Our home!

We got the house! Yay! It was a long haul at the end there, but it is now ours to call home! Everything was going fine until we went in to talk to Dodi, our banker. We were applying for a state bond that helps people with their downpayment with a 30 year, 0% interest loan (basically a 2nd on your home.) for the downpayment. Jared qualified for FHA and then we were going to tack this bond on also. It was going to only cost us about $1500 to get in the door of this beautiful home! We sat down with Dodi and she informed us that Jared actually did not qualify for the bond. Because of the mobile he still owned and had to pay space rent monthly for, his debt to income ratio was just barely too high. We couldn't use my income to qualify for the home because of my short sale a year ago. That was a bummer. Also.. there was a lien for $450 on Jared's credit that he hadn't seen before! Where did that come from?! A state tax lean? Washington doesn't have a state tax! Come on people! He's done a few credit checks and that's never shown up before! Ugh. If he'd been billed for it before then he would have paid it off! We would have to get that paid off then get the paperwork to SHOW it was paid off before Jared could even get the loan for the house at all! This could delay our purchase a month! Not to mention, we'd put $1,000 earnest money down on the house that the home seller could pocket if we don't close by Dec 28th, the agreed closing date! 

The next day, Dodi emails Jared to tell him that she looked into the lien situation and it was actually an OVERPAYMENT of unemployment from 1998, and... it was paid but they hadn't taken it off his credit! Done! So now we have that out of the way but we can't make use of the state bond still. Jared was going to take money from his retirement fund to use as the downpayment on the house. His father had said, "We don't want you to have to do that. We will lend you some money and you can pay us back when you can." It was agreed by Dodi that we could do that. We also agreed that it would be faster for Pops to deposit the cash into Jared's account, cause if he wrote a check then the bank would hold that for a few days before it cleared. So the next day, Pops went and deposited cash into Jared's account. Next .... we hear , "Oh! The cash would have to have been in Jared's account for two months before he could use it as a down payment. And... we need to know all of this information about our dad and the bank. Account # it came from, Pop's address, phone, work, bank address, phone ......... The bank needs a complete paper trail to know it isn't drug money. Ugh! If you'd said that then we wouldn't have gone through all this! It has to have been in his account 2 months first? Why didn't you say that when we discussed this with you?!!? So Jared ended up calling on the 401 after all! He tells them how much $ is needed and his address to overnight the check to when they were able to send it. So going through all that, we were told that if the check got in soon enough, we could close a week early! Yay! Not. By Christmas, it still hadn't come in. And Jared waited at home every evening for the mailman or else had the boys keeping an eye out. Nothing. After Christmas... nothing. What?! What's going on?! It was overnighted before Christmas! What's taking so long for an overnight package to arrive??! Called the 401 people. The gal who mailed the check was on vacation the "temp" gal knows nothing. Doesn't even know if there is a tracking number for this $10,000.00 check!!!! We have to wait til the gal gets back into the office the day after Christmas! So Jared gets ahold of her finally to hear that yes, she sent the check overnight on the 20th or 21st of Dec. Sure we've had Christmas Day, which is a non mail day, but here it is Dec 26 and still no overnight from the week before? At this point, we are two days from our agreed signing date! What if they don't find the check and we lose our earnest money?! Would the seller be that mean?  

 Finally that day around noon, Jared gets a call from Jason at work saying he has a check sitting there. They mailed it to his work, not his home!!!! The check has been sitting there since Christmas! Jared has lost sleep and stressed over a check that's been sitting there the whole time! So in that one day, Jared spends a whole tank of gas running from home to work to HIS bank to the title company, to the insurance company, to Dodi's office, to the moon and back! Ended up signing papers that afternoon and we got the keys the next day! WOW! 

Welcome to 2920 Alvarado Drive! The "Parkson" home! (Parker and Jackson combined)

December ... feeling the season!

