I'm such a jerk! All I've been doing lately is whining. This hurricane business has got me majorly stressing. Rob and I were up to the wee hours of the morning last night talking. He said he got in the shower last night and started crying because he was so thankful to be able to take a hot shower. We have so much compared to the people on the gulf coast right now. holy cow. I feel blessed.
With that said, I'm working out a new budget for our family, tweaked to compensate for the cost of gas. I'm not sure how we are going to do it. My major concern is getting Rob back and forth to school. With gas sitting at the $3 a gallon it is right now, I figured we will spend between $48-$60 a week or $192-$240 a month, depending on how accurate I am on the mileage/usage. It's only 8 trips to Springfield a week and doesn't include trips to Walmart, Price Cutter or the doctor's office in Nixa. Now that I'm thinking about it the $240 a month is probably very realistic. Which is frightening, since that is half our take-home income for the month!! That is no unnecessary trips, bare bones what we have to do. I'm just not sure how we are going to do this, but I think about last year and we were driving the ford Ltd and that got 15 miles to the gallon, so the price of gas has virtually stayed the same for us, we are filling up less often but paying the same or close... just in much bigger chunks. (to the tune of $45 to fill up) But we barely made it last year, and it's not looking good this year. One more semester...
So, I'm looking into some options for us, trying to develop a plan. My first and most obvious solution is to ask for a raise. Surely they have to consider this dramatic cost of living increase. Otherwise I'm looking into low income housing on the north side of Springfield, somewhere that Rob could walk or bicycle to school. Otherwise we could ask parents for help, something I loathe doing. But really? If it's that or drop out of school because of gas cost? I can suck it up and beg... I'm just praying for wisdom at this point, and peace. Trying not to panic.
About Me
- antho
- Every shoot is different. Every family is unique and special. Every couple has their own interpretation of their relationship. There is no cookie cutter session with me. I think if I get to that point, it's time to put the camera down, don't you? We've all seen those photographers - you know the underpaid hourlys at Sears, or the over-paid wedding photographer that you can tell is simply putting their time in to get the same images - just different folks than they did at the last setting or event. I pray before each shoot to be freshly inspired by the people in front of my lens, that I see what God sees in them. He loves each of us as His precious children and delights in our personalities and quirks. I feel like my calling is to witness that special something in you and capture it in an image. The day that I stop feeling that way about it is the day I need to close up shop.
Visitors Since April 2008
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