We got bad news
Summary
TLDRIn this video, the speaker shares a deeply personal update with their audience. They reveal the heartbreaking news of a miscarriage at nine weeks, their seventh such experience. Despite the emotional turmoil, they discuss an upcoming family trip to Kenya, emphasizing the importance of the journey despite the challenging timing. The video also covers various logistical details, including preparations for the trip, managing a large family, and the use of budgeting and personal finance apps like Rocket Money to meet financial goals. The speaker offers a glimpse into their family's dynamic, including packing strategies, birthday celebrations, and the progress on their new home. They also provide financial advice on how they, as a large family, manage to afford international travel and maintain their lifestyle, suggesting that prioritizing experiences and family connections is key.
Takeaways
- π The family experienced a miscarriage at 9 weeks, which was particularly hard due to previous experiences with six miscarriages at 6 weeks each.
- π‘ They are preparing for a month-long trip to Kenya with their whole family, which adds to the emotional stress of their recent loss.
- π Despite the timing, they are managing their time carefully, with a doctor's appointment pending if the miscarriage process hasn't completed by the end of the week.
- π± They have a lot of work to do before the trip, including homestead preparations and packing, amidst dealing with a broken lawnmower and overgrown property.
- 𧳠They are strategizing their packing, using budget-friendly suitcases and packing cubes to keep things organized and manageable.
- π¨βπ©βπ§βπ¦ The family has a system for traveling with a large group, including a buddy system to ensure no one gets lost and each person is responsible for their own backpack with essentials.
- π They celebrated Destiny's 6th birthday with a sushi lunch, showing their efforts to maintain normalcy and celebrate despite challenges.
- π There's been significant progress on their new house, with decisions on design being made quickly due to the upcoming trip.
- π° The family has multiple streams of income, which helps them afford their international travels and large family expenses.
- π They are driving to Chicago to save on flight costs, showcasing their willingness to endure long journeys to stick to their budget.
- π They prioritize visiting Kenya to connect with their children's cultural heritage and family, even when it's financially challenging.
Q & A
What is the main topic of the video?
-The main topic of the video is an update on the family's situation, including a recent miscarriage, upcoming trip to Kenya, and various household and financial matters.
What difficult news does the speaker share at the beginning of the video?
-The speaker shares the difficult news of experiencing a miscarriage at nine weeks into the pregnancy.
How does the speaker plan to handle the timing of the miscarriage with the upcoming trip to Kenya?
-The speaker mentions that if the miscarriage has not occurred by the end of the week, her doctor will provide medication to help with the process, as it is not something she wants to deal with while traveling.
What is the purpose of the trip to Kenya?
-The purpose of the trip to Kenya is to visit family and to expose the children to their Kenyan heritage and culture.
How does the family manage to afford the trip to Kenya?
-The family manages to afford the trip through careful budgeting, saving from various income sources including their businesses, and making the trip a high priority.
What is the significance of the speaker's mention of Rocket Money?
-Rocket Money is mentioned as a personal finance app that has helped the family meet their savings and budget goals, which in turn has assisted them in affording their trip to Kenya.
What is the current state of their home before the trip?
-The home is in a state of preparation for the trip and for the family's absence. There is a to-do list for the homestead, and tasks such as mowing the lawn and cleaning are being completed.
What is the family's strategy for packing for the trip?
-The family uses a buddy system for the children, packing cubes to keep things organized, and each child carries their own backpack with essentials like headphones, a change of clothes, a water bottle, and a few activities.
How does the family handle the emotional aspect of the miscarriage?
-The family allows themselves to mourn while also focusing on the tasks at hand, such as preparing for the trip and managing the household. They also find comfort in their existing children and the support from the ultrasound technician.
What is the current status of their new house construction?
-The new house construction is progressing well, with significant developments since the last update. The family is excited about the upcoming completion of the house.
What is the family's approach to managing finances and saving for big goals?
-The family uses budgeting strategies, saves money from business income when it is high, and puts money aside specifically for big goals like the trip to Kenya. They also use apps like Rocket Money to manage their finances effectively.
Outlines
π Difficult Family News and Upcoming Kenya Trip
The video begins with the vlogger expressing gratitude to Rocket Money for sponsoring the video and then delving into personal family matters. They share the heartbreaking news of a miscarriage at nine weeks, which is particularly challenging due to a history of six previous miscarriages. Despite the emotional toll, the family is preparing for a month-long trip to Kenya, which adds an extra layer of complexity to their current situation. The vlogger discusses logistical challenges such as doctor appointments, home preparations, and managing the family's reactions to the miscarriage. They also mention the need to complete numerous tasks around the homestead before leaving, including mowing the lawn and tidying up, as well as dealing with vehicle and travel preparations.
