Ironic

I have a new line to add to Alanis' song. "It's having just cleaned the carpet and your 2 year old spills red Kool-Aid. Isn't it ironic? Don't cha think?" The first time I heard that song, I thought, "That's not ironic, her life just sucks." Of course, I was 13 at the time, so my views might have been a little skewed. But now that I think about it again, yeah, her life does pretty much suck. But yeah, so I cleaned the carpet yesterday. And this morning, Layni walked in the living room with a glass of red Kool-Aid that got left on the counter after dinner. Of course she spilled it! But I didn't flip out, I just put her on the naughty seat, went into my room, and quietly beat my head against a wall. Or I would have if I could have gotten that Alanis song out of my head. Anyway, I paid the price for my cleaning activities, my back hurt like a mother all night last night and most of today. And the best part? Aside from the red Kool-Aid stain, the carpet doesn't look that much better than it did before. Isnt' it ironic? Don't cha think?

So I went shopping today. I told Dave I was going to the commissary, but I lied. I went to town. I'm not supposed to drive anywhere off base, but I was feeling reckless today. I'm just sick of being stuck on this stupid base. It's huge, but there's a whole lot of nothing to do. Although, Monday and Tuesday were really good days. The weather was nice. Then it got cold and windy, so we couldn't go outside. I'm finding that good days are ones where there is outside play. Everything was fine going to town, but it's not something I want to risk frequently. I got everything I needed, except a Ken Doll (don't ask) and a new lunch box for Dave. He brown-bags it everyday, and his old lunch bag has just about bit the dust, so he wants a new one. Unfortunately the only lunch boxes I could find had either Dora the Explora on them or Lightening McQueen. And since he finally got a call sign he likes (Spock) I don't think it's a good idea to send him to work with fodder for another one that might be lame. And I got the good toothpaste. I love that we are finally in a place financially where I don't have to buy the cheap-o brand of everything. I can splurge on the good toothpaste!

So the great housing debate has reared it's ugly head again. We had pretty much decided to move on base, but then I got the bright idea to look at some new construction homes in the area. Now I'm the one on the side of buying and renting it out, and Dave is the one who wants to rent! Oh the twists and turns of life. Not to get into too much detail, but we've decided to go ahead and apply for a mortgage and see what happens. If we don't get approved for very much, then we'll just rent and be happy. If we do get approved for a decent amount, we're probably going to build a new house there in Ohio. My biggest fear about being a landlord was that we weren't going to be able to rent the place. That fear is much lessened with a newer house. I know what I've looked for as a renter, and a newer place will always win out over an older one (except in the case of historic homes, but even then, with kids? Maybe not so much). So we'll see. We figure we can't make a decision until the money is all in place, and we'd prefer not to start that process until the baby comes, so probably in May. So stay tuned! I know you're all on pins and needles to see what happens. ;)

So I'm having this issue. I feel guilty because I don't really feel bad about the recession. I mean, from Dave and I's perspective, this is a great opportunity. We're throwing more money than ever into our retirement accounts because every dollar we put into the stock market is buying more than it has before. And I feel bad for people losing their homes, but we're looking to buy one, because we can finally afford it. And part of the reason they are so cheap is because other people are losing them. I feel like our money is going further than it ever has before. We don't have tons of money, but like I said before, I can finally afford to buy the good toothpaste! But that's the thing, we've always tried to live frugally, avoided debt, lived within our means and saved. And guess what? We haven't been hit that hard. Even if Dave were to lose his job, we'd be good for at least 3-4 months while he looked for a new one (and with his education and experience, he'd probably be able to find one here at Edwards!). I'm just not worried about the economy. Maybe it comes back to that gospel principle, (I'm paraphrasing) if you're prepared, there's no need to fear. When things were good, we prepared for a time when they might not be, by saving money, living frugally, and getting a good education. Now we're reaping the rewards because we can take advantage of some really good opportunities. But I do feel bad for other people. I know plenty of people who've lost their jobs, and that sucks for them. But at the same time, there's this little voice in the back of my head saying, "If you hadn't bought that big, expensive, new house then things might be a bit easier for you." I don't know. I should have more love for others, but it's hard when you see people reaping the consequences of their decisions.

Anyway, enough deep thoughts. You don't come here to read my deep thoughts! You come here to laugh because my kid locked herself in the bathroom or spilled Kool-Aid on the carpet. I only need to share deep thoughts if they are of the Jack Handeyvariety. Well, I need to go unload groceries, put them away, wash dishes, return the carpet cleaner, etc. Blah. Sometimes this job sucks.