And so it goes...progress

About that time I discovered the wonderful world of blogging, and thought I had found a gold mine. All of these ladies making their houses their homes while on a budget. I was inspired! I searched ideas for hours at a time - but eventually found they made me more depressed about our situation. So they only spent $45 to slipcover their couch, I didn't have $45 to do anything! All our money was going to groceries and this debt.  So I started limiting my time on the computer, and started sewing from our home for others.  We have a commercial embroidery machine, and DH digitizes part time for other businesses.  And I got more and more depressed.  Finally went to see a Dr thinking it must be my thyroid or something, but nope!  Just plain old, in your face clinical depression.  Started on some different meds, and finally found something that works.  And viola!  I found the energy to try to make a few changes to get us ready for some big changes when our debt was done.  We are ripping out carpet from one room at a time.  Good Bye nasty peach/beige carpet.  Hello equally battered hardwood floors.  There are paint stains, water stains, nail stains, you get the idea.  But at least it is easier to clean than the carpets, and it is progress.  I guess that is what I was missing all along, a sense of progress.  That we are actually gaining ground on this big monster called debt.  I didn't have money to add nice pretty things to our house but, like our debt, I could get rid of the bad things.  Since then we have gutted our hall bath, everything down to the studs, including the floor.  Nothing stayed except the bathtub (it is so small, they don't make them anymore, special order, and we don't have $ for special order) and the ceiling.  DH upgraded plumbing, wiring, walls and more.  Granted, it isn't worthy of some glamour magazine, but I am proud of the new tile that we installed all by ourselves and the poorly mudded walls that we hung ourselves.  Like our struggle with debt, we slowly rebuilt that bathroom from the bones out.  I guess that is what it is all about, just keep going.  And like DH says, it will get better.