Looking Back

Time flies. Here are some pictures that I've been looking at. I can't believe that this special day was over a year ago already...

Rambling

Like usual, it's been awhile since I've updated. I think it's because I'm not really sure what I want this blog to be about - so for now, it's just everything. Whatever is on my mind, I'll share it here.

One thing that I am truly trying to come to terms with is the idea that we may never have biological children. When we first found out, I was angry. Angry at God. How could He make us with a desire to be parents one day and then hit us with this? Even though I knew in my head that I should not be responding this way, it was just my natural reaction. I realize now that God is the Giver of all good things. "Every good and perfect gift is from above..." I don't deserve any of the blessings God has given me, so I have no right to claim an entitlement to something He may choose not to give me. I also realized that God may not have caused this disease. Did He know about it? Sure. Could He have stopped it? Absolutely. But the broken world we face is the consequence of our sin. God didn't send that upon us, we brought it upon ourselves. So now that I have confessed my anger, I find myself trying to make it through the sadness and disappointment. There are so many things that make me wince on the inside - people saying, "So when are you going to have babies?" Going to baby showers. It's not that I have "baby fever." I don't. It's just hard knowing that the time may never be right. It just might not ever happen for us.

I don't want to sound like a total downer, so here is some good news - Chris and I have always had a heart for adoption. We are still thrilled about the idea of adopting children from around the world. Perhaps this is the way that God has called us to build our family. When our adoption journey officially begins (whenever that may be), we will update for sure. Until then, we will continue to pray that God's will would become our own.

Other Random Good Deals 5/8-5/14

These are just a few good grocery deals I've found while skimming the ads from the paper so far...

Tyson Boneless/Skinless Chicken Breasts - $1.87/lb. at Kroger (with card)

Strawberries (16 oz.) and Blueberries (6 oz.) - 3 for $5 at Kroger (with card)

Dove Shampoo or Conditioner (12 oz.) - BOGO Free at Walgreens (not sure if a card is needed - pair with a coupon if you have one??)

Gallon of Country Fresh Milk - $2.99 +$1 back in Extra Bucks at CVS (with card)

CVS Covergirl Deals

Hey all! I'm working on a Covergirl products deal at CVS this week. I'm excited to go and see if it works!

CVS' ad this week includes a $3 off ANY $10 cosmetic purchase. All you have to do is scan your Extra Care card at the coupon center scanner in the store (looks like a price checker). There is also an ad for $3 in extrabucks when you buy $10 of Covergirl products. So here's what I'm working on so far...
Spend $10 in Covergirl products - get $3 off with coupon center coupon and $3 in extrabucks after purchase. Use $2.50 off 2 Covergirl products coupon (exp. 5/31). I will also use the $2.77 in extrabucks that I already have from last week's toothpaste purchase. So if I spend $10 exactly, I will pay $1.73 plus tax and get $3 in extrabucks!

I'll let you know if I try this deal and whether or not it works out!

Couponing 101

I am reposting this from a facebook note that I wrote recently. Hopefully I'll learn more tips and be able to share them in the future!

Lots of people have been asking me lately how I get such good coupon deals. Although I'm no "extreme couponer" or anything like that, I try to be as frugal as possible with the limited time I have to search for deals. I'm just going to post a few tips to help you get started.

1. Buy at least one Sunday Free Press. These papers have inserts like Smart Source, Red Plum, and P&G Brand Saver (usually once a month) that are filled with coupons. We usually buy one, sometimes two if there is a coupon for something we need. Some people I know buy 5 or 6 - we personally don't feel that it is necessary to have a super stockpile right now. If you miss the paper, try www.coupons.com. They usually have many of the same manufacturer coupons, though not all of them.

2. Look for store coupons. Store coupons can be paired with manufacturer coupons (ones from the paper, coupons.com, etc.). For example, Target has a coupons link at the very bottom of their home page (it's small). These Target coupons can be paired with other coupons. (Hint: Manufacturer coupons usually have a different first number under their bar code than store coupons).

3. Use coupons with items that are on sale. For example, if your store is offering a BOGO deal on an item and you have a manufacturer BOGO for the same item, you can get them both for only the cost of tax! I have done this before - it's rare, but good to watch for.

4. Shop at drug stores. Even though their prices are typically higher, stores like Rite Aid or CVS have good coupon opportunities. Start by getting their membership cards (Rite Aid's is called a Wellness+ card, CVS has an Extra Care card). These cards will get you lower prices on certain items each week. Check the store ads in the Sunday paper. Both Rite Aid and CVS have a register reward system as well. Each week, certain items will come with "register rewards" or "up rewards." When you buy those items, your receipt will include coupons for the next time you shop - good on anything in the store! Pair those with coupons, and you can get a ton of stuff for just a little money. If you keep buying things that get you register rewards, you'll rarely have to pay any cash out of pocket. Rite Aid also has a "video value" coupon. Google Rite Aid video values, sign up, and watch brief Rite Aid commercials. When you do, you'll be able to print store coupons for those items.

