Layout:
Home > Archive: February, 2017

Archive for February, 2017

Wednesday already

February 22nd, 2017 at 11:24 am

DW was in town this weekend and we all enjoyed the beautiful weather together. We had more talks about future plans. I'm still here for now, trying to make headway in a high cost of living area the best that I can.


I received notification that I met all requirements to sit for the board. One more hurdle crossed! I will register for the next test window, in May, as soon as it is opened. In the meantime I will be studying. I have to do it daily so it doesn't feel like I'm cramming it all in a month.

I still feel like I've been treading water financially this year. I've had several pricey expenses in January alone. My portion of daughter's hospital stay, dog's dental surgery, costume fees for dance, and plane ticket to see DW for spring break amount to about $1500. Ah, well, eventually the spending will slow and I can make some progress. Such is life.

This weekend, besides studying, I need to finish up the sewing project I started for a coworker's pregnancy. She's not going to be working too much longer, I can tell!

Thankful for Enough

February 13th, 2017 at 11:39 am

Lately I've been suffering from "option overload". Since I completed my professional program, I've been obsessing about "what's next". There are so many factors to consider that I was losing sleep over it all.

I've decided that what I really want to do is just stay put for now. DW has to finish up 1.5 years where she is before she is eligible to retire, so she will continue to do the visits on long weekends and holidays. The kids want to stay in this area. So now DD1 can continue plans for the local community college and DD2 can plan on attending high school here, as she'll be a freshman next year. I love my current job, and I am still learning a lot professionally. This area is a hot bed of employment opportunities so when I am ready to switch or add a few part-time hours I am in the right place.

The downsides to this area are the very high cost of living and traffic. Because we choose to live closer to work, traffic is not terrible for us on a daily basis, but instead we have to deal with the very expensive housing. I realize it is a trade-off. I won't be able to purchase a home out here, but in this market, for me, it makes more sense financially to rent.

So I'm giving my family another 4 years in the area for peace of mind for the family and employment opportunities for myself. I am telling myself that I have Enough. Excellent high school for my DD2, great community college and public transportation options for DD1, challenging career for myself. By living simply and being mindful of our purchases we should have enough money to cover the high rent, pay for our needs, a few opportunities for all of us, and save for the future.

Why lose sleep and make myself all anxious just to get more, more, more? The grass is always going to be greener. I need to embrace what I have here and make the best of it! In 4 years I can reconsider relocation options, with both kids finished with high school, a bit more experience in the field for myself, and DW at a career point where she can decide to stay in or retire.

I must remember my own affirmation: My needs are always met and my income is abundant.

Back to Reality!

February 5th, 2017 at 07:42 pm

I've returned from our short trip to Puerto Rico for my conference. The girls and I had a wonderful time. It was so great to see my kids enjoying themselves! My oldest especially loved snorkeling. When she was younger and we were stationed on an island she did a lot of snorkeling. So when she gets underwater, she looks just like a mermaid, so wonderful to see her happy! As soon as we came back to the surface she was gushing about how wonderful that was, and when could we do it again!

Transportation and food were real budget killers. We ate breakfast in the room, and bought snacks at a local shop but the other meals were super expensive. Since I was there for a conference I wanted to stay on site with the kids, but if I was going just for a vacation I could have found a resort that offered some perks in the form of food or shuttles. We didn't buy any souvenirs,except for a key chain for a neighbor, so no expenses there.

I submitted my resume on Indeed.com and on my professional organization's job site. I have gotten a lot of responses already. I spoke to three companies on Friday, including a recruiter. They all want to interview, even though I haven't even passed my exam yet. It's pretty wild, a little overwhelming! It is more reassurance, though, that I have some job security with this field.

I took the kids to they gym this afternoon and have done some laundry. I updated my budget online as well. Besides all of that I've just been studying. Tonight should be a quiet evening, since we don't watch the Super Bowl.