We're Adding to Our Family!

Nope, not pregnant. 

Sorry, Mom...I know you want more grandbabies, but not now!

But we did decide Malehloa needs a big brother, and with a couple clicks of a button, she now has her brother!

Meet Cristian...the newest family member in the Rucker household!

We think he's precious!

He is 4, almost 5 years old.

His birthday is November 11, 2008 (which means we need to get a birthday gift in the mail soon!)

This is what World Vision says about him:

"Cristian Samuel lives with his parents and has no brothers or sisters. His parents struggle to provide for the family. His father is a farm laborer. Despite their efforts it is difficult to meet the family's needs.

Cristian Samuel is growing up in a poor village in the Latin American country of El Salvador. Depending on what's available, home construction there varies from brick to bamboo and mud. Roofs are often made of sheet metal or tile. Families survive mostly on corn, beans and rice and they can rarely afford meat. The rocky, mountainous desert region is hot, while the climate in the lowlands is more moderate. Cristian Samuel is not in school at this time. He likes to play with toys. He helps at home by being good. He is in satisfactory health.

Your sponsorship commitment will help provide Cristian Samuel and his community with access to clean water, education for children and improved school environments. Disease prevention is being taught to parents. Your loving support will provide agricultural training to families to help ensure better crops. As you become involved, you will provide your child and others with a future of hope. Through Bible study, these precious families will learn about God's love and grace."

El Salvador Flag

El Salvador's Map

Facts about El Salvador:

Land area: 8,000 sq mi (20,720 sq km); total area: 8,124 sq mi (21,040 sq km)

Population (2012 est.): 6,090,646 (growth rate: 0.3%); birth rate: 17.44/1000; infant mortality rate: 19.66/1000; life expectancy: 73.69; density per sq km: 341

Capital and largest city (2009 est.): San Salvador, 1,534,000

Other large cities: Santa Ana, 167,200; San Miguel, 145,100; Zacatecoluca, 36,700

Monetary units: Colón; U.S. dollar

National name: República de El Salvador

Languages: Spanish, Nahua (among some Amerindians)

Ethnicity/race: mestizo 90%, white 9%, Amerindian 1%

National Holiday: Independence Day, September 15

Religions: Catholics 83%; growing population of evangelical Protestants (1992)

Literacy rate: 81.1% (2011 est.)

We think Cristian is absolutely precious and can't wait to get more letters and info from him!!

TMM: Our First Budget and Finance Meeting.

Today was our first budget and finance meeting as a family.

It was not horrible.

But also, not so fun.

At least now we can say "We are telling our money where to go instead of wondering where it went."

Exciting news to come...Stay tuned!

Total Money Makeover Update: The Road Ahead

If you’d ask, I’d truly say that Chad and I are compatible.

But compatible doesn’t mean that we agree on everything.

As we continue reading the TMM book, we disagree.

Not on everything, but on a few.

Last chapter made the point that a lot of money issues stem from heart issues.

Do we buy things we can’t afford because we want people to think we’re “cool”? Because we think we “deserve” the best? Because we “have to”?

In examining that part of our lives, I think we are option C.

The biggest portion of our debt is student loan debt.

I don’t think either of us realized how quickly that adds up. And how while we called it “necessary”, there are things we could have done to combat it.

Either way, we have money to pay off.

And we do agree on that.

Which brought us to the next chapter: Baby Steps.

“Baby Steps” , which he refers to as the small steps you take to win the debt battle start with saving an emergency fund.

That step we already had done, because we believe that “Murphy” has a good chance of showing up in the form of a car repair, or a replacement washer. Or something like that.

(If you don't know who Murphy is, look him up. But my guess is that you have already met him at some point in your life!)

The second is to use the “debt snowball” to pay off debt.

You use the worksheet, list your debts smallest to largest, and one by one pay them off while remaining current on the bigger ones.

You also put any extra money found in the monthly budget into paying it off.

Once that is done, you move the money you were paying on the smaller one into the next biggest to pay that off…etc.

