The First Month of Twenty Ten

Is tomorrow really the last day in January already? Wow. As I was changing our classroom calendar to February on Friday after school, I found it hard to believe how fast the first month of 2010 has gone. I would say this year has gotten off to a pretty good start for us. We have successfully maintained our resolution to eat better and get more exercise (I think Santi has done a little better than I have on that one, he has lost about 15 pounds!), we are still working our budget (there will always be room for improvement in this area), and we are plugging away with school and work. On the 23rd we celebrated Santi's 29th birthday. His last year in his 20's. We have heard that the 30's are better than the 20's. I guess he will have to let me know if that is true next year:) I think I pulled off a pretty good birthday surprise. I started the day off with a massage appointment for him, then surprised him with lunch at The Brazilian Bull, then tickets to the Suns game...and the Suns even won! I think I enjoyed his birthday just as much as he did. Really, any weekend we get to spend together is a great one since it doesn't happen too often.
Last week Santi got a letter about his citizenship. It was a list of all the documentation he needs to prepare before his interview. One more step in the process. We are getting there. It feels so close! He is also only about two months away from graduation. We are ready to celebrate that as well! Speaking of graduation, he is on the hunt for a new job, which is not the easiest task in the current job market. We have been praying for the right opportunity to come his way and waiting for God to provide. This week we discovered that Goodyear is going to be home to the new Solartech plant, right down the road from our house. They will be bringing over 200 jobs to the area. According to the paper they are going to be opening in September and will be looking to hire mostly locals. Could this be God's provision? I'm not sure, but it definitely gives us a feeling of hope! So for now, we will keep praying that Santi finds a career that he enjoys, that allows us time together, and also allows him to provide for us. As for my job, I just have to pray that all of the current state budget cuts aren't going to mean a salary cut or furlough days for me next year. It is not looking too promising at the moment. I know that God will be faithful and that He has a plan, but sometimes it isn't easy to sit back and wait to find out what that plan is.
Here's to hoping that February brings even more promise and hope!

And So We Begin Again...

Tomorrow is the last day of 2009. New Year's Eve. Can't say we have any big plans. I think we get a little more boring each year:) Wherever and however we ring in the New Year, I am ready. I am ready for all that this New Year is going to bring our way. Challenges. Successes. New adventures. New memories. 2010 has a lot of promises for us. Santi is receiving his bachelor's degree in March. Hopefully this means the Lord will bless him with a new job that includes a higher salary and more importantly regular hours so we have more time together. I am hopefully graduating with my master's in the fall. Hopefully this means I will be blessed with the opportunity to teach at one of the community colleges which will mean I won't work as much. Santi will finally become a United States citizen. Hopefully this means his parents will follow shortly after and they will finally be relieved of their stress. These are all things we have been waiting a long time for and to be this close is such a great feeling. I look back and remember times when we were feeling weary and frustrated, when we didn't know how things would work out, and I am reminded that even when life gets confusing and I am not certain of where we are headed, God has a plan for us. For that I am thankful.

Moving On

Well, it's safe to say that 2009 has been a tough year for a lot of people. The worst economic downturn since the Great Depression, the housing crisis, the H1N1 outbreak, war raging on, and a looming health care crisis...most people are looking forward to welcoming a new year in hopes of a new outlook.
When I look back at 2009 for us, I won't say it was easy. We had our own share of setbacks and frustrations. I could think of a handful of things to complain about. But I won't. We were blessed this year. We both kept our jobs in a time where many couples faced the loss of one or even two incomes, many with children to support. We didn't have any major health concens. God blessed us with the ability to get up and get to work every day, feeling well enough to do our jobs. By His grace we avoided the dreaded H1N1, even in jobs considered to be high risk. We still own our home, and so many people faced the loss of a dream when their home went into foreclosure. Even people close to us. We came out on top this year. We are grateful. We are blessed.
As we prepare for a new year, we are looking forward to the promises God has for us and we cannot wait to see how this year unfolds according to His plan. I am confident that this new year holds many more blessings for us. I am sure they will be accompanied by some challenges, but it is all in His hands and if we give it all up to Him, He will provide.

