Keep Trying

We got some bad news today about the house. Turns out totally paying off credit cards (and having them closed at the most inopportune time) screwed with our credit. Again. *Sigh*

They don't want to use my credit because I'm a freelancer. And I don't have 2 years of 1099's. So it's all based on Hubby's credit. Which would be fine, except Sallie Mae totally screwed us over when he was in Iraq. And yes, we've had TWO kids since he's been back...but we're still fighting them. And yes, Sallie Mae IS a Government agency so you'd think that THEY'D know the rules when dealing with other Government agencies (re: Department of Defense; Army). But no...whatever.

I'm going to take some responsibility for our issues. But not all. I've been working my tail off to get things in order, playing by the rules, filling out the forms and faxing, emailing and phone calls. And it's just really, really frustrating.

But just when I was almost in tears about it all and the bad news we got this morning, I hear Wyatt from SuperWhy say, "Today's lesson is KEEP TRYING!" Granted it was about learning to twirl, but I can apply it to myself. Keep trying.

Thank you, Wyatt. I will keep trying.

I've always been amused (and motivated) when someone tells me that I can't do something. Tell me I can't? I'll show you just how much I CAN. I hear that is the Bolton in me. Or the Gormally. At any rate, my mom claims it comes from my dad's side. But I don't think it is a bad trait to have.

Tell me I can't, and I will. I will keep trying.

It All Started With A Barn...

*As always, these blog posts are my own viewpoints and in no way are reflective of or endorsed by "Friends of Maplenol Barn" or Save the Barn Committee.*

We're on the verge of buying our first home. And we're excited. We've been renting for way too long. We've been working hard for years getting our credit card debt paid off and getting everything in order so we can get a decent interest rate.

This has been YEARS in the making. And yet, I stopped to think, what was the "kick in the butt". All I could come up with was IT ALL STARTED WITH A BARN.

Back in January, I wrote about "The Barn in the City" because of a news story I saw. That drew me to a school board meeting where I voiced my opinions. I met some great fellow barn huggers who felt the same way I did. We worked very hard to make the public-- both local and national aware of what was going on. We went on television and radio,

                                                          And even had t-shirts made.

During the process of all of this, I had ups and downs. I had my parenting and priorities called into question. I continued to teach my children about how the content of their character is paramount in life, even if others didn't agree with you or did things to hurt you or your Constitutional rights.

Now you may be asking yourself, how did a barn get you to buy a house? Well, it was on my way to a school board meeting that I saw a house for sale. But that didn't go as we had hoped. But it was okay, because with the help of our realtor, we found an even better house.

If I hadn't spoken up about the barn, I never would have driven by the house that drove me to contact a realtor. If I hadn't contacted him, we probably wouldn't be as close as we are to being homeowners.

So yes, we have the barn to thank for being thisclose to being homeowners. An American dream. All because of a barn. This barn. THE barn.

Are you still not involved? Do you want more information on how to help in saving the barn? Contact me at sarahb at savethebarn.com or visit www.savethebarn.com. Write the West Des Moines School Board  and tell them to keep the barn where it is--right on its historic site.

The barn belongs to the community. Not to a single board or group of community members. It belongs to all of us. It still serves a purpose. It still inspires people and initiates dreams. It's more than "just a barn".