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As Matthew nears the end of law school I can’t help but look back on the last three years of our life. I knew that going to an EXPENSIVE law school with two little boys was going to mean a LOT of sacrifices. The adjustment has not been too hard considering I have now spent ten years living in the world of college /mission life(no money.) But I would be lying if I didn’t say that Matt and I have always spoken in the form of “when we have money….”

Someday we want a little house of our own with a big backyard for our kids to play. I want a beautiful garden with a sprinkler system like the one I had when I was little…perfect for running through. I want a reliable minivan. Yes I said minivan, with enough money to pay for gas. I have been longing for my OWN computer for a reeeaallly long time now, and a really nice camera that doesn’t take an hour in between each snapshot. I want to take a sewing class, and a photography class. I would love some new cowgirl boots, and some cute headbands and flowers clips for my hair (that my friend Katy sells.) I would love my boys to have real beds and not sleep on mattresses on the floor. I would love it if I didn’t have to buy my boys p.j.’s 5 sizes to big so they could wear them for the next five years. I would love to get my haircut every six weeks instead of every six months. A pedicure would be fun at least once a year. Just one overnighter with my husband at a fun hotel would be nice, since that hasn’t happened in ALL of our three years of marriage. Yes, there are a lot of things that I want, and I don’t think that is bad. It’s ok to have dreams, and Matthew and I have BIG dreams for our family. Not living below poverty level anymore is exciting for us.

HOWEVER…..

As I knelt down to pray last night I was again reminded of all I do have, you know the basics…..a husband who as he says, “loves every inch of me!” two beautiful children, a roof over our heads that has A.C. and pretty painted walls. Good healthy food to eat. Old friends and new ones, and a family who supports us and loves us. Above all we have the gospel of Jesus Christ that gives us an inner peace that can’t come from anywhere else.

So, even if we can never afford a flat screen t.v., new SHARP kitchen knives, a cell phone that doesn't have to be recharged every three hours, or even my long awaited minivan, its ok, we will be ok. We have everything we need, it isn’t much, but it really is all we need. How great it is to have the scriptures to teach us the importance of families, and a prophet who encourages us to stay out of debt and live within our means, because that’s were our joy will come from.

I hope when I am in my 80’s I have my husband by my side as well as my beautiful children and grandchildren. I hope we all have strong testimonies of the Savior and find more joy from giving than receiving. I know it sounds sappy. But it is true. It won’t be the flat screen t.v. or our high-tech cell phones that bring us joy. It will be all the important things that I already now have………and that is why I am perfectly content