Not sure there will be a picture with this one. Just an update. So much going on! So much to do! The holidays, buying a house, work, school, church ..... Is it February yet??! Jared and I will surely need a vacation by then! It will be well earned!

House inspection went well. The only real major issue is that the house needs a new roof. Lots of little things that we can do one at a time, but all in all, we are satisfied with things. Now to wait on the appraisal and signing! The sooner the better! Will probably end up spending January moving, which is nice, cause then we can enjoy the holidays without so much stress and be ready for February!

Sold my truck. We are now looking for a 4x4 and a 250 or bigger that will pull the horse trailer with no issues. Jared and I are going snowshoeing Saturday (Probably but hopefully not the only time we get a chance to go this winter with everything else we have going!). Hoping to go look at a truck before we head home.

Cole is doing well in school. Thankfully he just found himself a job! He is working at a hotel in Spokane. I'm thankful for the friend of his that got him the job! I know it will make Cole happy too! Only thing is that he can't come home for the whole month holiday break from College! :(  Will be happy to have him when we can!

Josh just got a $2.50 raise at work! That will be nice! He drives to Mt Vernon to work and home every day! Nice for the fuel money! Remi is getting bigger and more fun every day! I love when I get to babysit her! Or is that Grammy sit??! One of these days she'll be excited to stay with me... opposite of how she is now when she sees Fallon from afar. She is at that age where she is experiencing separation anxiety. It's ok, I understand. We still have fun together!

Ky has had a hard time with our move because we are moving 20 minutes into town. She is a country girl and likes being out here where she grew up, not in Bellingham. I understand that, but when we looked for a house, we knew there was a chance the house we decided was right for us would mean moving into town. We are still blessed and this is a good thing! We will all adjust. When she is done with beauty school, she can get a full time job and move back to the country if she wants. One day we just may do the same! Who knows! As for now, we see signs all the time that this is where we are supposed to be.

One of the neat things that happened is that we got "new neighbors" at our new, "to be ours after closing" house! These new neighbors are LDS and have four daughters! For me, the blessing is also one for Abby, cause one of their daughters is her age! I pray that Abby and Camille become good friends and great examples to each other! The whole family seems very down to earth, strong in the gospel and fun!

Booked our honeymoon last week! We are going on a 7 day, Western Caribbean cruise! We leave from New Orleans and go down to Mexico then back up. My only fear is my motion sickness. I hope it is ok like people say. I am looking forward to an actual honeymoon with the man who is everything that I could ever need in my life! Someone who loves me for and with my flaws also! He is amazing! Is there another word? Probably, but it wouldn't do justice any better than amazing, so that's the word I'll settle for. I just feel totally unworthy of this man! So blessed!

Jared's boys will be doing a lot this next year, I can see. Jared wants to get them both through driver's ed class and working jobs. I think this is going to be a nice next year! I look forward to starting a new chapter in our lives! Feeling the holiday spirit, even though funds are limited due to the house and wedding, I pray I can still get the kids gifts to make them smile!

Thanksgiving 2012

                                                            Miss Remi Mae Jackson

November 22, 2012

Woke up this morning thinking about the things I am thankful for. So so much! Where to start? Maybe I'll start with the photo I chose to highlight today's blog post. Remi Mae. How fun it is being a Grammy! How big she is growing! Every day she is bigger and smarter! Last weekend, Josh took Fallon to a spa in Canada for her birthday, so the girls and I got to have Remi over night. First we took her to the mall for some shopping then we hung out at home. She snuggled with Grammy and did a good job sleeping that night.. with a few little wake ups that ended up with her finding her thumb and me rubbing her back til she fell back to sleep. Then she went to Jared's ward with me for church, back home to our ward, and was a big girl there too! Josh and Fallon got home around 4. While they were gone, a few times, they called me on my phone "facetime" where you can see each other and talk. Remi would see her mommy and daddy and just CRY! Poor thang! But they missed her so much! It was cute to see her so happy when they got home. Then that evening, I felt like I was missing something! Til next time!

