Provision

It's been a great year... and I've been blog-M.I.A. for most of it (yeah. Sorry about that!), but it's been great, nonetheless.

With so much that's happened this year, I can't help but see God's hand and provision in our lives. Even through that crazy chaotic man-made house flood of ours, we received new carpet throughout the house, tiling in the bathroom (which we would've had to pay for ourselves), fresh new paint in various rooms... we couldn't have PLANNED that!

When McStudly was diagnosed with Crohns' disease, even after several hospital stays and medical appointments... countless pills and medicine trials... we hardly payed a dime for any of it (I actually don't think that we payed anything for any of it). We had amazing medical coverage through the military, fabulous doctors and facilities in our local area, understanding bosses and co-workers that covered for us, supportive family that checked in on us, and fabulous friends that helped make sure we felt loved and were taken care of. We couldn't have ASKED for anything better!

Even in our finances I can see him working. When bills came in higher than planned for (like when the electric company WAY overestimated our charges: think 8 months worth of bill credits) and life just... happened - cracked windshields, a sick dog, and home makeover mishaps (plenty of those in this house) - we were covered.

Just this month, Austin had quite a few dollars spent on vet bills... and by quite a few I mean the total is now over $1.2k on something as simple as ringworm (PS: much more serious on dogs, than humans, fyi). Somehow we were able to pay for (not charge) his vet bills the first time around... don't ask me how! But I thought for sure that there would be no way we could do it again. And I was right - we could not. But with God, all things are possible - and we are able to do it again. The vet said he needs one more round of meds to be sure it doesn't come back, and "somehow" we have the extra money to pay for that and his boarding expenses. I noticed last week, after doing some quick budget math (am I the only one that keeps a spreadsheet for each month that details how much goes to which bills for each paycheck, how much into savings, how much for spending, etc? Okay... call me precise and just shy of obsessive, but it works.) that we had about an extra $1k in savings that I couldn't really account for. Every bill is payed and already pulled up to date. There are no pending checks, and no pending withdrawals. We had planned to use the extra money to pay off our credit card, but when Austin needed vet visits, I knew it would be going towards that instead. But here's the cool part: we somehow didn't spend much (hardly any) of our allotted spending money over vacation... That's about $150 that we didn't use. And $269 just came in the mail as a reimbursement from our first round of vet bills (have I mentioned that I absolutely LOVE having pet insurance? Cause I do.) which I had totally forgotten about.

That's a total of: $419.00 that I had no way of accounting for beforehand. It was like surprise money... bonus cash.

So when I went to pick up Austin this morning from the vet's office, where he was boarding and had been re-checked by the vet, guess how much I had to pay?!


*drumroll please*


That would be a total of $406.68!



Isn't that amazing?! Not only are the vet bills covered out of pocket without even remotely affecting our regular monthly budget and bills, but we can also afford to pay off our credit card, now, with the extra money I "found" in savings.

Because we have been faithful to him in our finances and tithing, God has blessed us more than we could even IMAGINE through our finances.




As 2009 comes to a close, this evening, I look back and can see how God has blessed us way beyond what we could ever have planned, asked or imagined.




With this kind of provision from a truly wonderful, loving God that cares enough about me to even notice and cover the "little" things in life, I can't help but feel a peaceful confidence over whatever will be thrown our way in 2010.

May God continue to bless and care for you and yours, and may you be able to someday look back and see his hand in everything.





Happy New Year!

Just a quickie

Okay - I don't have time to update much, right now, but hopefully I can fill in some blanks on Monday, for you. Last Friday was McStudly's squadron party, and a buddy of his won a free limo ride to and from the Naitonal Christmas tree. So that's where we're going tonight, and it should be pretty cool... and by cool I mean FREEZING!!!

Last night I finished my final night of training with the Pregnancy Clinic. I move on to my internship and then go forward from there. SOOOO excited! And I've got LOADS to tell you about all of that training, etc. Can't wait to fill you in!

And last, but definitely not least, we get to visit with McStudly's family in the next month or so. We're REALLY looking forward to that, except for the fact that it's already been FREEZING!!! it was in the single digits here, last night, and even colder where they are. YUCK!


