The weeks off started out much like our traditional holiday/end of the year use it up or loose it vacation time. It was December and Christmas shopping, crafting, cooking, baking, gift wrapping and giving was in full swing. Christmas is not in the least slowed or hampered by Washington, DC and it's apparent squabbles over who might be more right or wrong. I followed the newspapers closely to discover how "petty" the parties seem to have become. Truthfully, I delve into politics about as often as I want to jump into a room full bugs and snakes. It just doesn't happen!
This time was different. Hubby and I have been saving for years to build his dream shop. It is so wonderful even the kids were excited at all the possibilities and creations that would come out of his large "man cave". He was at a point feeling his spot threatened by our kiddos exuberance. Ladybug could see the benefit of an extra kitchen upstairs complete with all that is needed for a budding chef/baker. Smiley chimed in with all the projects he could complete with his several automotive masterpieces just waiting for the perfect place to blossom into automotive wonderfulness. I even suggested that a finished upstairs with a kitchen, bathroom, and large open room would nicely suit our growing family of married kiddos. Maybe an Air BNB upstairs could also assist the funding of this awesome edifice?
So, with the Government "Partial" Shutdown our persistence in following up with contractors to get started waned. How long would this shutdown last? We felt we were prepared for several months should we have to dip into savings/building funds. We gardened over the summer and that set our food storage supply back in good shape. It turns out the family we co-gardened with moved by summers end and didn't want to deal with any of the garden. So, we ended up with twice what we planned for ourselves. At first, it seemed a bit of an annoyance to figure out the timing to harvest and preserve double the bounty. Yet, now looking back we were being gently watched over and prepared for this time of uncertainty.
In March, I completed by Bachelors of Science Nursing Degree through Western Governors University https://www.wgu.edu. That degree was a huge bucket list item for me to accomplish. Self esteem, confidence, and pure gratitude abounded with its completion. WGU was and amazing school to work with. The online format fit perfectly with my many part-time jobs, homeschooling, family and community commitments. It turns out that the degree got me a pay raise at work! As a bonus my hospital gave additional pay raises to night shift weekend workers. Guess what? I am a night shift weekend worker. Really who wants to work when everyone else is asleep or maybe whooping it up in town? I do. I can safely leave the kiddos in the care of their father and be off to a long 12+ hour shift. Crazy, probably but it works. I get to earn some money, grow in my profession and mingle with professionals and patients whom I enjoy serving. How does this all relate? Well, completed schooling+pay raise+shift raise= extra money for savings!!! We seriously could have bought new furniture or up-scaled a vehicle but I had the strongest urge to save it. I didn't know why, but the thoughts were consistent, "Hang onto to this. You're going to need it".
What a blessing to listen to those promptings of "Garden even though you don't want to", "Hang onto this extra income", and "Get your food storage, clothing and house in order". I will say the flooded basement in May of 2018, Mother's Day weekend, didn't really feel like a blessing. It turned out it was the motivation to go through our "stuff" and thin out. Not a single piece of furniture was damaged. These rooms were full. We got to basically redo two thirds of the basement. I am GRATEFUL for homeowners insurance. The flood and wind storm from 2017 didn't fit under our coverage, but this big water mess sure did! We agreed to do all the labor and our insurance company was wonderful in supplying us with the funds to replace flooring, sheet rock, and lots of paint and trim.
So, with the momentum going I moved the repairs and painting frenzy upstairs. Hubby and a local contractor "Lance" were wonderful in assisting us in repairing our broken up kitchen tile floor. Hubby completed the wood trim for our cabinets and we replaced our well loved and abused oak table with a larger "new to us" beauty and additional chairs. Our bar stools were shortened to fit the counter top height and the kitchen was done! I didn't know a person could find so much enjoyment in just cleaning up, repairing and modifying what one already has. Our fixed tile floor and painted walls along with freshly trimmed cabinets looked and smelled like a new house. Interestingly we didn't have to buy any tile. It turns out we had plenty left over from the home's original construction 11 years ago. At the time saving all those building supplies seemed crazy and taking up space in the garage. Now, it turns out with the usual wear and tear of this large family we can fix and repair and it all still matches.
I don't know what else 2019 has in store for us. The almost certainty of another shutdown this month does really make Hubby and I wonder. My heart hurts for him as he watched himself basically be unemployed for five weeks while the family continued to do what we normally do. We did modify a few things, like letting the kids know that finances are as needed, but that we would be wise to take the extra steps to be a bit more frugal. They were good about it. The added homemade meals and goodies helped ease the "No we are not getting that this month, woes."
I truly hope our Government can get its act together. This is a great nation with so many resources and natural beauties. We are full of diverse populations and histories. Coming together, I get can be difficult but choices and plans need to be made. A country without a functional leadership isn't a functional country in my mind. This instability weakens the country, its people and future.
So here we come 2019!
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