I'm thankful that, once again, all four of my children are here under one roof with me! I'm thankful for where each of them are in their lives and the relationship that I share with each one of my children. Cole being in college ... we text often and keep in touch a few times a week. Josh and Fallon, living down the road from us (til we move, which still won't be far!) and he being a hard working daddy and partner to Fallon. I can't wait til they get married! If they are waiting for the perfect time and money... it'll never happen! Ky working to finish her high school work so she can earn her diploma. She was going to go straight to Beauty School, but she has now decided to work fulltime for a while first so she can get out on her own. We'll see what happens. I do want to support her going to Beauty School. Abby is working hard in school and trying to keep her grades up. Always doing extra credit when she can.. piano practice twice a month and indoor soccer. She's definitely not a baby anymore and is almost as tall as me! She has about 4 more inches to go! What a young lady she is growing into! I wonder, sometimes, did Travis really trust me to raise these children the rest of the way without him?!! I hope that I am making him proud. I know that he is helping when he can from the other side of that veil!

Jared and I are doing well. Our wedding is in less than 3 months. So many things to get ready for and also a house added to the wedding planning! Buying and getting things ready to move... Hoping financing goes well too! Plus both of us working fulltime. I am so blessed with a man who has gotten to know me and even with my weaknesses, still loves me like I couldn't have ever imagined being loved! He is so amazing! I am always impressed with his knowledge, concern for others, unselflessness, and again .. his love for me! I feel so incredibly blessed!

I hope that those who I love and care for so much in my heart have a nice Thanksgiving with those they love! I pray that the Lord bless each of them in their lives with the things that He knows they need. I'm thankful for the Lord's guidance in each and every thing that I do. I pray that He continues to lead and guide me and my family. What a weight it is that comes off the shoulders when you know that He is in control. I do what I can with what I have and know and let Him guide the rest.
Like the house situation... it's on the other side of town. Jared will still have to drive a ways for work. Ky will have a drive to work too, and to her horse. But as we looked at other houses, this one always stood out. I remember praying about it. Not asking the Lord to help us get THAT house, but asking Him to guide us in our search and help lead us to the home He has for us. And this is where we ended up so far. I have to admit... I was thinking yesterday, "I am so thankful that this house doesn't have a basement for us to "finish" and have leak like the two homes Travis and I owned!" It was just a funny I had in my head. They were definitely our homes and we had wonderful memories there, but I never again want to deal with a finished basement!

Something else I am thankful for... I have one child who gets mad when thinking about our moving to town and being close to Jared's parents. "They are surely going to be so happy that they aren't really losing Jared far at all, cause he's just moving down the road!" Well.... should they NOT be happy? To be honest, I find it a blessing too! Through Travis' and my marriage, we never really had much family close by like that. Besides his brother, Chuck, who has his own family to take care of, Travis' family lives in North Carolina. And besides my sister, Debra, who lives in the next town with her family, my parents live in Idaho. We didn't have grandparents close by to help with the kids, etc. I'm excited for the love that Jared's parents have for us. They've gotten to know Abby a lot and are always sweet and loving towards her! I am thankful to know they will be close by! I'm also thankful to know I won't be far from my children... even when Ky finds a place of her own... we wont' be far. So many people have their children grown and married to people in another state! We will be about 20 minutes from Josh and Fallon. Granted it's not a mile down the road like we are now, but it's only a car drive! Thankful!

Our house hunting!

Jared and I put an offer in on a home today. We should hear a response from the seller by 9pm on Friday evening! Mixture of emotions! I am excited that we have done this. I just know that Kyleigh is not happy with it as she will be driving a ways to work every day if she gets a job that is hoping to fall in place almost in Blaine. I understand that. I pray that she gets comfortable quickly.... IF our offer is accepted! If so, closing date will be Dec 28. 

