My Life as of Late

What's new with me?
Well, I'm buying a house. It's 3 bedroom, 2 bath, with a garage apartment (1 bed, 1 bath). My living area is around 1200 square feet. There's a lot of stuff I'd like to do to the house, but instead of putting down 10% like I originally planned, I'm putting down 20% because there is no more mortgage insurance in Florida. It'll be a little harder initially (and I'll have much less cash to make some improvements) but I'll have more equity... and lower monthly payments.
I have a hard time believing that this is actually happening. I've been planning to by a house for so long, since I turned 25. Now, I'll be 29 in October... and I beat my goal by 1 year. I made savings goals for myself, to be ready to buy a house by the time I was 30. Thanks to the recession, I was ready earlier!

It makes me really excited to accomplish such a big goal, because I feel like I haven't had many other goals over the past few years. This was a big one. So what next?
Well, I guess pay for the house... make some modifications... find a renter for the apartment... start practicing hospitality (I'm really looking forward to that one)... maybe I'll finally get around to teaching violin lessons. That's a "sometime" goal for me... something I'd like to do at some point.

Oh, and of course there's finishing my AA degree. It feels like that one is taking forever. I'm making steady progress, but will my progress be impeded by the house purchase? I sure won't have any spare money for a while. I should fill out a FAFSA... so they can see I don't have any money. Then, maybe the government will pay for my school. Don't you love socialist America?

And my never-ending battle with health. I've grown to hate taking medicine. And paying big medical bills... even though I have health insurance. It seems as though for all the stuff wrong with me, the best choices/doctors/labs for treatments, don't take health insurance. I submit the bills, but after my $1000 deductible, I still end up paying at least 40% of the bill. That's expensive.
I'm feeling pretty good these days... even though I haven't been taking my medicine. But I'm eating pretty well, getting enough rest, getting excercise... maybe if I keep that up for a while, I can prolong the next doctor visit until I have some money.

I have some fun festivities ahead of me for the 4th of July weekend. Milestone, another greenhouse, is having a bbq today - so I'll get to see some friends over there. And then Jacob West's 5th birthday party is at 3... unfortunately it's almost an hour drive for me to get there (if I take the toll roads - yuck). But it's always a blast playing with the kids from church - and I enjoy catching the action with my camera!
I got a great present for Jacob - it's the giant hulk fists/punching gloves that make noises when you hit the end of them. I thought about getting them for Daniel, but he'll just have to play with Jacob's when he's at his house.

Tomorrow afternoon is the Yarborough's - my second 4th of July with them. It's crazy how fast time goes... another bbq and fireworks!
Billy is having his 5th annual (yes, 5th!) 4th of July bonfire at the greenhouses. I hope they don't burn anything down. But Cameo will be there... I'm sure she'll help prevent forest fires.