It’s Been a Year

I have not done a blog post since last February. It has really been one year since I checked in here. The good news is, Andrew and I are only in $1,200 worth of debt one year later and it will be paid off this month. It is my van. The only other debt we will have is the house. It’s amazing how much of a difference one year can make. We will be 100% debt free minus the house. FINALLY. After 13 years of working and paying and budgeting.... we are here.

The biggest thing now is, well, me. I have to make sure I still stick to a budget even though we’re out of debt. I need to be smart with money. We can start making extra payments on the house. We can save up for vacations or something nice. It’s going to be so wonderful. I have to stay on track, though. We all know I am the one that gets easily distracted.

Carson and Dean will be starting a new Autism Clinic on Monday! I have been waiting for this day for a couple of months now. I am so excited for them. They do so well when they’re in ABA. I know ABA is a controversial topic, but for my boys? It’s helping. They’re thriving. Dangerous behaviors almost disappear when they’re in ABA. I’m very thankful for that.

I want to do another purge of stuff in our house. I know Andrew just loves that. I’m feeling crowded and overwhelmed again so I know it’s something I need to do. Minimalism is still something I strive for.

I quit Hy Vee after 4 years. Was I mad at them? No. Was I unhappy in accounting? No. I just needed something that worked better for my situation with my foot and my kids. I found a part time job working at Butler Funeral Homes in their administrative office and I love it there. It is an amazing company to work for and the schedule works out perfectly for what we need as a family. I work 8-5, two days a week, no weekends. Holidays are an on call rotation and so far, I haven’t had to go in.

The only other big update I have is that on January 13, 2020 I had a Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy. VSG surgery if you will. It’s a bariatric procedure that removes 70-80% of your stomach to assist in weight loss. I am 3 weeks post op and I am doing well. It’s been one of the hardest things I have ever done and it takes a lot of planning and patience..... but I am glad I did it. I’ve lost almost 30 pounds so far and I already feel better physically than I have in a long time. I had been working towards this procedure since August of 2019. To anyone that says this is an easy way out....... you can shut up because you have NO idea how hard this has been or how hard it will continue to be. Once I’m close to a year out - the magic is gone. Yes, the stomach is still small.... but it can easily be stretched back out and I could easily fall back into old habits and gain the weight back. It’s just as hard to lose weight this way as it is any other way - it just physically keeps me from overeating. I puke if I eat too fast. I puke if I drink too fast. I puke if my stomach doesn’t like the food I put in it..... there’s a lot of pain and a lot of puking. But again, I don’t regret it...... most days.