January 16

Yesterday, I did it.  I filled out and put in the mail the paperwork to start up deferred compensation retirement deductions.  Although I'm a little nervous about what this will do to my take home pay, I'm confident that it is the right thing to do right now.  We bought a couch yesterday.  I have hated the couch in our lower level for the longest time.  It was dirty, ugly, held together with tape and very uncomfortable.  It was a great source of embarassment.  The kids and I never wanted anyone to see it.  So yesterday morning,  Dan and I were sitting on it and I said that I would like to redo the room someday and we should begin to think about what we would want it to look like.  I was thinking like two years down the road because we are in money saving mode and would only pay for a new couch with cash.  Later, when we were on our way to Aldi, we stopped at a thrift store to look for a twin bed frame.  There we saw a couch perfect for our room.  We wanted a double recliner but those are so heavy and would be hard to transport home and get through our hallway, around the corners, down the stairs, etc.  This couch is a long, double recliner in 4 pieces.  We paid $270 for it.  Dan brought it home, one piece at a time, in the back of the Rav 4.  It was easy to get into the room.  It looks great.  It's a green and burgundy plaid which adds some much needed color to the room.  It's very comfortable.  Today after church, Hannah, Sean, Rachel and I were all stretched out on it together and had plenty of room.  God lead us to the perfect couch for us.  We are blessed.