Holy January!I

So--wow---I am SO excited that tomorrow is January 31 and I can move on from this month. It was a DOOZY!

To start--I was trying to be a good accountant and load up my software for this tax season. The only problem was, it wasn't working! I enlisted the help of a friend and he got it to load. I thought the problem was over and all would be well again in my world. (Had I known this was one of the minor things I would be dealing with this month I would not have stressed out as much). When I went to license the software, it wouldn't work. So I called tech support and spent probably about eight hours total on the phone with them. Turns out, I had a bad virus that virtually destroyed any chance of getting that program onto my computer. I had a few options 1. Erase everything on the lap top and start over 2. Buy a new lap top.

I opted for number two. Eventually I will erase everything off of my other computer, but I was so scared of losing something that I can't bring myself to do it. This is almost four years of work on my computer...I CERTAINLY can not lose that. How could I explain it to my clients?

I was already freaking out about money for this month because January is a tough month anyway--and now I am out buying a new computer...oh and Quickbooks was on sale, so I opted to buy it as well, since it was so cheap.

Then I decide to start on our tax return, at least get preliminary numbers in so I can plan. I knew I made more money last year then the previous year and having renters in our home, I anticipated having to owe a bit. I didn't anticipate THIS MUCH. I was freaking out!

And then...the next day we get a call from our tenants that the heater was making a really loud banging sound and so they turned it off. We knew that the heater was old...and we knew that eventually it was going to go out...but WHY did it have to be THIS month?? By this point, I thought...I REALLY can not handle anymore...my head is going to EXPLODE!

Remember---I was ALREADY freaking out about being able to pay all of our bills...and then on top of that all of these extra expenses are popping up.

After about a week...I am starting to relax...maybe even feel happy again? Calm? Peace?

HA!

I get a call on Friday Jan 21 from Patric. He says--out of breath--"Sasha, someone tried to run me off the road, the car....its flipped, I flipped the car...I need to call the police." Now...if you can remember...not too long ago Patric got rear ended and the car was totaled..we went through a lot of anxiety about buying a new car and dealing with insurance and all of that. I was NOT expecting to deal with this AGAIN!

Remember---I am ALREADY freaking out about money!!!

The car crash is a story in itself. I don't want to write it all out because it just makes me angry and sad. It will be a memory for Patric and myself to remember...but not sure if I need to write it out. If you have been one of the lucky ones to hear me tell it, thanks for listening to me and dealing with any of the tears that may have followed.

Anyway---so yes...these are all of the horror stories that have come from this month.

But--

In EVERY HORRIBLE thing that has happened this month...because all of them apart is enough for me to go gray and be admitted to a hospital...I have felt EXTREMELY blessed.

Lets start with the computer -

Having to buy another computer when we didn't have the month sucked. BUT- the lap top that I bought was super cheap. Half of the price of my other one. There was a nice sale going on. It was a pain to have to go get it in Manassas because the store we go to was out of them and I could only get it that day and then the price would go up $150.00 but it was in Manassas and it isn't too far away (I couldn't buy it online either, of course). 2nd...I had to buy Quickbooks this year. Intuit only lets you use all the functions of the software for three years...and I have been using QB 2008 for my clients...and..it was on sale as well...$150.00 off! So--I saved $300 total on two items I was considering buying this year anyway...

The heater breaking --

The first quote we got to fix the motor was $900 or to replace the entire unit was $3000.00. I am sure both Kami and my mom were worried about me that day. I literally was hyperventilating on the phone with my mom and bawling! Then, Trina Fife, BLESS HER HEART, gave me the number to a VERY NICE repair man. I gave him a call, and I asked him if he could give me a quote over the phone because I didn't want him to come out and charge me just to give me a quote. We had already paid $89 to the previous company (oh...and our tenants changed the locks AND put new walls up in our house that we didn't know about...I mean seriously people...my head was spinning this month).

The man said he could fix the motor for HALF of the price of the first company I contacted. He also said he would charge $4,200 to change both the heater and a/c. The first company, if we were to change both, would be $5,600. (It is smarter to change both at the same time if you have old units like ours). He came out because I said I was leaning more towards just changing the unit out at this point (even though we didn't have the money) because the last thing I want is more problems. He said he could come right away and measure things and give me the quote for the machine. When he came, he tried a few things out to see if it was even the motor. Now he originally told me that he would charge if it was a repair, but he gave free quotes for a new installation. He told me he was not going to charge me for coming out, even if I didn't put in a new unit.

