It's About to Get Real Cheap...

Over the last week or so I have been privy to some eye-opening situations. All I can say is that I understand now more than ever why the prophet counsels so strongly to stay out of debt (except for school, home, and vehicle expenses), and why we are taught to spend less than we earn.

Honestly, throughout my life I have been lucky enough to never truly want for anything. Even when Stace and I got married. We rented a house from my dad, and since we had a connection with the landlord, we got a really great deal on rent. For the better part of our marriage, we were both working. When Stace stopped working to focus on school, I had just graduated and was blessed to get a full-time public relations job. We were pretty well set.

We found out we were headed to Gainesville about three weeks before we moved, and rushed to find a place to live. We were looking to be in a particular ward that Elder Anderson (an area Seventy) and his wife, who I met at a stake leadership meeting in Tallahassee, told me we should join! I'm so glad I met them there and that they gave me their daughter Kelsey's number. Kelsey and her husband, Logan, were so welcoming to us from the get-go, and I feel blessed to have her as my friend. As homesick as I have been at times (which I know is due in large part to having a baby and wanting to share Julian's every waking-- and non-waking-- moment with our family), I have truly grown to love Gainesville 2nd ward and am now truly feeling comfortable there. Part of me feels guilty that it has taken me so long, but on the other hand, lots of people told me before we moved "it takes a year."

But do you know what also "takes a year"? A rental lease to expire. So we are now looking like crazy for a place to move come the beginning of May. We decided not to renew our lease because A:) we live on the 3rd floor of our apartment complex-- directly above smokers-- and it gives me night- and day-mares thinking about Julian somehow getting to the front door and opening it (when he's walking) and then trying to get down the stairs. And B:) we really can't afford where we live. At all.

So after witnessing what we have witnessed in the last week or so, we find ourselves with a fresh perspective on needing to spend less than we take in, and the need to find a new place to live. We are finding lots of places; Stace is particularly excited about a townhouse he found for $475-- almost half of what we currently pay. I am fine with this. I am fine with needing to cut back. I want to help our family (you expert coupon-ers out there...I need a tutorial!) and I don't ever want to be anywhere near the situation I mentioned at the beginning of this post. But I get this sad feeling deep in my heart and tears begin to form when I think about leaving 2nd ward. I am going to keep looking, but it seems futile to find the more inexpensive places we are finding within the 2nd ward boundaries. I don't want to leave our Primary children. I have grown to love them very much. And I don't want to not see the smiling faces I get to see every time I go to church. I know that I can and will grow to love any ward we join, but I still feel sad. It reminds me of how I felt when we had to leave Tallahassee 1st ward to come here. I did not know how I would be able to not see my sweet young women and the amazing women I got to serve with there. Ah...don't get me started on them, now I really am going to cry! ugh...

So...I will keep looking! We said a prayer tonight that the Lord would help us find the right place to live. This will continue to be our prayer. It may seem so trivial, but my heart really feels sad over this. Wish us luck!