But I am in the house and still unpacking boxes. And I am loving it. Even though the size of the house is about the same size as the apartment, I am feeling like I have more room. I am looking forward to making the house mine over the next couple of months.

I feel like I am part of the community again. I have had two people knock on my door for donations over the past two weeks! I can easily get to any place I need to go.

I am already looking forward to the spring planting season. I am deciding what I want to plant where.

I’ve hung up one set of wind chimes (now that the snow has melted and I can walk across the backyard!) and, for Mocha, I’ve hung a bird feeder near the dining room window. I can’t wait until the birds and squirrels find it and entertain Mocha!

What do you do (or did you do) to turn your house into a home?

But, I guess when you are old enough and have earned the trust of our government to carry a gun and go overseas to protect this nation, then you’re old enough to have a family.

David is the first in our immediate family to serve his country. He’s in the National Guard. It’s a new experience for all of us. I can’t adequately describe how I felt when I saw him graduate from boot camp. For me, it certainly changed how I view our service men.

Now he is stationed in Iraq and won’t be home until next summer. However, due to some complications with Emily’s pregnancy, the American Red Cross brought him home to be with Emily. He was fortunate enough to see his son born. And, to spend his first Thanksgiving as a married person with his family. And, the Friday, we are celebrating an early family Christmas before he leaves for Iraq on Sunday.

Thank goodness for Facebook as that is how we communicate with him when he is in Iraq. We look forward to him coming home for good.

However, can we count on him coming home? With everything that is going on in that area of the world, and the new call for 30,000 more troops for Afghanistan, I worry that his tour will be extended. Or that he will be sent to someplace more dangerous.

If you know of a service, please express your thanks. They give up a lot to ensure that we have our freedom.

I hope that you like the topics I choose to write about. I am looking for good comments so feel free to post away.

Today’s reason for posting is a show on CNBC I have begun watching: Til Debt Do Us Part. What a GREAT show! It has made me really get serious about my finances — especially given that I am now divorced and living on a MUCH smaller income AND moving into a house at the end of next month.

I took a look at what I spent in November and was amazed to see what I spent on groceries (including things for my cat) and going out to dinner. I really can’t believe what I spent in one month on food. I can’t even tell you what I bought.

I am also amazed at how much money slips through my fingers in one month. If I establish a budget and stick to it, I’ll actually have a nice sum of money to put into savings every month. What a concept! 

The hard part, I think, will be having that “budget attitude” when with friends who do not have that attitude. If you read the comments on Gail Vaz-Oxlade’s most recent post, you’ll see that others feel the same way. It’s all about changing your mind set — or how you look at your money and what it means to you.

Anyway, I am sure I’ll write more on this as time goes on. I think it will be a fun and educational journey!

What have been your educational moments relating to money?