Tender Mercies

Wow. I just feel so blessed today that I must write it down. Today, Derek and I have been so blessed financially. He got a one-time (this year) bonus from work plus raise! Wow! I felt like we were really making it and we have been having an opportunity to start saving and yes...spending less than we earn: what a concept! And now, we are blessed even more. This is just so helpful because I am the type of person who is completely scared of money. I am scared of not having any and I am scared of having too much, meaning, I don't want to live on the streets, but I also don't want to have so much that I spoil my kids and they don't learn the value of hard-work. This bonus and raise, however, is helping me to start freaking out less. I feel like I am learning to balance the two extremes. I'm feeling like I learning how to save so that we don't spend too much and spoil ourselves, but that we can also live free of too much financial worry. What a wonderful place to be in, after only about two years of marriage! That isn't the case for a lot of people, and it makes me feel so incredible blessed. I can't say it enough. I'm sure this entry is completely jumbled and all over the place but I am just so excited and blessed. This is surely a tender mercy from God!

Odds and Ends

The semester seems to be winding down a bit, and by that I mean that everything is due and I'm pretty stressed! Next week, I only go to class for two days and then on Wednesday, I will be in the fourth grade for four weeks! I'm so excited, but that is why everything is due. I'm grateful for my teachers because if it is due before the practicum, then I won't have to worry about it during or after it, but it still makes it a little stressful. But, I'll be alright. I just keep thinking about looking forward to actually doing something applicable next week so it all seems doable.

Gary (Derek's dad) just told us last night that he is coming into town today. So, that will be lots of fun to spend time with him! I think it is hilarious that even though Derek's family lives in Canada (well, his parent's are the only ones, but still) I see them quite often. I love it! It makes it nice because since my family lives around here, we get to see them a lot so being able to spend time with Derek's family too is awesome!

What else? This weekend was really good. Relaxed but fun. On Friday, Derek and I went out to dinner and then came home and watched T.V. shows that we had recorded that we hadn't gotten a chance to watch yet. Sometimes, I just love spending Friday night at home. It is so relaxing and so nice.

On Saturday, I had to study and take a test. It turned out okay. It was mostly short answer/essay, so I don't know how well I did, but I felt good about it. While I was doing that, Derek was studying for his GMAT test. He takes that on March 14th, the same day I take my Praxis test, so we will both be studying like crazy the next couple of weeks.

After my test, my friend Megan called and we went to the gym. I hadn't been in like, forever, so it was nice. It always makes it much easier to get through when I have a friend there to talk to. Otherwise, I get really bored!

Then, Derek and I went up to Salt Lake for his hockey game. It was playoffs and they have double elimination. Derek's team had already lost last week, so if they lost on Saturday, it would have been their last game. Sadly, they lost. They scored 8 goals, but they still lost. It was okay though. It is sometimes hard on both of us when he has a game every weekend and most of them are really late at night. At least now, we will have more time to do other things that we like. He might sign up for the summer league, though, so we will see how that goes.

Anyway, that's life right now. I don't always feel like my life is that exciting so that's why I haven't been writing as frequently. Hopefully, in the next couple of weeks, I'll have much cooler things to say!

Disneyland!

On Sunday, we made the 10 hour drive to Anaheim, CA to go to Disneyland! It was so much fun. On Monday, only my mom was with Derek and I but it was really fun. It rained a little in the day but hardly anyone was at the park so we were able to go on all of the fun rides at both parks multiple times. It was fun because we got to just relax and walk around and do things that I don't usually get to do because there is never enough time (like ride that really fun ferry, see shows, etc.)

On Tuesday, Doug, Heather and the kids were there! This is why I was so excited to go to Disneyland. It is so much more fun when there are kids there with you, especially when they are 2 and 3 years old, and especially when their names are Emily and Colby! They were living dolls! We had fun on Tuesday because we were able to go on all the kid rides that I haven't been on since I was a kid. We went to Toon Town and saw Mickey, Minnie, Goofy and Pluto! I just love how exciting and new it is to kids. They have so much energy and the whole experience for them truly is magical. Needless to say, I love Disneyland! It really is the happiest place on Earth!

Anyway, I could write tons more about it but all that really needs to be said is how much I love Disneyland. I want to take our kids there as much as we can. I could honestly say that I love Disneyland as much as Christmas and food. Now that's saying something!!!

Derek's Birthday!!!

Today is Derek's birthday! Yay! I love birthdays! Unfortunately, I can't make this day as fun as I would usually like because not only does Derek work all day, but his GMAT class is also tonight so he doesn't get home until 10:30 p.m. It's a little sad, but I did what I could. Derek works up in South Jordan and so today, I drove up there and we had lunch together. It was really fun and really needed. I have never done of that before which made it special but also made me wonder why I hadn't before! I didn't get Derek anything for his birthday this year (because he pretty much used up all of his birthdays and Christmas' for the next two years when we bought that T.V.!!!) but sometimes I think that it's better that way. We had the most wonderful lunch together and I know that sounds a little weird but I think it was a better gift than a movie or something! I don't know though, it wasn't my birthday :)

We are planning to do something fun this weekend and invite people out for dinner or something. We haven't decided yet but hopefully, we can just have a fun night hanging out and celebrating with cake and ice cream! Then, on Sunday, we are going up to my parent's house for a birthday dinner. So, even though today might not be that great, at least we will be able to celebrate it all weekend!