Offer was accepted! The only thing the seller added to the offer was at the end after the closing date being Dec 28 was "or sooner"! So as long as financing goes well.. we should be moving the end of December! 2920 Aldorado Dr. Bellingham, WA  98226.

Busy

So today is Nov 14, 2012. Today marks 9 months Jared and I have been dating! And what an amazing 9 months it has been! Not only is it 9 months that we've been dating, but it also marks exactly 3 months til the day we are to be married! I have the dress ordered (Waiting patiently to hear from them that it is done!) and Jared has picked out what he is going to wear, invitations are flowing out. Venue reserved (The Bellingham Cruise Terminal). Honeymoon ideas going, yet we need to be sure and have the 4 available after house hunting. Been house hunting, and hopefully things will go right this week allowing us to put in an offer on a home!

It's been a little rough with the kids; their feelings and thoughts on where they feel we should live. It's not easy when there is a $ limit and certain specs you are looking for in a home. You find the house that is best for what you are looking for and know the the Lord will have it placed where He feels you need to be. That's all we can do.

Work has been extremely busy. I'm thankful and blessed! When I first started out "From Dust til Dawn Cleaning and Management Services", I was cleaning about 10-12 jobs a month. Now I'm fighting cleaning only 10 - 12 jobs a WEEK! And I have an employee named Sarah who is so great! I couldn't do this without her! I would have had to turn people away!
We've been enjoying not only cleaning people's homes but also helping some who own guest houses along Chuckanut Drive down town. I would love to some day maybe specialize in this kind of management. I'm learning a lot. The only negative of it is that a lot of times, it's "turn around" related, where one guest is leaving and another will be arriving that afternoon. So sometimes I have to be there at a specific time. It hasn't been an issue yet except once or twice when the owner wanted his "hideaway" cleaned on a Sat or Sun and I def won't do Sundays and I avoid Sat  like the plague. So far, so good!

Just took Jared and Abby to the other side of the mountain for the weekend. We stopped to visit Cole on the way. Stayed the night at his apartment after arriving to have dinner that he and Elishia had prepared for us. After Cole made us dinner in the morning, we went for a small trail walk along the Spokane river in the morning before heading to Jared's Aunt Martha's house. Her husband, Jared's Uncle Mer, had just passed away and they wanted to give us an old sewing machine for our wedding gift. It was nice to meet more of his family.
After visiting there for a bit, we headed to my parent's home in St Marie's, Idaho. We hung out there for the rest of the weekend and headed home on Veteran's Day, which was Monday. Had fun teaching Jared a game of cards called "Hand and Foot" and just relaxing. On the way home, we stopped to have sushi with Cole and Elishia at the mall then stopped to visit Nenna for ice cream and headed home.

Jared is so amazing to me! Every time we are around each other, I see more wonderful things that I appreciate about him! I feel so blessed and if I may say, "Unworthy" of him! But i know that God has His plan for each of us, and if He feels Jared deserves so much good in his life and places ME there, then *I* am the lucky one and I trust God knows what He is doing!

Ky is doing well on her schooling and is putting along! I can't wait til she can say that she is done and graduated from high school with a diploma!!!! She is hoping to help manage and run a coffee stand soon before going to Beauty School. I pray that she gets all she wants and needs and can be proud of her accomplishments!

Abby continues to do well in school, play piano and started indoor soccer season, which will last all winter. She's on a new team the "La Chicas" and is learning a lot! And wow is she growing! Soon I'll be officially the shortest in our family! That is counting Jared and the boys!

Josh and Fallon are living right down the road from us, so it's fun that we get to see them and Remi often! She will be 7 months old this month. Funny... her  7 months will land on the date that would have been mine and Travis' 24th anniversary. Thinking of you, Trav!

Thanksgiving is next week and it looks like we'll have a house full with Jared's family and all my kids! I am happy and can't wait! I hope everyone feels comfortable and enjoys themselves!

Just had to do a quick update before hopping out of bed and getting in a workout this morning!
Happy Thanksgiving!