We ended up getting a new motor for $450.00 instead of $900.00. I did tell him that when the time comes and we need to change it out, he will be the person to get the job!

Tax Return--

Something didn't sit right with me on our tax return. And so I went to the 1040 instructions of the self employed health insurance line. October of 2009 I decided to remove Josh and I from Patric's insurance at work because it was CRAZY expensive. It is a nice tax break to be on his insurance because it lowers our gross income, but we were going to have to pay over $800 a month!

On the instructions of the 1040, it states that if you are self employed and you are eligible to be on your spouse's subsidized insurance plan then you are not eligible for the deduction. My memory worked for once and I remembered Patric telling me when we were making the decision to remove Josh and I from his plan that the company he works for only pays for some of the employee's portion of the insurance and if you want coverage for your family you pay full price.

So---therefore I am not on a subsidized plan if I am on Patric's insurance...because we would pay the entire cost of the insurance. I decided to just see what other tax professionals thought of what I wanted to do, so I took it to a forum I go to, especially during tax time, for tax professionals. A CPA wrote on my thread that she believed I qualified for the deduction and then another tax professional said I did as well.

I am taking the deduction...and that literally saved me OVER a thousand on my taxes this year. I will be paying only a little over $200 total this year (I will get a refund from VA that I am offsetting towards what I owe to the Feds).

--The car accident

While losing the car that I loved so much for 6.5 years...and dealing with another totaled car, and a police man that charged the wrong person with the accident etc. My husband is still alive. My son has a father still. The biggest thing that made me cry when dealing with all of this was the thought that Josh wouldn't have his father anymore. I know what it is like to lose a father at a young age. If we lost Patric, I would be SO incredibly sad and MAD. It would fulfill all the fears I had when I married him. Being alone...Josh losing someone so young. I don't wish losing a parent at a young age on anyone.

Also--we are going to get a decent amount for the Matrix and we already bought another car. We bought the car for $5000 and we will get about $8000 for the car...so we will be able to pay for the other items that came up this month with that money and then replenish our savings as well a bit.

Oh--and in the midst of all this, I got extra work that I didn't anticipate...so we were able to pay our bills.

I have to constantly remind myself of how much I am blessed. This was a VERY hard month for me. I have cried a lot. I literally had a head ache for a week. That has been replaced with eye twitching. Heavenly Father must REALLY think that Patric and I can handle a lot because he throws A LOT of stuff at us that most people will never have to deal with in their lives. It does unite us closer to each other, which is probably the greatest gift of all. I love my husband so much and do not want to EVER lose him.

So--to those who wondered where I have been...this is what I have been up to this month!

Catching Up!

Wow--so I dropped off the face of this blog! To say life got busy is an understatement. Patric's birthday, Christmas, New Years all have come and gone. Now it is January 16! I have had a rough couple of weeks into 2011. My computer got a virus that destroyed it basically...and since it is tax season I was freaking out. Got that taken care of, and had to jump right into work...which I have been grateful to have because I have been freaking out about our finances. People have come out of the blue needing additional work and so I feel very blessed in that regard...but I have had a lot of long nights because of my computer problems and lots of work.

We have a lot of ideas for the future of my company---we really want to market my company now. I have been holding back a lot because I wanted to be available for Josh, but he is almost four and I need to stop holding back. There are many opportunities out there, and I need to stop resisting them.

So--lets look at pictures!

These two cuties waiting for Santa to arrive to throw candy to them!
His excitement is so fun! I love him so much!

I love this shot that I got. The man of the hour himself--Santa!

Our stockings!
For the last couple of years, we have been buying pjs for Josh for Christmas Eve. He was a little excited about these.
Still hugging his new pajamas.
I am usually the one taking the pictures, but Patric managed to take a few of me and Josh. My camera still has problems, so this is about as good as its gonna get.

Patric bought Josh a Woody and Buzz ornament for his little tree he had in his room. He LOVES all the Toy Story movies and characters.
Of course I had to take a picture of the tree after Santa made his visit.

This winter has been pretty lame...definitely compared to last year. We have had maybe 4 inches total of snow this year. It kind of sucks.

There probably won't be much for me to write about for the new few months as I will hopefully be working to building my bookkeeping and tax business. Josh will turn four in just two months. That kinda breaks my heart. My little boy is growing up way too fast! I wish I could just freeze time, before I know it, he is going to be graduating from high school and going off to college!