Answered prayers!

So, before our house was finished being built, we lived with my parents in their house. It was a big help because we were able to save money for the down payment and we were also able to pay off our credit card debt (which we had let get kind of out of control). So when we moved into our house, we told each other that we definitely weren't going to use our credit cards anymore and we were only going to use cash to buy everything...well that was hard, especially since when we moved to Texas, we had already sold everything that we had in California except for our bedroom furniture. So, needless to say, we got excited about decorating our house and used our credit cards once again.

Well, we finally cut up our credit cards so that we wouldn't have the urge to spend anything on them and are now in the habit of using only cash for our purchases but we still have the debt accumulated on the cards and each month it has been very frustrating because instead of being able to save that money, we have to send it to the credit card companies and half of it goes to interest.

We have been praying every night together to be able to focus on getting out of debt and establishing a good financial reserve as well as being able to focus on our food storage. We didn't really think that we were going to be able to do this anytime soon because we were still in a financial burden with these credit cards but we continued praying for a way to help us get out of debt.

Well, Josh came home from work the other day and said that somebody he worked with told him that if you bought a house last year, as a first-time home buyer, then you got $7500 back with your taxes. I hadn't heard anything like this, and either had Josh so we sort of got excited but we had to keep telling each other not to expect it because we don't want to be disappointed. I called my mom and asked her yesterday because she works for a CPA but she didn't know. So, I decided since I unexpectedly had the day off yesterday, that I would get my taxes taken care of. I went into where my mom worked and asked her if she had found out about the $7500. She said no, but you can go ask Don (the CPA) so I went back to his office and told him that I had heard a little rumor...so he said, yes, that is true but when did you buy your house? I told him June 5th was the signing date and then he gave me the look like, oh sorry but you're cutting it kind of close. If you would have said you bought your house had the end of the year, I would have told you yes for sure, but I know that there was a date that your house had to be purchased after. So, he sat there looking up the date while I had butterflies in my stomach because I really could use the money.

Well, the date was...April 8, 2008! I almost started crying I was so excited. So, the grand total of what we are getting is $9,793. Now, before you think we are totally rich, don't be fooled. It is all going to be gone about the same day as we get it to pay off some bills, but I am SO thankful for answered prayers.

We are no longer going to be tied down to credit card companies for years but will be able to get those paid off on February 20th. I feel like such a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. We have definitely learned our lesson about credit cards or anything else like that. We will definitely still keep the credit cards cut up and not request a new one so that we will not be tempted to use them and we will finally be able to get our food storage up and running! I am so excited! I have been waiting to do this for a long time!

I am so thankful for answered prayers and also for the very, very important lesson that both Josh and I have learned throughout our first three years of marriage!