5. Use your prescriptions to make money. Many stores will offer gift cards for new or transferred prescriptions. There's nothing wrong with transferring your prescription every time you need a refill. In my experience with Meijer, I used a coupon to receive a free $10 gift card when I transferred my prescription. Now both times I have gone to refill it, they have given me a new coupon for a free gift card, which means I have gotten a $10 gift card every time. This week, Target's ad includes a coupon for a $10 gift card with a transferred prescription. I have also seen $25 gift cards for Rite Aid, but these are rare.

6. Use digital coupon offers. Although I've heard that other stores have the same thing, I am only aware of Meijer's mPerks program for digital offers. If you sign up with your telephone number, you can go online and "clip" digital coupons. When you check out at Meijer, click the mPerks logo on the screen and enter the same phone number and pin. mPerks will automatically apply any coupons for which you qualify.

That's all you really need to get started! If I come across any other ideas, I'll post them.

Super J

Today, Chris and I had the wonderful opportunity to serve with one of my good friends at a homeless barbecue in Detroit. It happens every Saturday, but this was our first time going. There is a street corner in the middle of the downtown area with a small gazebo. At 1 o'clock each weekend, a group of people (sometimes from a church, sometimes not) bring food and grill burgers or hotdogs for the people. They also set out boxes of donated clothing in the gazebo, which the people sort through.

The thing that gets me the most is the utter disorganization. No one is really in charge. Different people show up every week to cook the food. It's completely unplanned, yet the homeless people count on it to be there. But every week, a group of people show up. There is always enough food, and the Spirit of God is present. We met a man named Fred today who said that God had called him to minister to the people of the streets of Detroit. He knows his stuff but he can relate to the people. He speaks their language. He even refers to Jesus as "Super J." It was very humbling but also encouraging.

On the other hand, it was also a bit scary as my first time. There were over 100 people, mostly men. A couple fights also nearly broke out. Someone was smoking a joint. Someone else said that one man had a gun. But God opened my eyes to see the need that is right around the corner. I pray that I get to be a part again sometime soon.

Dear God,

I know that You already know what I am thinking and what I am going to say, but I also know that you want me to say it anyway. I am hurting. I don't know what to do. Everything around me only reminds me of the hurt more. Why are You not intervening? If you are trying to teach me patience and trust, I am learning, but I don't know how much more I can take. Please do something. Please help.


Psalm 13

¹ How long, LORD? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
² How long must I wrestle with my thoughts
and day after day have sorrow in my heart?
How long will my enemy triumph over me?

³ Look on me and answer, LORD my God.
Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death,
⁴ and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,”
and my foes will rejoice when I fall.

⁵ But I trust in your unfailing love;
my heart rejoices in your salvation.
⁶ I will sing the LORD’s praise,
for he has been good to me.

crossroads

I know I haven't updated this in FOREVER, but I want to try and update it more frequently. I'm not even sure if anyone reads it, but that's okay. It helps me get my thoughts out of my head.

My first post on this was one of excitement and anticipation of our wedding day. It's so funny to look back on that because it feels like many years have gone by, even though we still have a little while to go before our one year anniversary. I can remember very clearly how my days were consumed with planning. Even after the semester ended, wedding plans consumed a great deal of my time. It seemed like such a big deal then. Already, things have changed so much. I am LOVING marriage and all that it includes. Chris is a wonderful husband to me, and I love him more every day.

This is us accidentally heading for the door before Pastor Bob was done! Oops!!! (Hence my expression)

Honeymoon in Myrtle Beach

Now that we are settled into our married life, many new journeys are beginning. We have the amazing privilege of leading the youth group at our church. We are so humbled by these students. Seriously. Sometimes, the planning side of me gets aggravated when events and such do not go as smoothly as we had hoped, but I am constantly reminded of the joy it has brought me to watch the students and their passion for the Lord. These kids did not go to a Christian school and take Bible classes like I did. Their parents do not take them to church every Sunday. Their Bible study, evangelism effots, and church attendance is their choice. Many of them do it all alone - their families don't share their beliefs or support them. That is what it looks like to be a devoted follower of Christ. If only I had half of their passion at that age. I'll say it again - we are blessed.


I'll also be graduating next Spring (Lord willing!) from Rochester! I am so excited about the opportunities that my Social Work major will bring. I am so thankful that God His plan for my career, and that I finally mustered up the guts to follow (after 2 years studying Education!)

As we approach these crossroads in our lives together, one of the things we have been thinking about is starting a family. (Don't panic - I'm not pregnant. Everyone always freaks out when the subject is even hinted at.) I was recently diagnosed with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis. To keep things short, it's a thyroid condition that sometimes causes infertility. Because the diagnosis is so recent, we don't have very many answers, but things don't look good from where we are now. Whenever I try to talk about it, everyone tells me not to worry. "You're still young, you don't need to be thinking about kids right now." Not only does it feel like people are belittling my concerns, but I feel like people are still trying to run my life. I just want someone to listen to what I have to say, to how I'm feeling, without telling me what to do or how to think.

It's also hard to hear people talk about the troubles of parenting, or how easily they became pregnant with their kids, or how much joy it is to be a mom. I know that I'm young... we are young... but we want to have a family some day, and it's hard not to be jealous or upset sometimes. I can already feel that God is using this time of uncertainty to bring me closer to Him though. It's comforting to know that my God is bigger than any disease or diagnosis. All we can do is trust in Him.