π Packing and Travel Tips for a Large Family
The vlogger shares their strategies for packing efficiently for a large family, including the use of packing cubes and personal backpacks for each child. They discuss the importance of having children carry essential items like headphones, extra clothes, water bottles, and a few activities. The video also touches on the financial aspect of traveling as a large family, mentioning the use of the Rocket Money app to help save and budget for the trip. The vlogger provides insight into how they manage to afford such trips not just on a pastor's salary but through entrepreneurship and multiple income streams. They also talk about the emotional impact of their recent miscarriage and how staying busy with preparations helps them cope.
π‘ Home Construction Updates and Family Dynamics
The vlogger provides an update on the construction of their new home, highlighting recent progress and changes made to the design, such as the installation of a pass-through window in the mudroom and the decision to forgo a hearth to accommodate their large L-shaped couches. They mention the large windows, the view from the upper level, and the plans for the loft space, which may include a grand piano. The vlogger also discusses the family's excitement about the upcoming trip to Kenya, the importance of knowing their children's cultural heritage, and the various ways they save money on their trips, such as eating at home and taking advantage of local prices for Kenyan citizens.
π Travel Logistics and Staying Connected with Family
The vlogger talks about the logistics of traveling with a large family, including an 8-hour drive to Chicago for their flight and the decision to stay in a hotel upon returning home to adjust to jet lag. They emphasize the importance of maintaining close relationships with family in Kenya and the value of in-person visits over virtual communication. The video also discusses the financial planning that goes into making these trips possible, such as setting aside money from business profits or asset sales specifically for travel to Kenya. The vlogger reflects on life's unpredictability and the importance of not postponing opportunities to connect with loved ones.
π³ Home Improvements and Future Plans
The vlogger takes the audience on a tour of their home, showcasing the new changes and improvements made during their absence. They discuss the new bathroom, the laundry room, and the storage solutions being implemented. The focus is on maximizing the use of space and making the home functional for their large family. They also talk about the decision-making process for their home design, working closely with an interior designer to select styles and materials quickly due to their impending trip. The vlogger expresses excitement about the progress and shares their vision for the home's final touches.
π° Financial Strategies for Large Family Travel
The vlogger shares financial tips and strategies that enable their large family to afford international travel. They emphasize the importance of prioritizing travel expenses and adjusting one's lifestyle to accommodate these financial goals. The video discusses the benefits of entrepreneurship and having multiple income streams, which provide the flexibility and funds needed for trips to Kenya. They also mention the emotional significance of these trips for maintaining close ties with family and understanding their cultural heritage. The vlogger offers to share more about their financial strategies and encourages viewers to use financial tools like the Rocket Money app to manage their finances effectively.
Mindmap
Keywords
π‘Miscarriage
π‘Kenya
π‘Budgeting
π‘Travel Preparations
π‘Cultural Connection
π‘Homestead
π‘Financial Goals
π‘Entrepreneurship
π‘Family Dynamics
π‘Packing Cubes
π‘Buddy System
Highlights
The vlogger expresses gratitude to Rocket Money for sponsoring the video.
The vlogger shares the heartbreaking news of a miscarriage at nine weeks, after previously having six miscarriages.
Despite the recent loss, the family is preparing for a month-long trip to Kenya.
The vlogger discusses the logistical challenges of managing a large family and homestead while dealing with personal loss.
The importance of timing and the need to medically induce the miscarriage before traveling is highlighted.
The vlogger talks about the support from their church community, who will be looking after their home during their absence.
The family's extensive to-do list before their trip includes home maintenance and packing, with an emphasis on organization.
The vlogger shares their packing strategy, which includes using packing cubes and personal backpacks for each child.
The vlogger mentions the use of Rocket Money, a personal finance app, to help manage and save for their large family's expenses.
The vlogger describes the 'buddy system' they implement while traveling to ensure no one gets lost and everyone is accountable.
A birthday celebration for their daughter Destiny with sushi is mentioned, adding a lighter moment to the video.
The vlogger provides an update on their new house construction, discussing design decisions and the progress made.
The vlogger shares personal stories and moments that bring joy and laughter amidst the challenges they are facing.