Autumn!! Mmmm!

It's Autumn! My favorite time of the year! The colors!  LOVE the yellow, orange and mostly red leaves on the trees and shrubs! The smells! The smell of wet leaves or wet dirt! The feel! I love when it's cold outside yet sunny! I love a warm sweater and jeans and also sunglasses! The tastes! MMM... Egg nog, cinnamon, nutmeg... Pumpkin seeds!

Enjoying my fave time of the year while watching my girls do well at their schooling and activities! 

Ky is working hard on her online Geometry class! She is also riding her horse, Holli, a lot and tending to her then also helping me around the house due to my long work hours. I know this time of the year is going to keep me busy and I'm sure, a new client or two... if I can FIT them into my schedule! I am blessed with work! 

Abby has been doing well in public school. She works hard to keep her grades up and is determined! She continues to have piano lessons twice a month with Barbara Borries. It's great watching her progress to using both hands on the ivories! I especially love when Abby is bored and sits to play on the piano. I love the sound throughout the house verses the sounds of television! Soccer starts up again soon, and she is itching to get back on the field! 

Cole is on his second year at Eastern and has his own apartment ... with his dog Rawley and a kitty that he named Millie! It's a bummer not to see him, but I know he's doing a great thing! Jared, Abby and I have a trip planned in Nov to my visit parents in Idaho and will stop to visit Cole on the way for a night! Can't wait! 

Josh is working hard at Brownlines as he tries to be the best daddy for Remi and fiance to Fallon that he can. It's nice having them live just down the road from us! 

Wedding plans are coming along. There is a lot to do! It's kinda good we can't send out invitations til the first of Nov, cause we keep changing ideas between supplying dinner and dessert or just dessert. That also affects the time! I believe we've decided on 7pm and just serving dessert. Especially seeing that our temple appt is at 1 (we hope... as this is why we can't send out invites til Nov 1. The temple only reserves/schedules 3 months in advance.) We will need time for pictures and driving back up to Bellingham through traffic!  

At first, Jared and I had talked about going somewhere sorta close to home as to not spend much for a honeymoon since we'll be buying a house too! But a couple weeks ago, Jared text me and said, "I've been thinking maybe a cruise for our honeymoon." I said, "Well aren't we trying to save money on that since we'll be buying a house?" He replied, "Yah, but it's our honeymoon and I've been putting a few dollars away each paycheck for that too." So it looks like we'll be actually taking a HONEYMOON away, which will be fun! I'm sorta letting him take the reins on that one, since it was his thinking. No pressure, Honey! Hee hee! I'll just be happy being together! 

We've chosen the Bellingham Cruise Terminal as our venue. I'm excited about that too, cause when we were looking at venues, it had crossed my mind to look there, but I guess I assumed it'd be expensive. I had found one place I really liked and the price was nice, but then Jared mentioned the terminal and I said, "Ok. We can see." Well it's only $25 more than the other place I liked, and it's so much prettier! I remember the day we went in to look at it together. When we walked out, I was just so giddy picturing it! 

Well I have to stop the update here as it's time for this momma to get to work! Happy Fall!

Update on "me"

Me running!

The kids at the farm before we moved.

Grammy and Remi!

Four generations!

Hiking to Snoqualmie Lake!

Jared and me the day he proposed!

OKAY! So I was told that I need to do an update on ME?! I did an update on my life... my children and Jared and I, but I guess I haven't updated on what *I* have been up to and my business and all that. So .... Excuse me if I repeat something that I've already posted.

