Thursday Evening...

I'm sitting here in my dad's house on this lovely Thursday evening and trying to decide what to blog about!  I'm having writer's block!  So I asked around for ideas and here is the only one I got...and it's a pretty good one!
One of my step-sister's is here for visit from up North and it has been a pleasure having her here!  We'll call her Beth Handler... (she made up that alias by the way :-)  She's a college student majoring in Communications, although I think she should be majoring in Culinary Arts!  She has an amazing ability for creating such delicious desserts!  In fact, she isn't leaving here without making the Mister a batch of her world famous Buckeye Balls!  What a pleasure it is having her as a step sister!  On Saturday her older sister is coming for a visit!  She'll be here for a week also!  We'll call her Monkey...as per request of her mother!:-)  She is also a college student, majoring in Mechanical Engineering.  It truly is a pleasure having them as part of the family.  They are both kind, generous, and very sweet, and incredibly fun to laugh with!

Talking a little about sitting in my dad's house brings me to another subject I wanted to talk about.  I live really close to my dad.  I mean...really close.  In fact, we live under the same roof!  One way that we have chosen to save money, and prepare for an economic downturn is to share expenses.  I know that some people would NEVER choose to do this, and I used to understand.  It's hard living with other people, and in our society...at some point in history...decided that children needed to move away from their parents and establish their own lives.  Now, I do agree that we need to live our own lives, but I don't think it takes moving away to accomplish this.
Let me explain...
We bought a beautiful modest home and we share it!  We have converted the garage and the downstairs master suite into another home.  My dad and his wife live there, and have there own entrance, kitchen, living room...everything.  And because of this we not only share the home but we share expenses.  We split all of the bills!  Now that's a great way to cut back on expenses!  I really have nothing bad to say about our arrangements!  We have grandparents close at hand for Arrow, I have a very kind "neighbor lady" whom I can borrow a cup of sugar from,  we have company close at hand to laugh with, share a meal, talk seriously with, and enjoy!  And we have a door between our homes that closes when we need our privacy and family time!  And I can't stress how much of a blessing it is sharing expenses....I know, I know...I keep repeating that!  But it's so important to why this setup works for us!  I'm sure it wouldn't work out so well, if our lifestyles were different, but they aren't.  We are all Christians striving to live a godly life.  Doing the best we can and worshiping the One True God of Heaven!  We go to different churches, but we still love the same YHWH!  Being able to "co-habitat" is nothing short of a God Miracle, in a time were independence-at-all-costs is stressed so heavily!  This works, and I credit it all to God!  What a blessing He has given us! 
The Bible tells us that when we marry we are to leave and cleave!  Trust me...I have!  I rely solely on my husband's leading (and of course God's leading....that goes without saying!)  I am emotionally, physically and psychologically my husband's other half!  Although we technically live with my dad, we, my husband and I, lead our own lives!  We may share expenses and some really good times, but we live as if we were totally alone!  All in all, this works for us and we are able to save money in the process!  If anyone has any questions about this setup, please feel free to ask!  Also, I would love to hear about ways you save money and may be preparing for an economic downturn...which I believe is almost inevitable.
Blessings on this beautiful Thursday evening...