Mud Puddles

I have to start off saying that I dislike mud puddles. Mostly because I find them inconvenient and always seem to step in them or be splashed by mud while I am wearing clothes I need to keep clean or crocs/flip flops and my feet get muddy. AND If you have a child with you, they are attracted to them! (my kids anyway!) If there is a mud puddle within 100 yards they will find it and inevitably step in it (or jump!). Its unavoidable. 


Life lately seems like a big 'ole mud puddle that we cannot seem to steer clear of!


More unemployment bad news. Seems that even though he did not get paid for working those 2 days a few months back, that they consider it a job. We are hoping that the company agrees that they ended things amicably because if not, it could mean the end of everything we've been working so hard for.


We spent the better part of Wednesday wallowing in self pity, sitting in the middle of the mud puddle. Until we knocked ourselves out of it. It's out of our control. All we can do is pray that things turn out alright. These struggles have humbled us. We no longer take the "little" things for granted. We feel blessed EVERY SINGLE TIME we can pay a bill or get something special for the kids. 


We went from having NO money problems and NEVER worrying about anything, spending money however we wanted (carelessly too) to the exact OPPOSITE making sure we can eat every month. That our mtg is paid so we can keep the house, consumers so we have heat/electricity and water/sewer. We have gotten rid of cable, which we realized we spent too much time in front of the t.v. now, and now spend more time playing card games or sitting on the floor with our 2 precious children playing whatever they want. We also got rid of internet (honestly, I miss that!) and our house phone. We still each have a cell phone but with limited minutes and we don't have the best of the best phone plans or the newest phones. We try to make it "out" to eat once a month with a couple friends of ours, but it takes us ALL month to save for that little amount and if we need diapers, that comes first. Really thinking of how we had "everything" and not really worrying about money, we didn't have "anything". We spent more time impressing others, playing games, going to the casino, buying our kids the most expensive toys, eating out a lot and watching tv ..... then living life. We now are thankful for every little thing. Our kids are so excited to play with a box than the newest game system or game. When they get to go to the dollar store and pick out a prize, Phillip gets a car and Hannah gets a ball. We are spending more time playing cards or a family game rather than watching tv. When we do watch a movie, we do it together, camped out in the living room with popcorn. We take the kids outside and enjoy the sun. Not to mention the luxury of homeschooling our sweet boy.


So even though we have our mud puddles. We know we have been taught an important lesson in humility. I am NOT saying it's not hard on us wondering what's next because it's horrifying. But we have learned to lean on each other and sometimes smack some sense into each other! We have made a promise to each other that once we are back on our feet again (financially) that we are determined to make the the same family/life choices. We will still appreciate every.single.thing God has given us. 


Besides not only are our clothes washable, but so are we...so if we encounter a few mud puddles it's nothing we can't clean up after right?  *staying positive*