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by Hope

Well, sorry I’ve been AWOL, but I’m not sure I have stopped to breathe the last couple of weeks and no end in site for this week either.  But I didn’t want to miss another week so pardon the list but this is what has happened over the last couple of weeks:

1. My parents were here for their annual visit and it was GREAT!  No tension and they were super supportive of our current situation doing a bit of extra Christmas for the kids since I wouldn’t be able too.  They also gave me a little money to put to bills after seeing my itemized list of where I was at financially.  I had asked them not to come, not sure if I could handle the stress, but in the end, I’m glad they did.
2. Little Gymnast competed in his local meet and did FANTASTIC, bringing home 2nd on floor and 8th all around.  There were 150 kids competing in his session, so pretty big deal.
3. Princess is in the midst of basketball season now that volleyball has ended, and her choir sang in 7 performances at our church this weekend for over 8000 guests.  Super busy.
4. Twins are both working almost full time over this break (we finished the semester the first week of December and will go back the middle of January.)  They are also continuing studies for English, Geometry and AP Psych, not to mention getting ready for robotics competition at the end of January.  So while it’s a little less hectic…not much!
5. No more word on the job front for me as far as full time goes.  But I am looking forward to starting my new part time job the first week of January, it’s all scheduled for me to travel for training.
6. Amazingly, I have been picking up piecemeal work left and right, keeping me on my toes doing an assortment of computer support, training and website work.

Life is good.  As of tonight, I have enough to cover all my bills for December – woot, woot!

And I have to tell you my faith has made a HUGE difference this past month.  I have really focused on staying focused on being grateful, living by faith and trusting that God has a plan for us.  I have never been through rougher financial times but to be honest, I’ve never felt so secure that we are being looked out for, and that is truly a blessing.

My stories of how and whom has provided for us would blow your mind.  I won’t be buying any Christmas presents this year.  I am very grateful for what my parents have provided and some of our community members are also contributing to make this special for the kids.

I will write more soon, but just wanted to get a note out to you and let you know how we are doing.  Here’s wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas season.  We are truly celebrating the many, many blessings that we have every day.

Hope

Hope is a resourceful, solutions-driven online business manager with over two decades of experience helping clients streamline operations, manage projects, and grow their businesses through digital marketing and technology.

But life has a way of rewriting your plans.

A year ago, Hope made the decision to move in with her aging parents full time – a season she wouldn’t trade, even as it came with its own financial and emotional weight. Earlier this year, she lost her mother, and is now walking the tender, disorienting path of grief while learning what “forward” looks like from here.

Hope came to the Blogging Away Debt community in 2015 as a single mom raising five foster and adoptive children. She’s written through job changes, financial setbacks, and the bittersweet transition to an empty nest. Her kids are finding their footing in the world now – and so is she.

Rooted in faith and fueled by the same perseverance she’s brought to every hard season, Hope is ready to face her finances with fresh eyes and an honest pen. She believes that clarity, courage, and community can change the trajectory of anyone’s story including her own.

She lives in Austin, TX with her dad, loves adventures with her dog Addie, and is figuring out, one step at a time, what this next chapter is meant to be.