Another Crazy Holiday Season

It has been quite awhile since I last posted, but let me just say I have been BUSY. Actually, that would be an understatement. November and December are always crazy months,and we decided to throw in Thanksgiving at our house, my brother's wedding, being sick, and hosting my parents for Christmas.
We began the Holiday season with a wonderful Thanksgiving at our house with all of our friends. This was our third Thanksgiving away from home, and while I always miss our family this time of year and wish we were closer, I am so thankful for our wonderful Arizona friends who shared this day with us.
We rolled into December with all of the typical craziness at school. Programs, parties, pot lucks, Christmas crafts, overly excited kids. December as a teacher is exhausting. I managed to survive our pajama party the last day before break despite being terribly sick...all to hop on a late night flight to Indiana for my little brother's wedding. The wedding was beautiful, and I only wish I had been feeling well enough to actually enjoy it. I got through the rest of the weekend, and after finally getting some medicine I started to feel better just in time to catch a flight back to Phoenix with mom and dad for Christmas. We had a great time at Christmas. Nothing too special, just enjoyed time together. Our plans to take mom and dad to the Grand Canyon on Christmas day were cancelled due to snow up north, but we found pleanty to do. We shopped, attended the Christmas service at chuch, ate at Matt's Big Breakfast, toasted hot dogs and made smores in our new fire pit, walked around Lake Pleasant, caught a movie, and enjoyed Christmas dinner at Rustler's Rooste. It was nice to spend time with them. I miss being able to hop from house to house and see our families, and I hope next year Santi will have a job that allows him to travel during Christmas.

Now that all the craziness is over, I am happy to have a week remaining to relax before returning to work. I am looking forward to a relaxing week of cooking, organizing, and being lazy.

The Wish List

Here we are flying right through October. This is my most favorite time of year, and it always flies right by! Despite a few record-breaking days of heat this week (102 yesterday), we are finally easing into more pleasant weather. The Arizona weather I love is on its way, and I am reminded of why I put up with the ridiculous summer heat. Just last weekend we returned from Indiana after a week with family...and it rained, and rained, and rained some more. We had a good time overall, but wished we could have enjoyed some nicer weather. I guess we are just spoiled by our regular doses of sunshine out here in "the valley of the sun".
So...we are doing pretty well with our budget still. It's not easy, but we are working hard to really watch where our money goes and avoid unnecessary purchases. It feels good to have better control over our finances, and I hope that by the time spring roles around we will be in a better position to do some things I have been dying to do around the house. I just have to get these ideas out...so here goes my wish list...
1) We NEED a real dining room table...okay, maybe we don't "NEED" it, but I really, really want one. Our current table is from IKEA, purchased for about 100 bucks when we had the apartment, and it barely seats 4. It looks so tiny in our dining area...and when family comes out to visit, or friends come over, it can get rather crowded. 
2) Curtains...I have yet to do any kind of window treatments (other than the blinds that came with the house). I would really love some simple panel curtains...but man they can be expensive! Especially since we have 5 windows just in our living/dining area. Any suggestions on where I can find inexpensive window treatments and and curtain rods?
3) Paint...okay, we painted our master bedroom over a year ago when we moved in...and I will admit the paint color was not the best choice. I always wanted a chocolate brown room, but with dark bedroom furniture it's too much. Our master bath is a sort of teal color, and I would like to do the whole bedroom in a lighter version of that color. Santi wants to kill me for even saying I want to repaint:) Anyone up for helping me out some Saturday when he is working?
4) New comforter in the master bedroom....I love our current comforter from Crate and Barrel, but we purchased it from the outlet and don't have the whole matching set, plus I ruined one of the throw pillows in the washer...so it looks like a hodge podge bed set now. Oh yeah, and our dog's dirty paws on the white comforter don't help...no matter how many times I wash it. Nothing expensive..I have been looking at Overstock.com
5) Next would be something I know we won't be purchasing anytime soon, but I can dream can't I? I would really like to have a sectional sofa with a pull out bed rather than our little love seat and sofa. We need more space for guests, plus I love sectionals. The only reason we didn't get one at first was because we were still in the apartment and it wouldn't fit.
6) Mexican fan palms. Our poor little Queen palms in the backyard didn't survive monsoon season. Now we have two big holes in the backyard. I love palm trees...they are one of the best parts of living in the southwest! I would like to fill those holes with some sturdy Mexican fan palms that will NOT blow over during a monsoon storm!
7) Area rug. Although I LOVE having tile throughout our house...I would love to feel a little carpet under my feet in the living room. I would love a big beautiful area rug for the living room. 

Okay...there is a reason that was called a "wish list"...I will wish for these things and maybe one day God will bless us with the financial resources to finish up our little home. Until then, I am more than thankful with all that we have. Our lives are full of blessings...and all this budgeting, although sometimes painful and difficult, will pay off in the end when we are able to finally start thinking about a family:)