$0.77

Tyler is going to Boyne Mountain this weekend with my dad and I realized that he need a pair of bigger swim trunks for the water park, so while I was in Saginaw today and had some time to kill but no money for shopping I decided to check out Goodwill and see if they had any swim trunks that might work. I figured it couldn’t hurt to look there and would fit with the little bit of money I could afford to spend. I was thinking maybe $2 for a pair of trunks.

So I looked through the rack, and found a pair of trunks and a pair of shorts in 3T which I can get away with even though Tyler is wearing 4’s in pants and shirts. The prices were not obviously marked, they just had the colored plastic tag hanger (I can’t remember what those things are called.) So I went up to the register, made sure I could use my debit card since I didn’t have any cash on me, and the clerk rang me up. I got both for $.77!! I wished I had the dollar in change with me that I knew was on top of the dryer. I felt like I had gotten the buy of the day — not only had I gotten what I needed, but I got 2 items for less than a dollar. I couldn’t have beaten that even at a garage sale. I think I am going to be doing more shopping at Goodwill and Salvation Army, both of which are here in town. I think I also am going to try to go more by myself, since it was nice to shop by myself and get what we needed.

I enjoyed my free time today between my 2 classes. I had almost 3 hours with minimal plans. I felt like I got a lot accomplished in that little bit of time.

Miscellaneous thoughts

I didn’t realize how long it had been since I had blogged. I have been busy and really haven’t wanted to spend a lot of time on the computer though I have been reading my friend’s blogs.

I am still looking for another job. It looks like the job at Mid-Michigan is not going to pan out. I want something closer to home, but I am willing for anything at this point. I would be thankful for some interviews. I am also thinking about going back to school for my masters. That would be interesting to add to my life right now with little kids, but I think it is something that I need to advance my career and get to something that I want to spend the rest of my life doing. Just wish I would have done it before kids, but then I might have taken a different path than I am thinking now and I am excited about the potential of what I want to do. God’s direction is really needed at this point.

Happy Sweet 16 to my sister, Kelly. Yes, I do have a sister that is just turning 16 (there is one that even younger.) She was excited to go get her driver’s license today. She has been doing a lot of driving since Michigan now has a stepped license system. She has been driving for almost a year. She was looking forward to taking her car back to school.

My grandma is doing very well at the nursing home. She is really enjoying it. She is enjoying not have to think about cooking and cleaning. I would say that she is thriving. She is enjoying all the activities there. My sister was taking her to clean out her apartment and had to work around my grandma’s busy social schedule at the nursing home. She keeps saying that she will be moving someplace else. We need to get figured out what she can afford. We are working on cleaning out the apartment since the lease is up at the end of the month.

William is doing great at being 2. We moved him to the 2s & 3s class at church. He is doing great with the transition, but Tyler is not doing as well having his brother in the same class. Next week he is getting moved to the 4s & 5s class. We probably should have moved him sooner, but didn’t.

On the knitting front — I have the front and back of a sweater for a friend’s premie done and am working on the sleeves. I am trying to decide if I am going to mail it to them in Calgary or hold onto it until they come to visit in July. Not sure how long it would take to cross the border.

Purity

Our church right now is doing a series on “Escaping”.  So far some of the messages have been on escaping your past/regrets, escaping “religion,” escaping sexual addiction.  This last Sunday was sexual addiction, but the focus to me seemed to be more on purity in our lives.  It has been interesting this week thinking about purity in my life.  I really have taken it beyond sexual purity, though a reminder of sexual purity is always welcome.

At the end of the sermon you could pick up a white silicone bracelet if you wanted.  At first I felt funny wearing it, but I am finding it is helping me with my thinking and realizing when my thinking is not pure.  Like last night when I wanted to fall into a pity party when I was tired and Russ had a bad headache and there was garbage to be taken out, boys to put to bed, remote to find (which didn’t get found until this morning), laundry to do, dishes to clean up, house to pick up and projects to finish.  I did let myself have a pity party until God used the feel of the bracelet on my arm to remind me that my thinking was not right.  I was being unkind to toward Russ and the kids  I was thinking things that I never should have been thinking.

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, THINK ON THESE THINGS.

Is there room for improvement in the purity side of my life?  Absolutely!!  Russ and I were talking about how the bracelets are affecting our lives.  He said that he has tried to work on the purity side of this life before, but something about this time is different.  I think we were spiritually prepared for thinking about purity by the series, knowing that both of us are thinking and working at being pure, knowing that we are not alone, but a large majority of our church is also thinking and working for the same things, and having a physical reminder of what we are working toward.

“Thank you God, for giving me the reminder that I need to become more pure and working in my life.  Help me on this path as I work toward purity in You not only sexually, but in every area of my life, as I become more like You.”

I am Cheerios

Seen on a friend’s blog and thought it would be fun to do.

You Are Cheerios

Like other Cheerios eaters, you want to be a responsible adult. But you can’t help but still be a kid at heart! You try to make good decisions. You’re a clean cut, conscientious person. You’re the type of person who would never skip breakfast. Part of you thinks that breakfast is too important to miss… But a bigger part of you knows it’s too fun to miss!

What Kind of Cereal Are You?