Big Steps

So on Saturday, VNB and I took two of many "big steps." We realized that we could save some money if I was added to his cell phone plan and if I started using his gas card.

His company gives him 15% off of his cell phone bill, plus calling each other would be free, and with the "family" plans, we can share like 800 minutes. PLUS, they were running a special on that particular plan, so we get it for $30/month instead of $80/month for the first two months (not including his discount). Add that to the fact that we no longer have to pay my monthly bill, and we're saving a boatload of money.

Then with his gas card, he gets like 5% back on gas purchases at Shell stations as long as he goes to at least 5 in a year or something. So especially with gas prices the way they are right now, we're gonna save a lot of money there too.

So basically, the moral of the story here is this: marriage saves you money. :)

Article

This is an article that will never make "Headline" news, but shows one of the many improvements that have been made to Iraq since the fall of Saddam.

I'm Ba-aaaack!!

Well, I'm still in a general state of wooziness, but we all made it back safely. It was a fun trip, but I'm really glad to be back home! More later when my brain feels less "fluffy."

Oh, BTW

Oh, BTW, I get married six months, an hour, and five minutes from now!!

I'm OK!!

I'm still in Nigeria. We'll be here for a few more days. A few of us took a few minutes at an internet cafe, so, since I had some time, I thought I'd drop a line here to let y'all know that I'm ok.

So, I'm ok! :) I'll write more when I get back and have more time.

Nigeria!!

So I leave today for Nigeria. I'm going with a group from my church to visit in Lagos and Ayetoro (a "village" a couple of hours north-east-ish of Lagos). I'm really looking forward to the trip, although it'll be really hard to be away from VNB for most of 17 days. But, God worked everything out so that he could see me off and pick me up, which means a whole lot to me. Since we started dating, there's never been a day that we haven't talked to each other, even if it was just on the phone. That's a record that I didn't really want to have broken.

But I'm writing, not just to sing the praises of my betrothed (although I'm sure I'll do some more of that too), but also to say that I'm not sure I'll get email/internet access while there, so if I don't post before the 18th, you'll know why. :)

In some ways, we have every minute planned out, but in a lot of ways, we have no idea what we're going to be doing while we're there. This trip is something of a practice in flexibility and patience for all of us.

The biggest part of "not knowing" for me is that I have no idea why I'm going on this trip. I was kind of intrigued by the idea of going to Africa, but didn't have the funds to go. The pastor said that I "needed to go," and funds appeared, so I'm going.........but I don't really know why. I guess I'll see that while I'm there. Maybe it's to prove to me that I don't want to do any more international trips without VNB (a thought I already was fostering).

I don't know. I guess I'll see when I'm there, or possibly in the months and years to come afterwards (in sha'allah).

Talk to y'all on the 18th, if not before!