I'm Used to Sleeping on the Couch

I have been sleeping on the sofa since I bought my sofa early last year because I do not have a bed. It just dawned on me the other night that this is not the first time, the sofa was my bed. When I was 17, I moved in with my grandmother. It was as a result of my family being evicted and we were homeless. I really don't have time to go into the whole story now, but my bed was the sofa for about two years and when I went away to college and would come back home, I would come back to the sofa.  So, the sofa doesn't bother me....I am, however, looking forward to a nice luxurious bed soon!!

I Nearly Cried

I know I've heard this song before, but for some reason as I was driving home from work the other day, it came on the radio and the words were my life and how everything I've gone through has led me to Christ. I know many people have used this song in weddings, but I think about my relationship with Christ when I think about the words....I want to sing it to the lover my soul!!



Right after that, this came on the radio and I wanted to cry even more:

Yep, paid that off

So far I've paid over $1000 in debt this year and I'm on schedule to pay more. Yep, I paid $550 car loan, $321 medical bill and $120 medical bill. The next medical bill I have to pay is $341 and I just found another medical bill for over $500 that I'm going to pay this year....Thank God!!!!

Then I have to pay the vehemet....$3,500 off. By the grace of God it will be demolished by the end of THIS YEAR!!!

Restitution

I got a call from Kathy (not her real name) at the State's Attorney's office. She stated that the case of my stolen car is still proceeding, but she wants to know the cost associated with my loss because she wants restitution to be paid for what I lost. The cost of my key replacement, my laptop, camera, backup drive...everything in my car that was lost. I've been trying to find all of my receipts. I pray that I can find them...But, this is what I have so far:

Keys remade: $65
HP Laptop: $600 (got to find that receipt)
Kodak Camera: $59
Seagate Backup Drive: $71
My neice's Christmas gift: $30 (the receipt was in the box to be mailed to her just in case I didn't get the correct size)

There were other things that were of value like my laundry detergent (Tide is expensive), but I didn't list that.

Of course they stole my car a second time, but they weren't charged for that one because they could not determine WHO stole my car, so I can't list any of those charges such as the rental car.

I'm not even sure if I can list the value of Microsoft office professional that was loaded onto my laptop because my job gave that to me because I work at home, but that was nearly $500 in value.

I wish that I just get my stuff back. Yes, I need the money to purchase new stuff because right now I have not been able to replace any of that, but all of the data I had on my laptop and the backup drive and all of my pictures....Yes, the items can be replaced, buy my data can't...my photos can't. That's what I want most of all!!!

If my stuff can be returned in the condition that it was stolen, I'd take it!!!!

I LOVE This Dress

My goal is to be married by the end of this year....BUT, I'm not dating anyone, so I'm not sure if that's gonna happen. However, a cute little dress shop caught my eye as I was taking the car to be services. I stopped in for a quick peek and I saw a cute dress, but it wasn't THE dress.

THE dress was a dress that I found at David's Bridal four years ago. Then a year later it was on clearance for $200 in a size 12. I tried it on and it fit perfect except for my bust. It made me look slim and it was a the perfect color--champaign. I fell in love with THE dress and I have not been able to find anything that looks good on me.

So, I was in the store and the clerk started talking and she said that a lot of the bridal gowns were custom made and that the seamstress could make anything from a picture. So I got home and sent her the pictures. I'm not sure if she will be able to recreate it because recreations almost never seem as good as the real thing and I don't want to pay for something that is not right...so I'm nervous. But, I sent her all of the pictures that I had.....

So THIS is THE dress...

Do You Really Love?

My neighbor is loud. She likes to have late night guest, these guest don't arrive until after mid-night and they don't leave until sometimes the morning if I don't shut the party down. There have been several times when I have had to knock on her door in the middle of the night to tell her that the music was too loud or that she was keeping others up. Finally, I told her that if I had to come over one more time, I would call the police. That time finally arrived on Saturday.... But, I have to talk about what happened on Friday night first.

My window was opened and I heard people talking on the parking lot. So, I decided to listen. I heard my neighbor talking about getting a new job and how she was going to "turn up" this weekend before she started on job on Monday. "Oh boy," is what I thought. I should have known "turning it up" was going to be a problem. Sure enough on Saturday...I mean Sunday morning around 2:30am, I hear this arguing between a man and a woman and then I hear another person, sssshhhhhhhh and telling them to be quiet. It was my neighbor telling her guest that they were going to get her kicked out if they didn't be quiet. They were going back and forth til finally, I couldn't talk it anymore. I called the police. They were all on the parking lot when the police came and my neighbor gave the poice a sob story of how she was going to get kicked out. Then she came knocking on my door with the police in tow to explain that it was her guest and not her. So, I told her that she needed to be mindful of the guest she keep, because it's not fair to us, her neighbors, to have to listen to foolishness in the middle of the night. I then told her that I would talk to my boss and explain it. I was bothered the whole night. My spirit was interrupted. I couldn't go to sleep. I wanted to start cleaning, but I didn't feel like it. I wanted to sleep. I didn't want her to get kicked out, but I was fed up with her noise and it didn't make it any better that she was threatening somebody just the day before.

Now, I needed to show her mercy even though she was quite unnice in her conversation about the program and about her apartment. I mean, I don't like living here either, but I'm grateful and I thank God for a place to live!! So, I did. I showed her mercy. I sent an email to my boss telling her that it wasn't her fault. I hope my boss took my opinion to heart. I really really don't want to see her kicked out. Despite the fact that she doesn't care for me very much....

Paying My Debts

I went to the debt collectors today to inquire about paying off my debt. There was a total of $8,101.99.

SAY, WHAT????

All I knew about was a debt for $321, $341, and $3500. Where did this other $3900 come from....

Well, apparently I have an old debt from 2003 that still has not been paid. It was from when I had a roommate and she stopped paying her rent and because both our names were on the lease I went down in the sinking ship too.

UGH!!!!

I disputed it back in 2003 and I'm still disputing it now. As a matter of fact, the landlord had a written letter saying that I paid my portion, but not her portion. So, I will continue to dispute it. And there was a bill for $120. I do't remember that one...but, I gotta pay it. I'm not looking for any hand outs in paying my bills, I just want them paid. I told the woman that I would pay the $120 and $321 on next week. Then I would pay the $341 in mid Septermber....Then I will tackle the $3500.

How do you eat an elephant...one bite at a time.

So, I'm going to take that large bill and pay it off one portion at a time. At first I was trying to hold onto my money and save up to pay it all in one lump sum, but that's not working for me. My goal is to have it paid by the end of the year, but sooner if possible!!

Thank You, God!!