Going radical 7th month!

This month was a real struggle. It was rather painful for me to read the lessons I learned from last month, particularly, lesson Number 1: not to be angry over this affliction.

A day before we left for our family reunion in Utah to celebrate my grandfather's 94th birthday, I got a call from BMO Harris bank. They said that we would be getting a letter in the mail soon telling us that our Home Equity Line Loan (HELL loan) would now have a maturity date of November 17th 2014.  Our loan would now be due in full in 4 months! I told them that I had called over a year ago asking when the loan was due and they had told me over the phone in the year 2017.  It was now going to be due 3 years early! They told us not to worry we could re-apply for a loan with them, with interest rates double what we are currently paying.

I got off the phone and bawled. All this scrimping and going with out for what?! What of our miracles, our hope, our righteous desire of getting out of debt? I took a full day literally crying over what we were going to do and feeling like the bank was really shoving us up against a wall.

After my full day hissy fit, I had the most excited feeling of knowing that Heavenly Father is a God of miracles and knowing he delivers His children from their afflictions if they put their trust and efforts in HIM. I was excited to see how He was going to do it this time when all the doors seemed to be closing in on us.

As we were driving to Utah the thought occurred to my husband that we might have enough money in his 401k retirement plan to pull out and cover the difference of what we owe. We could cut out the need for the bank and use our own funds! The interest rate we would pay ourselves back was lower than our current rate and far lower than what they would offer us in a new loan.

The only way this new loan is possible is because of that generous  gift we received in May. Without that money we would be short and unable to pay the bank in full.  It is only because of that gift that we are going to be able to close the loan. Without that gift we would not have enough, that gift was the exact amount. I am so grateful that we put the entire amount on the loan not even a penny on something we wanted otherwise we would be short.

When we got back from Utah we had both cars in the shop, our AC had died, our microwave stopped working and we needed to replace carpet in my classroom. The repairs on Benjamin's car were going to cost more than the value of the car, so we sold it. We are now a one car family. Since we don't live close to our kids' schools or Benjamin's work it is going to be a challenge. It is a 9 mile commute to Benjamin's work and in the heat on a bike, it is lots of fun. But come November Benjamin's miracle request of lets be done with our equity loan in 2014 will be true, hallelujah!

Lesson learned in July:

1) Wait on the Lord, he will deliver in unusual ways.

2) He puts things into motion months (sometimes) years before you even know you need it. I can't imagine what kind of true panic we would be in if we hadn't have declared this the year of the miracle. We would have made very little headway on all of our loans. And when that dreaded call came of "you have 4 months to pay this off or incur crazy high rates," it would have been financially devastating. But because we decided in January to invoke heaven's help we are down to just one loan in a matter of months!

3) The longer you try to keep a budget the more you realize you have fewer needs and old needs are reevaluated to be wants.

Utah trip!

So my awesome twin was visiting my grandmother's grave for memorial day while she was there she met someone who was visiting her husbands grave who knew my grandfather. She said that when my grandfather was a young men's leader he gave her husband a silver dollar coin for his mission with the blessing that he would never grow hungry. This ladies husband kept this coin in his pocket his entire mission his sons did the same thing and now grandchildren are carrying this coin. My grandfather unbeknownst to him was apart of another families legacy. My twin asked if they would come speak to our family about this traveling coin at my grandfathers 94th birthday party. We were so excited to see and hear this story in person. It was awesome to see my grandfather to be so touched by an act of love that he did many years before it was awesome.

Thanks Lou for the pictures! http://lindseyslemonade.blogspot.com/2014/07/harold-merrell-standers-94th-birthday.html

 

Swim Wrap-Up

Oh what do we do in the summertime? Swim!! This year we mixed it up and changed teams so that we could swim in our neighborhood swim team. It was awesome being so close and swim lessons for the little's was free! We like to joke that when the Howe family joins your team you will win championships well this year was no exception :) Everyone did great broke some personal records despite everyone being the youngest in their age group, next year they will be the oldest so it is all good.

Bella did great even with 3 weeks off from swimming, she traveled to Alabama to visit cousins and go to girls camp. She was vital in her teams relays and made the finals in all of her strokes. I love the fly picture of Bella great shoulders!

Olivia was awesome she placed in all the finals and placed in both the backstroke, butterfly and freestyle races! Look how far she can get out of the water on her fly, that takes some killer abs! 

Holman did great too, he wasn't too excited about switching teams but by the end of  the season he had a "Holman fan club" which consisted of girls that were "crushing" on him. He almost broke a smile hearing this. This year he did awesome in fly and free and killed it in the back. All the other boys were doing back flip turns for their backstoke, Holman said doing it slowed  him down. He was right he did a touch turn and because of it he won the race. He placed as one of the top swimmers in his age group.

This was Parkin's first swim year he did awesome!! He was worried about it but by the end of the season he was rocking it! He now crosses the pool with minimal breaths and stream lines like a champ!

Anna looking thrilled to be at meets luckily she had to go to very few. This year she too has made great strides in the pool. Swimming without floaties and mastering putting her head in the water.

 One of the best quotes from summer time was when I asked Holman after he wins an Olympic medal would he kiss his mom in front of everyone. He said sure, but I think they will think you are my girlfriend. Yes son they will!