Internet, Budgeting, and Thanking the Lord
Jon and I are so thankful for our "random neighbors" right now. They don't have their internet secured and we are able to use it for free until...well, there's stop working. Last week it decided to not work, so Jon tried to fix it for them (my hubby can do things I never thought possible!), but unfortunately couldn't make it happen. So I was thinking it was time to start paying for our own internet. However we returned from a night of celebrating nephew's birthday to find it working again! Hooray! We don't have to put more money aside for bills, for at least awhile longer, right?
Now that we're more settled in to our new apartment and his pay check automatically goes into our account and now we won't be paying for two apartments starting in August, we decided it was best to sit down and talk budget. (My dad is probably clapping with glee right about now! He is an accountant!) But ugg, looking at our budget made us pretty depressed. Our new living arrangement costs double where we used to, and it leaves us with nothing to put in our savings account with what Jon makes as of right now. I can't lower our "spending money" (groceries, etc) because I know as soon as the baby comes we'll be adding a lot more items that will need to be purchased (diapers, wipes, etc). For two SAVERS this is a hard concept to be okay with. We would like to set money aside for future, higher cost items (furniture, a house, a family vehicle, etc). So right now the prayers begin. We give to the Lord and pray He will provide and we know trusting in Him is better than doubting and worrying. Our God is an awesome God, and His unconditional love is all we need. But lets allow Him to speak,
And that is where we begin to just trust and know God will provide our needs.
Another thing that got brought up was the fact that we need to find our prenatal care and decide on a doctor/hospital. We waited until Jon's insurance came through from his employer, and now we are starting the joy of exploring the care for our little Baby Kaisand! :) Tried to do some calling last week, but with out internet, it was tough to find numbers and search the web. What did we do before we had internet? Yeah, for internet again! I got tours set up to look at the two hospitals here in Cedar Rapids for next Saturday and looking forward to getting things figured out and planned. This poor baby will have quite the story of events from when it was growing inside me! So much highs/lows of searching for prenatal care, hospital decisions, moving, new jobs, new town, etc. I just thank the Lord and praise Him for I know He has it all in His hands. It's really allowed me to sit back and know it's going to be okay.
The Lord will give us a sweet baby no matter when or who helps bring it into this world! :)
This weekend we travel back to Ames to start the check out process of our first apartment. I'm okay to see it go, but sad to know it means we're farther away from family and friends. I sometimes forget how far we are from everyone until it's time to travel to visit them! Our new apartment is so spacious, bright, and nice that it's not depressing at all. I'm so thankful for that!
Jon and I have so many things to be thankful for this year, and the year is only half over! We can't imagine how much more when the year comes to an end! We're so excited to meet our Little Kaisand and looking forward to the day we can have you meet him/her. ;)
Hope everyone is having a wonderful summer! I know I am, but I would like to ask for the heat to go away some. Just sitting in air condition I'm sweating!!! Even after eating bowls and bowls of watermelon! mmmmm! :)
Now that we're more settled in to our new apartment and his pay check automatically goes into our account and now we won't be paying for two apartments starting in August, we decided it was best to sit down and talk budget. (My dad is probably clapping with glee right about now! He is an accountant!) But ugg, looking at our budget made us pretty depressed. Our new living arrangement costs double where we used to, and it leaves us with nothing to put in our savings account with what Jon makes as of right now. I can't lower our "spending money" (groceries, etc) because I know as soon as the baby comes we'll be adding a lot more items that will need to be purchased (diapers, wipes, etc). For two SAVERS this is a hard concept to be okay with. We would like to set money aside for future, higher cost items (furniture, a house, a family vehicle, etc). So right now the prayers begin. We give to the Lord and pray He will provide and we know trusting in Him is better than doubting and worrying. Our God is an awesome God, and His unconditional love is all we need. But lets allow Him to speak,
Malachi 3:10
New International Version (NIV)
10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.
2 Corinthians 9:7
New International Version (NIV)
7 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
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Another thing that got brought up was the fact that we need to find our prenatal care and decide on a doctor/hospital. We waited until Jon's insurance came through from his employer, and now we are starting the joy of exploring the care for our little Baby Kaisand! :) Tried to do some calling last week, but with out internet, it was tough to find numbers and search the web. What did we do before we had internet? Yeah, for internet again! I got tours set up to look at the two hospitals here in Cedar Rapids for next Saturday and looking forward to getting things figured out and planned. This poor baby will have quite the story of events from when it was growing inside me! So much highs/lows of searching for prenatal care, hospital decisions, moving, new jobs, new town, etc. I just thank the Lord and praise Him for I know He has it all in His hands. It's really allowed me to sit back and know it's going to be okay.
The Lord will give us a sweet baby no matter when or who helps bring it into this world! :)
This weekend we travel back to Ames to start the check out process of our first apartment. I'm okay to see it go, but sad to know it means we're farther away from family and friends. I sometimes forget how far we are from everyone until it's time to travel to visit them! Our new apartment is so spacious, bright, and nice that it's not depressing at all. I'm so thankful for that!
Jon and I have so many things to be thankful for this year, and the year is only half over! We can't imagine how much more when the year comes to an end! We're so excited to meet our Little Kaisand and looking forward to the day we can have you meet him/her. ;)
Hope everyone is having a wonderful summer! I know I am, but I would like to ask for the heat to go away some. Just sitting in air condition I'm sweating!!! Even after eating bowls and bowls of watermelon! mmmmm! :)
LOVE the update:) and thank you for your encouragement with the verses! so great! You can pray for us this week at we lead a VBS at our house!!! love Katie
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