Budgeting for three.

I am acutely aware of how fortunate Andrew and I are to be in a position where I can stay home, but sometimes it's a little discouraging to manage a one-salary home. So many people don't have this luxury, and I know that choosing this lifestyle means choosing a simpler way of living, and a slower growing bank account. We're so fortunate to live in an area where the cost of living is so low and Andrew's salary is so "high." Anywhere else in the world, we'd be paupers! We do consider that often, and we're so thankful for this unique and wonderful situation. We love this area so much, and there isn't a day that goes by that we don't thank God for putting us out here in His country. We met out here in the mountains, we fell in love here, and now we're raising a family here. Sometimes it's hard not having the city luxuries we're so used to, but spending a weekend in the city makes the drive home such a peaceful and happy thing. There is nothing better than settling back into our slow little world after a long weekend of family craziness and heavy traffic. I can only hope that Lucy realizes how lucky she is to grow up out here.
That said, we're slowly recovering and rehabbing from living the type of life we needed to in Baltimore. We have a small amount of debt that we're paying off in big chunks, but it seems like there's always something else! Most people don't talk about money. It's something I'm comfortable doing, and I feel like it's a necessary evil to gain the experience you need to have a good handle on finance. I think that I'll always try to discuss finances candidly like my mother does, because I really think that this new generation of debt comes from a generation of Baby Boomers who have enough not to talk about it. Money shouldn't be a depressing topic, but it is for so many people who have no idea how to manage it. I'm learning slowly, and we're starting off on a good foot. I'm aware that we're very young, and we can't expect to have it all at once. Just having a growing 401(k) and a strong life insurance policy is a huge step for a 23 & 24 year old. However, it's not good enough with a growing family. We're working on this stupid credit card; the balance is not big, but it seems like every time we pay a big chunk, something else goes wrong! I would love to pay off our student loans really quickly, but I'm trying to pace myself and prioritize!
But why complain? Money is in and out of our hands before we even see it! We have our health, we pay our bills, we have the Lord, and we have a lot of love. The rest of it will take care of itself in time. How fortunate I am to be able to be at home to care for Andrew the way he cares for me. I love being able to welcome him home to a neat and orderly home, and to have dinner on the stove when he walks in. He's such a simple creature, and he's also so grateful for the very small things I do. I know he hates going to the laundromat and the grocery store, and I'm glad I can do those things while he's at work. He's such a peaceful person when his little home is orderly and neat; it's nice to be able to provide that little piece of happiness for him. He says I'm a "plant within a plant." I think he likes the "behind every strong man..." concept. And in return, I have the happiness of knowing that we're taking care of each other in a basic and good way. There will always be monetary sacrifices for us to make. That's life. But we are so blessed to be living the life we've always dreamed of with a just enough left over to buy ice cream. Any more than that and we'd lose sight of what we truly value. Love, Laughter & Ice Cream.