Saturday, October 18, 2014

Vision

My last post was over a year ago. At least I'm consistent. I need to update.

I've picked up another job this year. I was asked to come be a manager for Shoe Carnival. Bringing my paid hours a week to 80. Yes, I work two full time jobs and squeeze in USU. Along with a bubbling and happy marriage. (Coming up on six years, woot!) Even in this mix I still find a bit o time for friends and personal education. I'm not entirely sure how, but it's happening.

I finished up the two pre-requisite classes I could take from BATC. The rest have to be taken at USU and I decided I would finish my financial goals before I looked into figuring out when to take those classes.

Currently we are three months from financial freedom. Can I say that again? THREE MONTHS! Freaking excited. We will have paid off close to $45,000 in the last five years. When you work minimum wage jobs and have had the medical expenses we've had, I think that's amazing.

Something magical will happen in February, our income will be ours to keep and direct. Between the two of us, we work an average 140 hours a week. It will be fantastic to finally get to leave that cash in our bank account. By next October, we will have $16,000 stashed in our account for our fully funded 6 month emergency fund. Yes, I follow Dave Ramsey's teachings on finances. The dude has got it down. Starting next November I will be able to start savings full bore for retirement. (On a side note, I will be getting a 401k in April from Shoe Carnival. Woot!) Then college cash, here we come. Once I get that cash for school stashed it will be time for a reevaluation of what to do next.

Crazy as it sounds, I do like all my jobs. Though I am exhausted, after six months, I've mostly adjusted to the hours. To be honest, brains don't function at 100% with that many hours packed in a week. (At least mine short circuits from time to time.) I'm very lucky to be employed by some awesome people. I've got a rock solid schedule and they're kind enough to let me work it.

With this job at Shoe Carnival, we were catapulted forward by well over a year on getting out of debt. It's been a blessing.

It's been grueling but so satisfying. We plan to take a small excursion in February to visit family to celebrate our freedom.

I still want to be a nurse. I'll get my degree from the technical school and hopefully I can find an employer to help me pay for a Bachelors in Nursing. Maybe even a Master's in Business. That'd be fantastic.

Somewhere in the future, a house will come along. Not quite sure where, have to see how the chips fall as we go forward. The goal is to have the house paid off in less than five years.

With a paid off house, no debt and hopefully a rocking job, we can start stashing to get this clinic out of dreamland and on the path to reality. It may not be exactly my own building when we get there, but we'll just have to see. There is still a need in this valley (along with most of the world) to provide better care and support for people living with diabetes.

I hear a rumor that with the hospital's expansion, they may bring an endocrinologist into Cache Valley. That'd be fantastic.

Which reminds me, I finally went to my boss' CDE. He freaking rocks. For the first time in almost eight years, I spoke to someone who knows more than me about diabetes. It was fantastic. (My favorite word right now.) He's enthusiatic and has a way of seeing clearly and finding a goal to work on. I'm currently working hard to pre-bolus. Something I've always been scared of doing because I would always go low. His guess was that I was a bit aggressive with my insulin. I've been working his plan and it's going good. Working as much as I do, diabetes is really just simmering on the back burner. I'm taking care of it, but mostly just enough attention to keep the pot from boiling over.

Me and my man are still just as nuts as we have always been. He's my best cheerleader and best friend. He works his tail off. He always puts me to shame. I can only try to be as diligent as he is. But I am trying. This year, as I said, is six years married. January is seven years together. Being married is my greatest joy. In nothing have I ever been so happy. I love working day by day, side by side.

We talk about kids as we always have. We don't know when they're coming. I will probably look into fertility testing as we get closer to our financial freedom. If nothing else, we are setting up a home to possibly someday foster or adopt children. Family is in the future, we're just not sure of the timing. But all the same, we're happy.

Life is good, we're working it hard. Be back in year? Probably.