Ready for a Baby Bump?

We are destined to be a family… on our own time. The wedding is over, one of the first questions everyone asks, “when are you having a baby?” For some people there is no hesitation and they’re ready to get it popping. For the Dixon girls, that was definitely not the case. Being the planners that we are, there were a number of things we had to consider before jumping behind a stroller.

Our minds naturally begin to race and the thoughts are...house, school, timing, finances, and more. The general consensus of our family and friends are "you will never be ready" and "you'll never have the money because kids are just expensive", but for us it’s more than that. Husbands coming from different backgrounds play a big part in the picture. How are we gonna raise our kids? Will we use corporal punishment or time out? Who will be the disciplinarian? and most importantly how will we keep our relationship alive and well and bring in a child who will most definitely rule our lives for the first 3 years...

Below is a list of some of the things that we’ve considered. They may or may not be at the top of or on your list of priorities at all, but just something to think about.

• Career- Are you and your spouse in a position that you’re comfortable with? Do you get maternity/paternity leave? Does your job involve travel?
• Family- What will be the level of involvement of your immediate family? When will you visit them or they visit you?
• Support system- Do you have friends or family nearby or a phone call away?
• Finances- Are you currently living paycheck to paycheck? Where will the money for the incessant expenses come from for this additional family member?
• Location, Location, Location- Where will you live? Do you have enough space? What’s the proximity of child care to your home and job? What are the schools and daycares like in your area?
• Religion and values- Do you agree on what religion to raise your child under? Do you share values and beliefs about breastfeeding, discipline, education?

Pregnancy and Parenthood are natural and sometimes just seen as something that just happens in the course of life. This is very true but in our quest to be greatly successful, PARENTHOOD is one of the things that us Dixon girls include in our successes. There are a lot of habits bad and good, traditions that we may not agree with and regardless of our past and history we are destined to be active and positive reinforcements for our future children! We promise to love our families unconditionally and break the pattern of dysfunction from our past and turn it into love and purpose!

Tips on Money & Marriage

We are destined 2 be financially sound and successful! I try to do my best at keeping in touch with most of my friends and now that I am married I have been very blessed to have a lot of friends whom have entered that journey at the same time. There is one thing that has been apparent across the board "money changes things". Going into marriage a lot of stories were out in the media about how big of an affect money has on marriages and I can be a witness to that. Even though Tae and I had lived together and paid bills together we always had our financial independence, but after marriage that changes. We joined accounts and now consult with one another for all purchases which I think was an adjustment for both of us. The difference in backgrounds can positively and negatively affect your marriage and you have to be strong and open to new ideas and possiblities within your marriage. So I found this article at http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2008/09/15/7-tips-for-money-and-marriage/ which highlight 7 tips to being successful in money and marriage when each person has different money management philosophies. I have included an exert from the article with the tips: If your partner doesn’t share your financial philosophy, don’t give up hope. Bernard shares seven ways couples can work together to increase their financial compatibility. These suggestions are based on conversations with “the successfully married and from experts on psychology, divorce and finance”:

• Talk and share goals. Communication is key. Kris and will take a brief vacation next month. Besides unwinding, we plan to discuss our goals for the future. It’s important for both partners to work together for the same purpose.
  


• Run a home like a business. In the forthcoming How to Be the Family CFO, Kim Snider writes that there are many similarities between managing a successful business and managing your personal finances. Your goal should be to run a profitable firm!



• Be supportive of careers. Help your partner pursue her dreams. When Kris quit teaching to become a scientist, I was ready to do whatever she needed to help her succeed. And when I decided to quit my job to blog full-time, Kris was my biggest supporter.



• Enjoy, but within reason. It’s okay to spend money to enjoy life (that’s what it’s for!), but don’t get caught up in the rat-race, and be sure to save for the future.
  


• Use a mediator. When you and your partner can’t agree on a financial decision, bring in third-party help. If you disagree about how to invest, for example, then see a financial planner.



• Maintain some independence. “Pooling resources is important,” writes Bernard, “but so is maintaining a degree of financial independence.” Many couples with joint finances also maintain separate allowances for each partner.



• Invest in your marriage. Spend time and money on your relationship. Bernard says to consider this “dollar-cost averaging your marriage”, which is a clever. When Kris and I get grumpy with each other, it’s almost always because we haven’t been doing things together as a couple.
  

My favorite tip is MAINTAIN A DEGREE OF INDEPENDENCE, This has been the best tip for The Herron's because it keeps us both on track with our family goals and we do great with it!

Hope you enjoy.

<3 Audj