It's 4:54 AM and I've been up for an hour...

It's really just a matter of perspective, but it is either very late or very early. I woke up about an hour ago. And fought the alertness I was experiencing, but in the end I decided I could either lie in bed miserably or do a few things while I was unwillingly awake. My hope is that I'll go back to bed in a bit and actually sleep past 6:30.

So, for now, I'm up...and I don't want to make too much of a racket so cleaning is out...

I also happened to not only marry Micah, but all of his stereo equipment. As a musician I have to say, it pretty much rocks to be able to listen to music on an amazing system. Sometimes I struggle with having nice things and this is applies to our stereo as well...but most of the time I am just happy he bought it before me and before he was a Christian.

So, there you have it, one of my dark sides. While I am sad Micah lived without Christ for parts of his life, we both agree that we couldn't justify spending major bucks on stereo equipment at this point in time of our lives.

I have heard several times that most common fights in a marriage surround money and sex. This will be about the the first...

We are currently living in a 912 square foot home I bought when I thought God was calling me into singleness. It was perfect for me. It is not perfect for me, a husband, and his stereo system. My original thought in buying the house was that it would help me continue on the path of living simply and not acquiring too much "stuff." Micah and I keep getting rid of said "stuff." If you go to the Goodwill on Keystone, more than likely you will walk away with something from this house.

We also love to cook. And the kitchen in this house is just bizarre. Plus I'm pretty sure the cabinets are the originals from 1954. I broke a drawer. I don't know how to replace it.

And the basement flooded...with sewage. We lost our entire book library, Micah's cd and dvd collection, and my American Girl doll collection in addition to all but 10 pictures of me from birth until age 20.

This house isn't leaving our possession any time soon.

When we created our initial budget, it looked like we could live off one salary. SCORE! We planned on buying another house and (hopefully) renting this one...but we weren't too concerned since I could afford this house on a single salary and we weren't planning on spending a ton on a new place being that we like living in the 'hood.

But after much speculation and fleshing out of the budget, we have decided that owning two homes is not possible if we desire to pursue the gifts and callings God has given us. (Plus I read that the housing market crash is not totally from people buying homes they can't afford, but it was also added to by all the people who bought and additional home or two because the market was down-with the plans of flipping or renting-and cannot carry the cost of their additional homes...)

So, instead, we are staying here. Doing our best to get rid of stuff. Maintaining the house. Putting in a one way valve in the basement to (hopefully) prevent another sewage strike. Making this kitchen as workable as possible. Creating a lifestyle that utilizes all the items that have been bestowed upon us so that we don't need storage. Or much at least. Which is good because this house has 2 closets. Micah hangs his shirts from the curtain rod in our bedroom.

This gives us freedom! We are not in bondage to mortgages or debt. Instead we are able to pursue the course we believe God has provided...we will be able to front all monies for adoption in a few years, Micah will be able to start his photography business well before we have children, we are able to travel to visit our friends in Turkey, our family in California, and be the hands and feet of Jesus in very tangible ways. We are able to put money towards retirement not to galavant, but to relocate...right now we toy with the idea of starting an orphanage in Africa in retirement. But that is quite a ways away.

Living below our "means" is freeing. It allows God to speak to us, guide us, and point us in the direction of how to distribute the funds He has graciously given to us.

And while we have plans that we believe God has laid, we also understand that-in the end-none of this is ours. It has been given to us so that we may bring Him glory.

peace.