The idea is that the little victories keep you going, and make you feel like you're making a dent in it.

I know I need that to not get discouraged. 

Chad sees the bigger picture and doesn't need that as much, but he's sacrificing his wants to work with me. 

(He's pretty cool like that!)

Listing out each individual student loan was no cake walk. Ugh.

We hate owing people money.

But then again that’s why we’re on this journey!

I think we’re starting to get a little excited, but it’s going to be a long road.

Remind me of this excitement when I really want to go shoe shopping, okay?

Family Rams Game

Dad was given tickets, so Mom, Dad, Chad, Landon, Emmett, Tyson, Lindsay, and I were able to go to the Rams v. Packers game.

We had a blast and Jenna and Josh totally missed out!

I wish Dad would learn to smile for pictures!

Us at the game!

Emmett loved the game...

...but he really loved the cheerleaders!

Landon sat on my lap almost the whole game! I loved it!

These guys are presh.

Landon is FOUR!

So excited to celebrate Landon's birthday!

Food...

...and Cupcakes, of course!

Landon had so much fun playing baseball that he didn't want to come inside for cake and presents!

Someone got worn out by all the celebrating.

Big boy got a bike for his birthday!

Landon is growing so fast! We can't believe he's four already, but we can't wait to celebrate many, many more birthdays with him!

Summer Adventure, Day 4

We went to Lambert's and Dick's Five and Ten in the rain and then headed home!

Summer Adventure, Day 3

I made friends with the horse named Spook!

I heart Elvis!

Dixie Stampede and 50's Mini-golf!

Summer Adventure, Day 2

Summer Adventure, Day 1

Family adventure night one

The moment I got off work I drove home.

Adventure starts now!

It was so good to get out of the office and know I wouldn’t be back until Tuesday!

Chad was ready when I got home so we grabbed out bags and flew  off.

We drove past Rolla and it brought back redneck memories.

There was a man driving down the road on a lawn mower smoking a cigarette.

And a guy peeing on the side of the road.

Only in Rolla.

Sigh.

Then we drove past the area that flooded out the past few days and I was able to get this picture.

Then the highlight of my night, TWIN CALLED ME!

And we were able to talk for a good 45 minutes.

Man, I miss her!

Dinner was on the grill by the time we got to Happy Trails just south of Lebanon.

So we ate and cleaned up and then played Uno, including one game that was so long that we had to re-shuffle the deck FIVE TIMES!

Then it was time to sleep with the rain hitting the roof.

I am so glad we are staying in the RV and not a tent.

I don’t know if this princess can handle it.

Yeah, I am a wimp. And I embrace it.

As I write we are now on our way to Eureka Springs.

The plan is to take the trolley around town and see the passion play tonight, and then head back to Branson tomorrow. 

Malehloa Update

We have been SO blessed the past few weeks to get not one but two updates about our sweet girl.

She sent us a picture of her pudgy little hand and my heart just about melted.

Her letter to us was written by her mama.

I am glad to know her mama can read and write.

This is what the letter said:

“Dear Chad and Amy, I am still living well with my family. How do you do? I am very happy to receive your letter. In the letter I found a t-shirt, gloves, card, picture, and stickers. Your letter reached me on the 14^th July 2012, (Her b-day gift) but we celebrated Christmas well with my family. It is winter and very cold now. Snow sometimes falls on the mountains. I like to play house modern. I like the red colour. As for now I walk and talk. I have sent you my annual progress report last month with a photo inside (last month’s update). I thank you with everything you are doing for me. Greet all your family.

                                Yours, Malehloa.

This letter was written by Mabafoleng Letsatsi, Malehloa’s mother and translated by Hilda, volunteer.”

My heart is full.

How can you adore someone so much that you have never met and only seen two photos of? 

Malehloa Update!

We just got an update on Malehloa! 

And a new photo!

She's two years and three months old now!

And boy, has she grown!

Possibly my favorite part of this picture is the hip popped out, hand on her hip that shows once again that baby girl has some sass to her.

