I have completed almost 80 million things. The house does not look like that, but I've gotten some major work done. I've typed letters promoting Sign4Me, Baby! sign language business and made a flier to send to every home in the Midlands (kidding). I've unpacked and repacked house items and toys. I've rearranged some storage areas. I've posted some items for sale on Etsy (what a stinking long process) and on Half.com. I've washed 4 loads of class and made soup. I'm sure there's more....

This week was busy-so busy I couldn't even return my friend Amanda's phone call. That is not a good week. Tuesday I got the first year's payment for achieving National Board certification!!!! $7, 200.00!!! You might think we are rolling in the money, but we just wanted to try to pay off as much of our debt as we could. I found out in November that I got the certification (I'm a National Board Certified Teacher of Exceptional Students Birth-age 21)-on the first try! I knew the money was coming, and Mike and I were planning which bills to pay off with that money, but the feeling of joy when I was able to pay off the Bank of America, Lowes, Belk and BB&T credit cards (okay, so 3 of those were small amounts, but it still felt good!). Then on Thursday I got ANOTHER check for $1000.00 for the Pay for Results program in our district, which I completely wasn't expecting since I am not based at a school. So, of course, I ran out an bought a lottery ticket too, since I was feeling a little lucky. (That reminds me-need to check my tickets...) So, with all that money we got and have paid out, we still owe about $15,000. Most of that is Mike's used Suburban we bought a few months ago and some fees for adoption services. With that being our ONLY debt now (yippee), I hope we can pay all this down. Sorry for the rambling on about my finances, but with all we've paid for our first child and the cancer treatments I needed, putting out all this money AGAIN is overwhelming but I actually feel we have made a turn for the better. We are supported by friends and family and our hard work is paying off at the right time. Get my sister's karoke machine (yes she has one and it rocks!) and sing "Everything's coming up roses and butterflies." (And knock on wood.)