SUMMER

I just looked at my calendar and realized that in 10 days Collin has to report to school! What?! I am so not ready for that. This summer flew by way too fast! I guess we better make the most of these last 10 days!

In the meantime, I haven't really updated much on what we've been up to lately, and there has been a lot! (sort of)

To start off with.... we took these people off #1 on our hit list:

That's right, our tax return FINALLY came! We filed it on February 17th, and it got to us on August 2nd. We had no idea it could take that long! Our adoption claim got audited, so I had to send in every receipt and adoption paper we had. Our accountant was really no help in the process. I know this sounds like such a First World problem (ha ha-more on that later!), to be waiting a long time for money.... but it was really a huge issue for me! I thought I had learned to be patient about it....then I had to still learn more.....and then even more! You will never hear me saying that every penny we spent on Ashlyn's adoption wasn't worth it, but I think that we were falsely led to believe that we'd get it all back pretty quickly once we could file our taxes. We were just so far in the hole that it was SO, so frustrating to me how hard both of us worked to earn money all year and then.... although yes we paid off all our adoption expenses the DAY BEFORE the tax return came it took us all that time to put any extra money we had into it. So basically, although we were getting out of that debt, I had a hard time not feeling like we were just working for NOTHING! 

 It was a frustrating year, but it taught me a LOT about being frugal.I was definitely not comfortable not having any savings for 18 months. We really didn't have extra money to spend. Sadly this experience was probably preparing me for when things will be bad sometime in the future or something . . . but well let's hope it worked or whatever. I know you may be thinking.... "But you guys went on a trip to Costa Rica! Obviously you weren't that much in the hole!" Well my friends, yes we were. I really don't think we would have signed me up for that trip if we had any idea we wouldn't have our tax return by then! But, now that we do have it and have been able to pay off that trip, well, I'm of course not going to say it was a regret! But I was really thinking it there for a while!

Sorry to talk so much about something so boring. But all this time that daily, even multiple times each day, we have been praying that this tax thing would get figured out and we'd be able to get our return (or even just most of it), I kept thinking--dreaming really--about what I would do when that day finally came! I had visions of myself doing cartwheels up the driveway (after getting the mail) and us going out to a steak dinner that night--ha ha! Well, it was pretty much totally anti-climatic to any of that! I was actually out in Meridian getting my hair done by my favorite gal who has done it for years... and I happened to be in the middle of explaining the whole situation to her. I got a text from Collin asking if I had made a big deposit in one of our accounts. HELLO! Where would I get money to deposit, right?! I called him right away and was stunned that our tax return had come through! WOW! But....that was it! No confetti falling from the ceiling or band playing Stars and Stripes Forever! It was still awesome, but not the amazing, life-ending happiness I thought I would have!

So... needless to say the rest of the day was fun. I really did stop and get us a delicious lunch for "celebration" on my way home from my hair appointment! And guess what--that very day we spent almost half of it. Ha ha ha. We paid off that Costa Rica trip with one click of the mouse-ahh! And Collin went right down and paid off our smaller mortgage loan on our house (we took out 2 originally, but now we only have one! holla!). AND the most exciting thing....

We paid to start the adoption process again!

It gives me chills to even type it. I had a very, very special experience telling me we needed to start it right away.

That was back in April.

So to again illustrate my lack of patience waiting for that money.... I was really itching to get that process going! But you can't without a pretty hefty downpayment! So.... I did all the initial paperwork in April and May. By the end of May it was all in and every month the secretary at the agency would call to see if we were ready to get started. And every month I had to tell her that I was still, still waiting on the IRS. So fun. All summer I had to just try not to think about how much I could have been getting done in the application process, if only we had that money to actually apply. Well, HALLELUJAH, that very day that our tax return came, I sent Collin right over to LDS Family Services and he paid them up. So we have begun! I don't know how long it will all take, and I am trying not to think too much about the idea of having 2 kids because it freaks me out.... but I will definitely keep you updated! (you 4 people who read my blog!:)

OK. So I have seriously spent way too much of my time just writing about that stupid tax return. Then again, it merits a big discussion because really, it has been a big part of our lives for the past year!

On to other things we have been doing....

 We watched some Olympics. I say some because after the first week I got totally burned out. It was on all day and night, all the dang time! Jeeze! I have always been a big gymnastics follower so of course I watched all of that. But after 6 days of the same old swimming races and whatnot, it got so old. I got so sick of hearing the sound of a big crowd cheering and at staring at creepy-never-aging Bob Costas's face that I gave up. The good thing about that is that I got a TON of work done on Ashlyn's QUIET BOOK! I will of course do a post about that once it's all done. It is probably the 2nd biggest "crafty/sewing" project I have ever attempted so I will have to pay proper homage!

And so, while I have been spending my time Quiet Book-ing, Collin has been hard at work on this:

 Day in and day out for the past couple weeks. I won't vent too much because it makes me so frustrated. It's not Collin's fault at all, but circumstances (due to a certain Boise State Wrestling coach dropping the ball on important, timely paperwork) came about that Collin was supposed to get 3 credits for working at a wrestling camp last spring, and he found out that he didn't. (due to above statement in parenthesis, boo!) So in the end of July he had to scramble to find some extra online courses to finish up immediately so he could get the credits he needs for his first raise in 3+ years. I'm really impressed with the work ethic he has had on all this--he has finished up 2 3-credit courses already and has one left--but it's also difficult to have to have him spending lots of hours each day on it! I guess, being the superficial person that I am, if there wasn't money (as in, a raise) involved in all this work he's doing, I'd definitely be a way bigger complainer!

So then, in other news.....

I bought new running shoes! Also a perk from getting that tax return, oh yeah. Although I gotta say I got a great deal. I bought these exact model of shoes from a local running store (where I got fitted for them and they were all highly recommended for my running style and shin splits, and all that jazz) for over $100 last year. Well I had the genius to look on amazon and found the same ones for $60! Plus I have Amazon Prime so it was free 2-day shipping and I get points for the purchase on my Amazon Card, which gives me free money towards more stuff I buy in the future!

But enough about actually buying the shoes.... the reason I did is because I have officially started training for a 10K! I have started this before and had to stop due to shin splints, so I am really, really hoping I can make it for this one, but I haven't signed up yet! I'm hoping to do Barber to Boise, which is the first weekend in October. I just did my first training run for it today! Wish me luck! Or better yet, wish me no shin splints!

 I have also read a few good books this summer. But you'll have to get on my goodreads to check them out. I had forgotten, but I set a goal to read 12 books in 2012. Well, I just reached that goal a couple of weeks ago! Go me! So, I set a new one to read 12 more! I don't know if that will happen or not but I think it would be cool! Reading isn't a chore for me--it is a fun, relaxing thing I consider a luxury! So that goal really just tells you how much time I have wasted so far this year.

And lastly I have a couple of random pictures to post:

 I have taken Ashlyn to the splash pad a couple of times this summer and met up with some friends there. She is a super non-fan of getting her face wet so any time she gets splashed she will run over to me and hide her head in my legs. It's pretty funny. But it's a good time and it's been so wickedly hot that I haven't minded getting wet there myself! (thanks for the picture Lindy!)



And to finish this post off... one of my favorite pictures! Our little niece Grace, who was about 2 months old in this picture (I think?? Maybe not quite that old yet!). And Ashlyn, looking like a giant next to her! They don't know it yet but someday these girls are going to be buddies. We love that little Grace so much and we're super sad that Sam and Megan just moved with her to Tennessee! what?!?! Sad. But we figure it will be a great excuse to go out there to visit when the kids will want to play together.

Peace out!