The vlogger emphasizes the importance of family and staying connected with their children's Kenyan heritage.
The vlogger offers financial tips on how they afford international travel on a varied income, including prioritizing and saving for trips.
The vlogger talks about the decision to drive to Chicago to save on flight costs, showcasing their commitment to budgeting.
The vlogger discusses the various ways they save money while traveling in Kenya, such as staying with family, borrowing vehicles, and eating in.
The vlogger mentions working online while in Kenya to keep their businesses running, demonstrating their dedication to financial stability.
The vlogger considers sharing more tips on saving money in different areas, such as building a house, in response to audience interest.
Transcripts
hi guys welcome back to another video
today is going to be a huge update video
I have good things to share and I have
hard things bad things to share but
first of all a really big thanks to
Rocket money for sponsoring today's
video we really appreciate you guys all
right so I got to find some light here
it's been a minute since I um vlogged I
skipped a video this week we lost our
baby we just went to an ultrasound and
found that the baby had grown by a
couple weeks it had been a couple weeks
since the previous ultrasound where we
heard a heartbeat and um baby had grown
really well but heart was his his or her
heart was not beating and it was hard it
was super hard news I I have a lot of
experience with miscarriages I've had
six before um but they were all at 6
weeks exactly uh this is nine weeks I
was over nine weeks um baby was
measuring at 8 and 1 half weeks
so it's hard um yesterday there were a
lot of tears off and on but listen guys
I'm going to tell you the real part of
the story is that we are leaving for
Kenya with our whole family for a month
in one week a week from tomorrow now and
we have so much to do like the timing
couldn't be harder but I know that the
Lord knows um I haven't actually had the
miscarriage yet if I haven't by the end
of the week my doctor's going to give me
some side attch to help that along
because
it is um it's something that I can't do
while traveling and I don't want to do
while there so that's the gist of it
basically I had an update video that was
going to go up a couple days ago but um
I I had already had it filmed and edited
just about the whole first month and the
ups and downs we've had we have had a
few unusual things about this
pregnancy uh but it's hard to hide when
you have a lot of kids it's hard to hide
um when we tell them it's hard for them
to hide the news and a lot of my kids
have been around for a lot of babies so
they know when I'm pregnant so basically
there's a lot that has to happen in the
next week and this is now one of the
other things that has to happen um I
came home yesterday
and uh we had to tell the kids that was
awful
[Music]
but you know I I just realized okay I
can lay in bed or I can just start
working
and I just decided I better start on my
list cuz I don't really know what the
the week will bring we have a huge list
for oh there's an ant we have a huge
list just for the homestead we we're not
used to having the homestead when we're
leaving we have a wonderful couple from
church that we trust and love staying
here um the whole month so thankful for
them um they but we want to just like
have things clean and in order our
lawnmower has been in the shop for weeks
our property we've had a lot of rain our
property like exploded with grass and
weeds and everything everywhere um we
finally got that back yesterday so we've
been trying to mow like crazy there's
just a lot of things we wanted to get
done we want to have everything ready
for the animal so it's as easy as
possible the homestead list itself is
extensive then there's all these things
that we have to do for our trip there's
still some details on the other side for
this month coming that we haven't
finalized like some of the places we're
staying so there's some stress there I'm
trying not to be stressed visas uh that
need to be gotten for a couple of us
there's just so many details so many
details I went to pull out the strollers
yesterday from the van um because I
wanted to make sure they're in good
working order we almost never use a
stroller but we're going to need to
especially cting car seats through the
airport and realize that the van is in
the shop right now with the strollers
which is not helpful to me and it might
be there for a week and I this is like
one of my last days to order stuff on
Amazon it's just insane so yesterday I
threw myself in a packing our dryer is
like not working very well so just
getting through the laundry has been an
issue the last week or two um and our
laundry is kind of piling up which makes
it harder to pack but we're getting
there I have two kids totally packed
after yesterday to pack I had to switch
out the summer and winter clothes was
which was just another task on the list
um which is hard when you're behind on
laundry here's my list I I really have
like one thing completed and I just did
it now I packed up all the winter Coates
our hallways never looked so clean
actually it wasn't since last fall that
it looked this clean this was lined with
coats and um this was lined with coats
and snow stuff uh we have more room in
our pantry now cuz we had a big basket
of gloves and and hats I don't even know
how they used to fit in there but they
did and we just packed them up as I was
packing up I realized that the next time
we have to bring all that stuff out we
will be in our new house with a mud room
that has room for all of that stuff and
I just can't wait that made me happy so
try to focus on the good things
definitely letting myself mourn all of
us um but it's hardest on me I'm sure um
when it I love myself more when I need
to and then I am also I have so much to
distract me and keep me busy so it's
actually very helpful I have to show you
the house today too because there has
been so much done since the last time
you guys saw it and when we get back
