Our Pursuit of Happiness

Many moons ago my husband and I were just starting out with absolutely nothing to our name. We were young adults and had just landed our first apartment which happened to be a government rental. We applied for assistance and paid rent that reflected our income. I was pregnant with our first child and spent my days shopping at our local goodwill trying to fill our new home with furniture and decor while also scoring great deals on clothes. (Half off clothes on Sunday! Woot Woot!) 

As the months went by and my sweet Thomas found better employment, we relied less on Uncle Sam and eventually weened completely. 

Happiness was all around us even through those rough patches. We finally moved into a rental house and stayed there for a little over two years. Things after that became tough because of our own ignorance. While Thomas had a great job and even scored management position, we racked up so much debt and dare I say it... opened up 3 credit cards. Ouch. Living was tough. And I refused to apply for food stamps because why should we benefit from someone elses hard earned money because we were living beyond our means? We shouldn't. We were just going to have to learn the hard way. We sold things that we really didn't want to just to keep the lights on. We both did odd end jobs to put food on the table. I crocheted and sold somethings here and there so I could buy my kids things they needed. We desperately needed a way out but there just wasn't a light at the end of the tunnel.

  Back in December, I took the kids out to my dads place out on the lake. We were playing a very extreme and competitive game of Monopoly when our conversation went to an RV that he had been trying to sell. Something in my head just clicked. Income Tax season was coming up and our expected return was just about enough to cover what he was asking. Could this be our way out? Our pathway to financial freedom? Could I really raise my two kids in an RV? This was possible. So I told my pops that I wanted it and he laughed. I said "No dad, I am serious." He said ok then and that was that. Our lives were about to be forever changed and the idea of living small made me anxious and not in a bad way. While there are many downfalls to living in an RV there are many upsides too such as less to clean, less energy consumption, less places to put things you don't really need. You really only have room for your necessities, you know, like my ever expanding yarn stash. 

  So here we are in present day spending less on rent and utilities, living small and chipping away at our debt one paycheck at a time all while remaining happy and grateful for the beautiful life that God has given us. 

As for my crochet, I am planning on selling full time and even designing my own patterns. Crochet is something that I have loved ever since I was a little girl and it is actually one hobby that I can say I have mastered. So here's to Hooks And Happiness and new beginnings! I hope you follow me along this wonderful journey!