I guess it is time to let the cat out of the bag....

I am so sorry friends...it was kind of fun though! But I just have not had any time to blog, this story deserved some thought... and I really do not have time now either, but I will put you out of your misery.

But I have to lead up to the story, so here I go....
You all know my husband is a basketball coach, has been for going on 9 year's this year. When we were engaged he was looking for a coaching position and we found it in Nacogdoches Texas. Where we met some GREAT friends...I know you are reading!!!! As a beginnger coach he started out as a JV coach, and assistant to Varsity. As an asssitant you are also pretty much required to help another sport, so he coached middle school and assisted Varsity football. I know being from Texas y'all understand what that means....

High School Football, especially in a Texas small town, THE god!!!! Practice and game films on Saturdays, and many schools even go on Sunday. It is a serious endeavor. Not a choice my husband made of his own volition, but with a great attitude nonetheless. He is admired by me for his several years of dedication to a sport he is not only not familiar with coaching, but not as crazy about either. But he did all things as unto the Lord, for which I praise him.

When he got the job it was July of '99. Our wedding was scheduled for September of '99, just a couple of months away, we were excited about his new job and our new adventure after the wedding....I was even able to drive to "Nac-a-no-where" to sit through part of his interview and meet the administration and see where we would live and work. At the meeting he mentioned our upcoming wedding and explained our plans.....

Now flash back: My husband is from Oregon, his Mom's parents and all of her family, including 6 brothers and sisters remain there. His grandparents have a lakehouse where he had made plans to go for the week of our honeymoon. The plane tickets were purchased, arrangments made for us to use the lakehouse.....we were so excited! We were borke, I do not know if you have heard but my Dad required him to be completely debt free before we could be engaged...so we had nothing at engagement b/c we had dumped it all on the rest of his school loans. So the trip to Oregon was quite a saacrifice for his tiny budget, which was even less then at the facility he worked at.

Flash forward to meeting: The administration finds out we have a week planned and they say "No way! Not during football season!" OUCH.....hind sight I think I would have asked my soon to be husband to be more assertive and state that plans are made, and to appeal the process...! But we sucked it up. The repurcussions however, we tried to change the dates of our airfare for another time and lost almost complete value. We also had to use them within one year....let me explain the first year of marriage we had $30 in the bank, we were not going anywhere!!!! Thus we ate the tickets....well not literally...haha

Okay now present day! We are so blessed....my husband is a hard worker. He works all summer as you all know, when he could be resting and enjoying time off. He also sacrifices finances to do what he loves...coach! It is not a glorified or financially successful line of work, but he is satisfied, therefore so am I. I feel so sorry for the husbands who are married to women who push there husbands to go into jobs they hate simply to make more money! My husband is Happy! Our jobs should be a reflection of our gifts and talents, and should meet a need in us. But too many people go into professions they hate just to "provide".

My husband also sacrifices by working in a private school verses coaching for a public school. But we are where God has led us. There are far greater benefits to being in His will than making money.
With all of that said, we have not gone on vacations aside from 2 years going to Padre to stay at my in-laws condo. They were great times to get away, and we are grateful for the experience.

Recently my husband was talking and asked me if I liked surprises...? HELLO!!! Who doesn't like surprises....except when you now know there is a surprise coming but you can't know what it is.....I told him they were much better if someone didn't give away the fact that there was a surprise....LOL So I asked him anyway to keep it to himself, at least for awhile. A few months later, he mentioned I was really going to like what he had planned for our 10th anniversary....

10th????? I said, "You know this is our 9th right?" You should have seen the look on his face HAHAHA Oh so funny! He really lost track of time, I guess living with me seems like an eternity! That could be good or bad~ He thought for sure it was our 10th, and now he is worried because he will have to top 9!

He left me hanging for a couple more months and finally the other night pulled up the computer and showed me his plans...............................................

A CRUISE, 5 night to cozumel!!!!! I am SO pumped. I am excited about seeing a new place, about the boat and all the free food, being out in the sun...and mainly I am SO excited to spend 5 days alone with my MAN! After 9 years he is still the joy of my life. It is the highlight of my day when he comes home, my favorite days are when he is here...my heart pounds when I think of him or see him.....I still have feelings for him...it isn't just that commited love, yes it has been at times. And I have had to go through seasons of asking God to renew the passion.....But it is here! I have to share, I have been reading

"Created to be his helpmeet" by Debi Pearl (teaching Titus 2)

It is a strong book, she doesn't mess around or beat around the bush. She tells it like it is, and let's us women have it about our role. Through reading it and putting the principles into practice I have definitely seen God bring back the fire we had at the beginning of our relationship. Only it is 9 x's better, because we also have history and commitment now that we didn't have before. I am so glad to know that you truly can feel in love with your spouse after 9 years. I had someone tell me several years back that after 10 years it is really hard, and you don't really like each other anymore....She really believed it had to do with the amount of time, and that it had to be that way......What a lie she bought into. She had no idea all that she was missing~!

So we leave September 20th, my birthday! And we are gone for 5 days. We have been doing Dave Ramsey as well...and I mean gazelle like intensity! Staying on budget, all extra money to the goal.....which to let you know was our 2nd mortgage that was at $18,000 give or take a little....So this year has been total abandon getting that knocked out. We used our old car payment and dumped that on it, ALL extra money not going to a bill went to it. We did NOT eat out, except with GFcards, and we both took on many extra jobs. I worked nursery Sundays and Wednesdays, and I watch a little girl 3 days a week. David gives up his summers and does private lessons when he can.

It is now PAID off!!!!!! FREEDOM !!!!! We are done. So we got our tax refund which is funding our second honeymoon! God is so good!

On top of all that, another God story! We have been borrowing a truck, which was called ours. Although it was ours to drive and keep as long as needed it really was not ours. It went into the shop pre-summer. When we got back, last week we were told to come and let's discuss it. It was in bad shape....someone found out we were driving that truck which seats 3 people and knew with us having 4 kids it can be difficult and a '97 Expedition was donated to us!!!! And it only has 60K.....Yes I am serious it is over 10 years old with only 60K, less than our '03 trailblazer!

This is a constant reminder to me....When you live by faith He is able to show His Power! If we had all the resources to get what we want, when we want it we would not witness as greatly the miracles of the Lord!

Praise God from whom all blessing flow!

"Whom have I in Heaven but You?

And besides You, I desire nothing on earth.

My heart and my strength may fail,

but God is the strength of my heart

and portion forever.

For, behold, those who are far from You will perish;

You have destroyed all those who are unfaithful to You.

But as for me, the nearness of God is my good;

I have made the Lord God my refuge,

That I may tell of his works."

Psalms 73:23-28