from Kenya it's going to be close to
being done which is insane I mean maybe
not back close but maybe not moving in
yet but I think I'll show you that later
this is our first picture of our baby
and this was just this last one which it
was a kind of a blurry picture I wasn't
sure I wanted one at the last minute I
said give it to me but this is a
terrible picture cuz in real life it
looked way more like um you could see
body and head and little limbs much
clearer so she just didn't snap a good
one cuz of me I am in my kids messy room
cuz we're packing it's a mess that's a
messy process rather um but I wanted to
tell you a story when we were getting
the ultrasound done yesterday when the
tech realized that there was no
heartbeat she could see we were upset
sad and she's like do you have any
children and then it really helped break
the ice a little cuz we're like yes we
do we have a lot of children um we were
excited about this one but we have a lot
of children at home and she's like you
do a lot how many and so we said 11 and
she almost fell on the floor she was
shocked
11 that was so funny so made us giggle a
little amidst the
tears but we are indeed very blessed but
um we told her oh it's hard cuz our our
kids knew and everything and she's like
oh she was very understanding yeah it
was a fun moment we are very blessed we
have a lot of beautiful children and it
really helps to come home and hug them
and hold our baby we have a few like
really big hard cover suitcases but
Judah and Bell they're both in Asia
right now and they each have two of them
we didn't have that many I think we may
have two more is all so I do like going
to Walmart and getting these they have
these cheap duffel bags they're pretty
cheap they used to be 15 bucks last our
last couple trips now they're 20 I think
it was 28 everything's so more so much
more expensive but they have wheels here
and they fold up to nothing they fold up
to this size here so it's really helpful
if we um we're taking a lot of things
that we're not bringing home things for
other people that's where these things
come in handy because we can fold them
up to bring them home they only last
about two trips in our experience
although they do look a little better
quality this time maybe that $28 reflect
that but uh also we don't feel too bad
if we just have to leave stuff for other
people leave the suitcases as well um so
that's kind of our solution for packing
we try to pack as very light as possible
but every time we go to Kenya we end up
taking a lot of stuff for other people
that's just how it is and of of course
we have a lot of everybody gets two
pieces of luggage no way on Earth we
were using all that we wouldn't be able
to transport it anyways but uh that's a
lot of luggage they only had three of
those yesterday but they had a little
smaller one which is green and this was
$20 I think
so got that one too yeah it is cool we
packed Noel's stuff already she's one of
them that's packed she gets to go her in
peace get to go I don't know about
everybody else we haven't gotten anybody
else packed but one thing I did pick up
this time as as well is packing cubes
I've haven't really ever done packing
cubes before but I think it'll help a
lot I ended up having to use all three
but there's these packs of three I got
for like just under $9 I think I didn't
get it for everybody but for the young
ones I had a couple packing cubes
already that I used for pece and then I
was able to get hers all in two and then
Noel's in three and I think it will help
because we can shove all of these in a
big suitcase and keep it stuff organized
so I got several sets of these for my
younger children everyone will carry
their own backpack except pce and I will
share um this one I had to pick up for
Seth and Eli needed one but everyone
else had something I think that they can
use which it really does help when they
have their own things we make sure they
have a pair of headphones for themselves
always at least one change of clothes um
if in case we get stuck somewhere or
there's a big spill that's always
helpful um carry their own water
bottle and a few little activities we
don't take too much but definitely I
want him to be able to carry this on his
own but you know got to have a few
things traveling overseas as a large
family Probably sounds insane some of
you very expensive to some of you it is
expensive and there are a lot of ways
that we are saving money and that we
work to save money those suitcases just
being one of many things uh that we have
figured out um to help us be able to go
overseas one thing I Really Love solo
and I have been using now for quite a
while is rocket money rocket money is an
app it's really helping us to meet our
savings goals and our budget goals we
are budgeters and maybe later on today I
will sit down with him and tell you some
ways um some other very practical ways
that we are able to take our large
family overseas while we're building a
house it's just crazy I can't even
believe it's happening but there's some
very specific things we do and have done
to make it happen rocket money has been
a great asset in our lives we really
like it um to help us meet our goals so
if you haven't heard about it before
rocket money is a a personal finance app
that really can help you meet your goals
manage your money well lower your bills
cancel subscriptions it's a great way to
do all of that and grow your savings all
in one place we really love it for the
budgeting features and the smart savings
we can either one of us can just see at
a quick glance exactly where we're at
and how we're doing um even if we're not
at the same place it helps keep us on
the same page which really helps us meet
our goals rocket money has over 5
million users so it's very popular not
only in our household but with a lot of
people so if you're trying to meet some
big goals like we are you want to get a
hold of your budget whatever your
financial needs are I encourage you to
get started for free by clicking in the
link in my description box or going to
www.
