In the just-shy-of-a-year since we began our Dave Ramsey journey, a ton has happened. A lot of that has been wonderful and a fair amount of it that was expensive (and a lot of that was unexpected). But, now, 12 months later we are getting close. SO CLOSE! With my extra work at CCC this semester, we are just months away from finishing up our debt snowball and moving forward to bigger and better Baby Steps.

All that said, there have been many times in the last year where the process has felt hard. Heavy. I know Dave says “live like nobody else, so you can live like nobody else,” but for crying out loud. When does that actually start? Because it feels like once we do get out of this baby step, we’re just going to be stuck in the next one forever and won’t ever actually get to do the so-called living.

For some reason, the example I keep using when talking about this with people is wanting to buy a dress. When do I just get to go out and buy a dress because I want to?

Isn’t that weird? I’m not a huge shopper and not even a huge dress girl (although that’s shifting in recent years, it seems). But this proverbial dress has become a symbol in my life of not having so much financial pressure, and I want the thing. Badly.

It’s funny how the universe hears you sometimes and responds. Although we are still very much in the Snowball Stage with our Baby Steps, today I got a peek of the other side with, yes, a dress.

After writing for HVFH for 18 months, I got news today that I finally earned enough to cross the threshold into paid writer! Maybe that’s embarrassing to admit because I’m sure plenty of writers on the site get paid (nicely) every month. Should I really be publicizing that my stuff just now got enough views to add up to payment minimum? Well, whatever – I am because I am happy and proud and thrilled with this milestone moment!

Since I quit drinking coffee, though, I realized I didn’t have my automatic What To Spend It On item, though, and had to sit and think for a minute about what I would do.

Cue other bloggers sharing awesome business pages and a lightbulb moment and VIOLA – I got an adorable DRESS for free thanks to my HVFH payment. No photo to post yet, but they’ve already shipped my order (wowzers!), so that update will be coming soon!

That is winning in my book. And it is definitely a sign of good things to come and light at the end of the dang tunnel!