“My wife and son are at Animal Kingdom today because someone at our church gave us free passes to Disney World, but I am here for job to survey land for commercial real estate. My job requires travel and that is hard on my family, but it is the highest earning potential. I have to press my boss and get as many hours as I can. I didn’t get three days of overtime last week and we needed that to apply to our debt because we are working the Dave Ramsey program. We have paid down $31,000 and have $8,000 left and we should be through this spring, then we have to have build up 3-6 months of savings. It has taken us 3 or 4 years to pay it down and we were almost starving when we started. I had my own survey company in Kentucky but the bubble burst and it was bad for us. I got a survey job with another company and we moved to Orlando. Instead of going to a New Year’s party for the youth at our church, or Disney World with my family, I am out here working, but it is a sacrifice I have to make. I need more licenses to move up in management.

I think we are going to have to make changes in 2016. I have to find a new job that travels less, even if it pays less and my wife may have to get a part-time job even though she is homeschooling our 12-year-old son. I would like to say things are settling down, but it seems like change and heartache have been a constant part of our marriage for 15 years. The world is not getting easier to live in. I don’t mind sacrifice and working hard, but I have to feel God is preparing us for something.

I want to grow old with my wife in a seaside cottage without worries. Coffee shops, pottery, open mic nights. Maybe that is everyone else’s dream.”