And I LOVE it. 

Here is some updated info:

She is in good health,

Although barefoot in this picture, she was given a pair of TOMS!

(I'm thinking it may be time to start wearing mine more!)

She says her favorite day is Sunday because she goes to church.

She also likes telling stories, and at that age I can only imagine the ideas that come out of her head!

She says she wants to be a teacher when she grows up.

ISN'T SHE THE CUTEST THING EVER?!

(I'm a proud sponsor mama!)

As far as her community, 5 men in her community have been trained as pastors, they are teaching the people to cultivate crops, (part of which will be shared with the orphaned children in the area!), and they built a new and bigger school that Malehloa will someday attend.

I am thrilled.

This is what Malehloa thinks snow looks like. It's so cute!

Only Me...

You know when you have something happen and in those moments where you think, "Sheesh. This would only happen to me, no one else, only me."

I had one of those today.

Today was your typical casual Friday in corporate world.

I got up, got ready, and actually managed a cute outfit to wear.

I had the usual commute, the usual coffee, the usual phone problems, everything like normal.

At about 9:30 the pest control guy showed up in the lobby.

He comes quarterly, so this was my first time seeing him.

I let him go about his job as I went back to mine.

He started by spraying around the lobby and my desk.

A few minutes later, my eyes started to water, and my chest got a little burning sensation, and I began to itch. So I took a allergy pill and tried to go back to work.

But then it started to get worse and I started to feel the adrenaline waves.

Crap. I was having a reaction to the pesticide.

I talked to my branch manager and he told me to go take 20 minutes and get some air to see if it would help.

On my way out the door he mentioned to the pest control guy that I was reacting and the guy said I was the FIRST PERSON he had ever heard of reacting to it in all of his years in the industry.

Awesome. Only me.

So I spent 20 minutes browsing the local QT and consulting with my mom and Hubs about anything else I could do to remedy this thing.

After popping some Benadryl, I went back to work.

In the time it took for me to walk in the door and to the back room, the symptoms started back, this time accompanied by splotchy skin.

I tired to go back to work and started to shake a little, so when the branch manager walked by my desk, he asked if I needed to go home.

Yeah, I gave up fighting this thing.

I told him I was going to email HR really quick, and he told me not to worry and to leave.

And asked if I was ok to drive or needed him to follow me home.

I declined but he made me promise to call to tell him I got home okay.

I guess I gave him a little scare.

So now I am at home ready to nap since this Benadryl is making me drowsy.

"The only one in all of his years in the industry to ever react to this pesticide."

The dude was probably in his fifties.

And said he had roughly 25 years in the industry.

And I was the first one to report a reaction.

Yep, only me.

TMM: Mutual Fund Fun (?)

Chad and I were reading the Total Money Makeover (TMM) book again last night.

Remember how I had mentioned that having a spouse who works in Finance makes for an interesting time reading this book?

Ummm...yeah...about that...

Last night, Ramsey wrote that instead of going into debt over buying a car, you should save up enough to purchase a lower value car, save up again and trace that car in and with the two get a better car, etc.

He cited how if that money was put in a mutual fund gaining 12% interest, you would make "x" dollars rather than paying interest.

At that point, Chad stopped me from going on and gave me a several minute lecture on how he was going to have to do more research on that number to see what the current going rate was.

He then proceeded to discuss rate of inflation vs. rate of interest gained, average rate of money gain over the years the money sits in the mutual fund, and some other stuff that I don't totally remember because I am pretty sure my eyes glazed over when I heard the term "mutual fund."

Just kidding, Chad!

....well...mostly kidding...

I am really giving this thing my best effort.

However, if there's one thing I have learned through my 4 years at college that only got me a two year degree (and the debt that we are reading this book to help pay off!), I am a "do-er".

And Chad is a learner.

So he is probably loving the theory behind all of Dave's teaching, however, I am not so much a fan of this part as I am sure I will be of the "okay this is how we practically put this into action" part.

But we are still reading on and putting our very best effort into it!