Dumping Debt: Invitation to Follow Us on a New Journey

I've decided to start something a little different on my blog for the next year and a half. This past summer I was told by a friend I should do more on my blog...seeing as I thought only family and a few friends follow to keep up with Malachi and our little family, I didn't think much of it, but I feel like this is a perfect opportunity to do something different. But not only different, possibly it will be something that may inspire a follower to do the same.

Andrew and I have decided we want to be debt free. We no longer want to be "slave to the lender" -Proverbs 22: 7. So for the next 20 months I am going to share this journey with you. Here's how it started.

Several different people throughout our dating and in our first year of married life told us about Dave Ramsey and a class they had attended called Financial Peace University. It wasn't until Andrew finished school (adding to my already existing school loans) and after we accepted a Career Starter Loan from the Army to buy our van, did we start to think about how much debt we actually had and became interested in this Dave Ramsey guy. Not really knowing exactly what we were getting ourselves into, we bought the "Financial Peace University DVD Home Study Kit" (at an incredible discount on their website might I add) and started listening to each class while we traveled around Missouri last year. We very quickly agreed with Dave Ramsey's approach to living without debt, building wealth and giving to those in need, and desired to follow his plan. SO, for the past year we've told ourselves we were "doing Dave Ramsey" (or as Dave Ramsey would say, starting our Total Money Makeover)...but really we weren't, I mean we upped the amount we put towards paying off loans but we were not fully committed.
Until now! 

We have set our goal to be debt free by the time Andrew turns 30, which will be in August 2015. That being said, we have created a budget and will need to live off a lot less money so we can put more towards loans and knock these suckers out!...you think it sounds crazy? Yeah it kind of is, but we are SO excited for the goal we have set and look forward to "Living like no one else, so that later we can live and give like no one else." A quote Dave Ramsey uses all the time. Meaning: if you make sacrifices and live like no one else...not eating out, spending very little on unnecessary items, so that you can pay off your debt. Then later you will have the means to save your money and use it to live like no one else, because you won't be a slave to the monthly payments of existing debts and you will have the freedom to do what you want with your money, including building wealth and giving to the needy.

I hope I didn't bore you and if you aren't at all interested, no problem just skip over these posts and keep looking for Malachi =) If you are interested then welcome! Also feel free to click here for Dave Ramsey's website to learn more.

Seeing as this is new for us, there will be many ups and downs and I plan on sharing all of it. Why? Because I myself am a very practical, realistic person. When I ask about something I want all the details, even if they are scary or intimidating. For example, before giving birth to Malachi I asked all my friends who had children for their birth stories and I wanted all their details no matter how scary they may have been (as long as they were ok with sharing of course). So when I listen to callers on Dave Ramsey's radio show call in and tell their story about becoming debt free I am bummed that I can't get all the details, especially during their hard times. I like to know that they are people just like Andrew and I. That they made mistakes or failed at times just like we will. So that is the approach I am taking. I invite you to comment/write/call or get a hold of me in any way if you have any questions or suggestion for us in this process.

Ok I think that's enough for now. I'd like to finish by saying that I fully believe, like I attempt to do in all areas of my life, that this whole undertaking will not be possible without God's grace and help. Because really the money we have is a gift from Him.
So, with Him, may we start our journey to being debt free!

 "You need to be able to win with money. Part of winning with money is getting yourself out of debt, learning to live on less than you make on a written plan, learning to communicate in quality ways with your spouse, building that emergency fund, building that retirement fund, building the kids’ college fund, getting the house paid off. That’s what winning looks like." -Dave Ramsey

Our Littlest One

We had our anatomy ultrasound today, everything looked as it should...Baby is doing GREAT! We feel so blessed.

Little Brother or Little Sister??

Look at that heartbeat!

If anyone finds themselves pregnant in Bellingham WA or near here (or Canada like us) I would HIGHLY recommend Bellingham OB/GYN. Everyone who work there are very professional, thorough, personable and nice.
Andrew and I think it's best to deliver in Canada so we don't have to worry about traveling and border wait times but we're sad to leave such a great group of people.

Christmas pics

Here are some pics from Christmas, better late than never!

Christmas outfit...ready for midnight mass =)

Missing Robin (and Todd) =(

Family of 4!!

Christmas morning, first dumptruck

My parents Manger Scene, Andrew made for them a couple of years ago.

Schaal Epiphany gift giving.

Enough presents you think??

Quatro's...yes that is their actual name (4 times as big as legos)

New vest and delicious popcorn; waiting for cousin Charlotte's baptism

Nap time while hanging with cousin Avila next to the firepit we were enjoying.

Strawberry santa's Andrew made for our goodby brunch.

Happy 2014!

Hope everyone had a great Christmas Season and 2014 is starting off better than expected.

Andrew and I joined 3 of his siblings, their spouses and a friend downtown Portland for New Years. It was so nice to go out and do something different (for us anyway). Last year we were in a hotel in Kansas City waiting for our friends to get back from Oregon, on our way back from Winterset Iowa. It wasn't much fun seeing as I had mastitis and we were barely awake at midnight, I remember thinking "Can we celebrate east coast time instead", as we ate our deliciously greasy burgers and milkshake from Sonic.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas from the Schaal's!

We've had a wonderful time in Burns with my side of the family. We had our traditional Christmas eve dinner, pictures, opening of some presents, eating treats (taking a nap) and then midnight mass.

This morning we opened the rest of the presents, ate breakfast, relaxed as we enjoyed our new gifts, took some naps, facetimed Robin and Todd; as she wasn't able to take more time off work (since she went to Hawaii for 2 weeks...where she was proposed to!). And now everyone is watching Man of Steel as I try to figure out our new laptop to post a Christmas greeting.

 

We are so blessed to spend time with family and for all the gifts we have received.

 I find it hard to concentrate on the real "reason for the season" I mean I know it's Christ's birthday but I definitely get caught up in the busyness of gift buying/receiving, holiday treats, Christmas songs...the illusion of the perfect holiday celebration. Why is it SO easy to do this?

 

Every year though, in the little amount of time I give to reflect on Jesus' birth, I am reminded that it started with Mary saying yes to God's will. I am always amazed at her faith and total trust in God. My wish this year is to ask for the Blessed Mother's help in always saying "yes" to God's will just like she did in giving birth to our Savior. Not only in the big, obvious events in my life, but even the small mundane, boring or tedious ones as well.

 

Ok, you ready for some pictures?

 

Just kidding you only get this one, our internet is too slow right now for some reason and wont upload any other pictures. Sorry, more to come!



SNOW

Can you believe we've gotten 3 inches of snow, the day before we leave?!

Please pray for our safe travels tomorrow and for everyone else traveling too! Thanks

Visit with Santa

We saw Santa today, Malachi did great...no tears or even weird looks. 

But first a pic from when I was 6 months old...do you recognize Santa?

And now the picture we took with Santa last year (no it was not an "official" Santa...a guy from Andrew's Officer Training class dressed up as Santa during the white elephant gift exchange and we abruptly pushed Malachi into his arms because he refused to hold a newborn).

And now the free(!) pictures we got today:

*I apologize for the blurry and slightly crooked pictures...I decided to go the lazy route and use our camera to take a picture of the pics rather than try to scan them in.