Before Travis passed, life was easy. I was a home mom being a homeschooler and housewife. When it came to bill time, I listed the bills, gave Travis the total and he'd write a check for said bills, groceries and a bit more. If the kids or I needed anything else, all we had to do was ask and he'd make it happen. I always said, "I wish I had my husband's money!" LOL!! Well that rings so true today! When he passed, it was then that I realized how much debt J&L Express was in! The economy was not doing so well and farmers were just struggling to keep a float. But ... the cows needed to eat, so Travis was still paddling away! I do remember one time, when we had a little talk. (He didnt' share a lot of business stuff with me. I assume it's cause he didnt' want me to stress too.) He informed me of a couple farmers who were quite a bit in debt to the business and he let me know he was worried. I could see and feel the stress in him. Needless to say... In May 2010, I handed over my half of the business to Curt, our business partner, and he "assumed my half of the debt." He has since (from what I've seen and heard) gotten a financial consultant and is still in business doing well! I am happy for him and his family. I know that things happen for a reason. I pray for things to continue well for them. I also pray for his health as he has been fighting prostate cancer for years.
So with the business out of my name and a 20 acre farm on my hands...... What's a girl to do?? Well it'd been 7 months since Travis' passing. I had a little construction done to the house right away due to heating issues and a super high propane bill previous winters!!! I had money from his life insurance and even though I knew it would be sad for the kids... I couldn't afford to stay there. I put the house up for sale. Problem was, we refinanced a lot, so there wasn't much room for me to price the house "to sell" very low. It was pretty stressful for me having a few things done to the house that I knew needed fixing and then having an inspection that always shows more things. A new roof? Recalled siding?? The nice thing about a property like that was that it wasn't just another house in a culdesac. Anyone interested would be looking for just what I had to offer. 20.73 acres, a pond, an open field to plant anything, a huge barn, cute and cozy home... off the road, a little orchard.... Even the barn had an apartment in it that Travis had built. It was a 2 bedroom with another little loft room, full kitchen, livingroom, bathroom with laundry.... but ... it was done without permits!!!!! I couldn't list the place as having a "mother in law" suite or anything that meant another living space was there. Also... I had to make sure the new buyers knew it was unpermitted, which to realtors also means "unsafe". I couldn't spend the $ to MAKE it "legal", so it was listed as an "unpermitted apartment".
I had people interested, but to make a long story short, I ended up shortselling the house! Not so great on my credit, but I had to do it. I had to get out from under the payments!!! By the time that was all said and done, I was SO ready to move on at that point!!!
So the girls and I moved into a house 4 miles North. The home was brand new and placed basically in a raspberry field. The owners of the home also owned of the local feed store. We'd known them through our business, so I was thankful to have heard about the house and get my foot in the door first. We just had to finish the closing of our house and wait for this one to be completed. It worked out fine and we moved into the home in Sept 2011. It's been kinda nice being in a newer home compared to an updated here and there but still, basically, old farmhouse. We definitely had to downsize! We had 11 years of accumulation in that farm! Between the house and the barn!!!!! WOW! I can't believe we were able to get ourselves down to a 3 bedroom 2 car garage and needing no storage unit! Granted our garage is full of boxes and things, but hey! You sure learn about purging and what is materially (Is that a word?) important in life! I am definitely not any where near being a packrat now! (Not that I was before!)