So... I'll try to give you more deets on all of that next week, but for now I gotta go get ready for a fun evening, followed by a jam-packed couple of weeks.




Gotta love the Holidays, eh?!

SURPRISE!!

This just makes me giggle everytime... minus the weirdo that;s talking at the end. :-D

Putting My Foot Down

Okay - so I'm overwhelmed, right now. There's a lot going on at once and I'm going to have to put a stop to some things.

I tend to get pretty close tot he "too much at once" line. It's part of who I am. I don't know why I do it, but I do. So when other people start kind've pushing me closer and closer, I'm pretty understanding at first. I mean... they don't know everything I'm doing. They see their small snippet and think that's it. I do the same thing to others, I'm sure.

After all, you never really know what's going on in someone's heart and life. It's not like they walk around with their schedule and emotional status pinned on their sleeves... I hope...

But I'm at the point where the pushing is getting old. Look - I've given you more than I probably should have to begin with, but that's it. That's what you get, take it or leave it.


This probably sounds uber confusing to most of you. But this is my main source of venting, and it's been WAY too long since I've unleashed some frustration that I've been holding in. Forgive me for not explaining everything, but it'll probably just be even more confusing. Try to bear with me.


I just can't take it anymore. I can handle pushing and shoving with a good amount of grace, but I have a limit. I try to hint at first. You know... maybe they aren't aware how much they're pushing me... I try to give them the benefit and think they can't possibly know it's starting to hurt a little, so I tell them no. It's ever so polite and simple at first.

Why can't it end there?

So they smile and "hear" what I say, without really listening.


I say it again. A little less smile this time, and maybe a little info as to why, like "I'm stretched pretty thin as it is, so..." and hope that they get it.

I know they aren't stupid. I know they are smart people. They really really are smart. Why aren't the understanding me. Did I suddenly learn Spanish so well that I don't even realize I'm speaking in the wrong language? I'm gonna lean towards no on that one. I'm pretty sure it's English... and besides, after 2 years of Spanish in high school, I only really know how to say "where are my pants?" (don't ask), so there's no way I suddenly picked it up.


And then it gets to where I am now. I've put my foot down 3 or 4 times now, and they just aren't getting it.

And this is where I'm stuck. Do I go all diva on them and MAKE it known that I am not at their beck and call? Or maybe I need to put it in writing... or equations, even. Like maybe this:


Me = not + available ( - current commitment) = no more tasking


Wait. That isn't nearly simple enough.


But they keep putting me in the position of almost having to take it to that point. And what grinds my gears is the fact that I'm pretty sure that's their goal. They're asking me publicly, in front of people, to where I almost have to say yes. And then it's super awkward when I say no, because they've already moved on, as if I've already given them a yes. But umm... hello?! "Umm yeah, sorry. I actually can't."


Then their faces... It's like I hauled off and slapped their granny.


Really, people? I'm trying to be as super nice and kind about this as I can. This is your thing, not mine. I have no obligations here whatsoever. But you really want me to seem like some kind of diva-fied chick that will walk if she doesn't get her way? Reminder: This isn't something I signed up for. I was asked to do a favor, and I conceded. Then I went a step further when you needed more help, and then again. But that's it. I've already gone three miles with the 1 inch I gave. I'm way past running on empty here.


Other parts of my life are currently suffering. Other people in my life are now suffering. Relationships that are very important to me are whithering and just short of dying.


But all you see is how this is affecting you and your plans.


Am I the only one that has problems like this? I'm trying to hard to be nice and forgiving and understanding, but it's really hard when the other parties aren't giving it a second thought.


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CLARIFICATION:
I should probably clarify something right now. This has NOTHING to do with anything else that I've blogged before. Ever. Never ever.

In fact, if you think you know what I'm talking about... you probably do not have any idea. If you want to know, feel free to e-mail me at sarahpuhl [at] gmail [dot] com. I'll clarify. I'm trying to be vague for several reasons, so I'm sorry if I've created a ton of confusion.

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Okay. Enough of that. I guess I needed to vent a little more then I originally thought. For those of you that stuck with me - any advice? I could really use it right now. Like for reals.