Graduation
Josh is graduated with his Master's in Nuclear Engineering July 2013. I don't have any pictures to post because commencement is not until May 8, 2014. I will post pictures then. He is a published engineer now working at the INL (Idaho National Lab), and we are all still trying to adjust to this new life. It seems like, as long as I can remember, we have been working towards some huge goal (education). I said to Josh, "What do we do now? It feels so weird to not be waiting for something to happen. His response, "Now we work towards getting out of debt." Though he was serious and I am completely on board, I had to laugh because when he graduated the only debt we had was our home.
By some miracle Josh has gotten an associate in welding, a bachelors in mechanical engineering, a masters in nuclear engineering and we have not had to take out any students loans nor has he had to work while getting his bachelors and master because of scholarships, grants, and tax returns. I taught piano lessons for the last 7 years which also helped pay the bills. During this time we have bought 2 homes (we didn't own them at the same time), 3 vehicles, and a 4 wheeler. The Lord provides, let me tell you! We started off in a tiny home with old beat up vehicles and drover them until they died. I remember for so long when we would sit down to write out a budget the numbers never worked out on paper but somehow it did. So our philosophy became that we just didn't spend money. We paid our bills and that was it. We never ate out, and still don't except maybe two, three times a year. Our dates consisted of going to the temple. We bought all our clothes at thrift stores as well as very generous family members gave us hand-me-downs. Christmas and birthdays consisted of hand-me-down toys or toys we got from yard sales.
While Josh was getting his associates and bachelors degree he kept his grade up that he got full tuition scholarships from BYU-Idaho. We also got financial aid. While he got his Master's at the University of Idaho he had an assistant-ship which means his tuition was paid for because he did nuclear research for the university, as well as wages.
First Married
When Josh and I were first married we bought a 700 sq ft home in St. Anthony, Idaho. When it was just us we really pinched pennies. We oatmeal everyday. I remember the first time I ever bought a 50lb bag of oatmeal. I asked a cashier at Broulim's where I could find it. He said it was in the animal feed section. I was so embarrassed I wanted to cry. I think I did. We ate peanut butter and plum jelly sandwiches everyday (I can't eat plum jam any more), with a carrot and a cookie. We were janitors and years later I found out that Josh really enjoyed cleaning this one ladies office because almost daily there would be an untouched snack pack in the garbage or a baggie or pretzels nicely laid in the garbage can under her desk. He made sure he changed her garbage bag daily. I don't think we looked poor other than maybe the vehicles we drove but I know certain people were placed in our path to help us.
A couple weeks after we moved in the Bishops wife dropped off a load of fresh homemade bread which was so delicious. I remember being embarrassed because when she came in I was making rice (just plain rice) for dinner and our laundry was laid all over the house to dry because our dryer had broken. I didn't feel poor but I am sure we were a sight.
While living in that house one evening there was a knock on the front door. When I answered it, there was someone with a brown grocery bag over their head who handed me an envelope. They walked away and after closing the door we looked in the envelope to find $300. Again I remember being embarrassed because even though we were living poor we actually had a lot of money in savings and that is actually where we put the $300 after paying tithing.
Also while living there, there was a man named Larry Shenton. Josh later became his home teacher. He looked really ruff around the edges. He and his family lived on a small farm that they lived off; trading meat for honey and milk, things like that. One night while I was gone working Josh was home when Larry stopped by. He asked if he could come in and the first thing he did was open our refrigerator and freezer to find some eggs and 1 gallon of milk. There was nothing in our freezer. He said he would be back and with him he brought enough meat, bacon, and sausage to fill our freezer. You know how long it had been since I had had bacon and sausage. I remember one night I wanted biscuits and gravy for dinner, but the gravy consisted of flour, milk, salt, and pepper. Needless to say it didn't taste very good. Later, probably a few months before we moved out, Larry shared with us that he was a visionary man and he had a vision that there was a young couple that would move in and he needed to help them. He didn't know who, he couldn't see face but, when he saw us he knew he needed to help us.
Over and over again neighbors shared their garden. We had another neighbor, Bill Butterfield, who loved to fish but I think his wife didn't like it so a couple times he would bring us fish. They also were always so willing to loan Josh tools to fix our cars when it seemed they were breaking down every weekend.
After writing these stories down we sounded pretty pathetic but it the moment life was good. We were so happy and we knew we were blessed everyday.
When to start a family
While I was getting my degree in Agriculture Education, I loved my seminary classes and it seems at one point I was hearing over and over that we shouldn't procrastinate or put off having families. I really pondered this and prayed because I wanted to finish my degree and I knew it would be really hard with a baby. I didn't like what the birth control was doing to my hormones. I could tell I was a different person and everything was so traumatic/dramatic, this also played a big part in my decision. Josh and I were married a year before I became pregnant. I didn't know how I was going to finish. We moved to Shelley 1 month before Benson was born. I was at work and when I cam home Josh's family had moved us in in a couple hours. Really, I had no boxes to unpack. It was stressful and I remember the weekend before classes started I still didn't know what I was going to do. Between my sweet mother-in-law and sister-in-law I was able to finish. I am so grateful to them for the sacrifices they made also. I seriously married into a great family.
From there life had only gotten better. I never ever felt like we made the wrong decision to start a family. We were never financially hurting because of our children either. In fact, you qualify for more financial aid and scholarships when you do have children and bigger tax returns. I have a testimony of that counsel from the prophets.
Forever indebted
Life continues to get better and I am so amazingly blessed. Never did I think, "man, my life sucks." Making sacrifices and exercising faith was hard but when I was in the moment of it, life was great. As I was driving the other day I was thinking about how the Lord is so kind and merciful and how very seldom do I feel like he tells me no. Not like when you are living at home and your parents say "no, you can't do this", or "no, you can't go out tonight." He has taken care of me, not without sacrifice and patience and trials. When I start to loose focus and forget I just think of these experiences and remember what I really am striving for.
Josh's comment about getting out of debt has double meaning because we will forever be indebted to a loving Heavenly Father for all he has given us.