Through all of this ... I already posted once about my running and how that fit into my life. It was definitely my release! My sanity! I ran and ran! The last time I really ran, I did the Rock and Roll Half Marathon in Seattle with my girlfriend, Christine. That was great! So addicting! I would give a lot to be able to run another half marathon! The next month, I ran the Ragnar with some church friends, and Chris, the guy I was dating. The Ragnar is a 200 (this one was 190) mile race that is done with teams of 12. Two vans of 6 runners take turns leapfrogging and running 3 legs each person!  You literally start at 8am one day and end the next afternoon! I ran 6.5 miles my first leg then 3.4 then 3.2. Problem was, I had an issue with my right knee that started as a strained calf when there were 1.5 miles left of my half marathon! But this was a team event and I wasn't going to let them down! If I was running a leg and decided I hurt too much and felt I couldn't run anymore, someone from my team would have to run for me and I'd be out for the rest of the Ragnar! That wasn't fair to them, I felt. So when they could drive along cheering me on, I told them to meet me at my finish. I didn't want the opportunity to say I hurt too much. If they were at the finish line of my leg then I had no choice but to just get myself there! I ended up running lightly 5 mins and then walking one minute. It's called the Jeff Galloway way of running. Believe it or not, even with my knee that way, I still made good times on each of my legs! And I iced my knee whenever I wasn't running!!!! It was definitely a memorable run! Not cause of my knee but because it was so fun! Just like a half marathon, I'd love to do a Ragnar again! But I haven't really run since! I did a JingleBell Run with the kids and Travis' brother that December, but it was nothing like what I had been doing, and we walked a lot too. It was fun to have my kids all doing that with me!
I have since, been riding a bike. It is good exercise also, but I do miss my runner's body (legs)!!!! I have been going to the chiropractor and I've seen a doctor. He did xrays on my knee to make sure nothing is broken, but wants to do an MRI next, yet i have no medical insurance. I don't think I'd qualify for much financial help. I know that Jared wants to get me in when we are married and I'm on his medical insurance. We will see. I definitely would love to run again! I just wouldn't get crazy with it. I do have to admit, I had signed myself up for a whole marathon that next October after the July Ragnar, but obviously didn't even attempt it. I'd still love to say I did one... some day.  In the meantime, I'm riding my bike and trying to stay fit and healthy... while wearing a knee brace and going to the chiro. I think I'm doing okay. :) Even this past summer, Jared got me kayaking with him. That was fun!! And we did a lot of hiking! I'm thankful he is knowledgeable (where's spellcheck when you need it?!) about the outdoors and that we have so many things that we can enjoy together!

Financially, things can definitely be stressful. Like I said, when Travis was here, all we had to do was ask when we needed or wanted something. Now it's all up to me! And I don't have "his money"! It was down to Social Security and his life insurance. I knew the life ins wasn't gonna last forever and I wanted to save what I could for emergencies. Social Security was only til each girl graduates or turns 18, whichever comes last. I decided that I could see if my neighbor needed help with her housecleaning business. She sure did need help. But only on days she couldn't do it herself. I was applying for jobs other places, but hearing nothing, so I worked for her a few days a week. Nothing major though. After a while, she didnt' need me anymore. I don't remember why. Maybe her daughter decided to help. Anyways, I thought, "I can do that. I cleaned houses for people years ago. I can do this myself." So I put an ad on Craigslist and started getting clients! I tried to use eco-friendly cleaners when I could. That first year, on average, I was cleaning about 12 houses per month. As of today, "From Dust til Dawn Cleaning and Management Services" cleans approximately 12 jobs per week. Give or take. Usually give. And.. I have a parttime employee named Sarah! I couldn't be doing 12 jobs a week without her!  I'm very proud of what I have grown and the clients that I have are wonderful! They often ask me "Are you going to quit working when you get married?" I have to say, "No! Why would I do that to you?!" I am proud that I can help with finances! Not that Jared has said he needs me to work, but it's part of who I am today. Plus, I enjoy it and the families that I work for!  They become your friends and you grow relationships of a sort with them!

Let us not forget my first granddaughter, Remi Mae Jackson, who was born April 19, 2012! What a joy and burst of sunlight in our lives! I love watching her grow and I love having Grammy time with her! I love that Josh and Fallon come over for dinner most Sundays! It has become our family dinner day, and I hope to keep it that way!

So that is Dawn! What I've been up to for the most part! Again, and I hate to sound like a broken record, but it's truly what I know... The Lord loves each one of us! If we do what WE can and no less then turn the rest over to Him, he will provide! He has a plan for each of us! A plan of happiness! I am so thankful for His guidance! Travis is and always will be a part of me and the kids. I am thankful for that. I look forward to the future with amazing children whom have grown so much! I look forward to watching them each continue growing as I support and love them! I also look forward to a life with Jared! Our families blending into one and growing old together! I am thankful for the experiences I've had in my life that have formed me into who I am today.