rocket.com our tribe of many I haven't
decided yet if I'll do snacks um all
together or I'll I'll carry them or I'll
have them each carry some snacks I'm not
sure but one thing we are doing for sure
is we are buddying up actually Katie is
going with us I don't know if I told you
that guys that yet I don't think I did
Katie is judah's girlfriend we're so
excited she's going with us we're
meeting Judah and Bel there they're both
coming from Sri Lanka Judah leaves in a
couple days to go see Bell in Sri Lanka
spend a few days with her and then
they'll fly together to Kenya to meet us
so Katie and Judah will be reunited in
Kenya um all of us will be reunited but
Katie is going to help us and so one
thing we are doing is a buddy system we
never used you probably heard of a buddy
system before some big families talk
about it we never use it in real life
except when we are traveling we do
because it really does help um who's
your buddy Katie Oh Katie is your buddy
so Katie's willing to be a buddy Luca
and Eli are together Micah has hope I
kind of match them up with who they just
really get along with well um which
whoever the the little kids will listen
to some big kids better than others so
whoever they listen to very well Tori
and Destiny are
together dad and peace no dad and Seth
and me and peace think I got everybody
so we're buddied up like that at least
for the way there which will help so
like Katie and her will try to sit
together she'll Katie will help make
sure she remembers her backpack gets
everything back in it and because we are
buddying up I think it'll probably be
fine to like put snacks in their bags
cuz their buddy will help them you don't
need too much help do you no I don't
even need help oh you don't at least
we'll make sure you don't get
lost so one other thing we're doing
today is finally doing Destiny's
birthday
lunch a few days ago she turned six so
exciting I love six it's got to be one
of my favorite AG
does it six a favorite age is it a cool
age you like being six she wanted us to
surprise her with sushi or one other
choice and so we surprised her with
sushi oh man are you excited yeah what
did you order um
I it's going to be good and we got to
meet Dad in the middle of the
day and have us a wonderful day in Jesus
name amen lots of good sushi being
eatting here yeah so good I ran a bunch
of errands with Destiny picking up
animal food and things for When We're
Gone came back to make some decisions at
the house with the builders um things
are going so fast so fast and now we're
working to clean up the yard spring is
no joke on the farm those guys are
picking up trash we putting these rocks
back where they go did you get hurt a
little while you were picking up
rocks on your leg I'm so sorry
ouch mhm she was picking up Rock so good
throwing him in the driveway do you like
to work
hard mhm okay you rest for a second
okay Sol's home using a small mower
around
here the big one can't do some of those
pots and those kids are trash hunting
it's the Big Spring Cleanup that's
taking us weeks after a long winter with
dogs and children all over the yard and
mud everywhere it's a lot of work all
right we're down here to look at the
progress I haven't actually come in in a
couple
days it's a precarious little Bridge
here trying to stay out of the
mud okay let's go grab my hand grab my
hand and get on get on get on on we're
walking in a garage door
here the garage floor they I think they
have to soak it down before they cement
it they add more dirt and soaking and I
don't know at
all see all the trees out there so
pretty and let's go in the
garage I mean in from the
garage see our beautiful mud room we
added a pass through window I don't
remember if I showed you guys that
wow so much Plumbing has been
done
really yeah Mommy please keep there's a
little
bathroom M room with some
lockers storage closet laundry room
behind
it wow we got some windows
everywhere I haven't seen this door
in the door has some film on it but you
can see solo walk out there it's a long
way
down but wow what a view there's some
guys out there removing some trees
[Music]
today yeah oh I love these high doors so
glad we went with the taller
doors I don't know if I showed you this
but they did fill in that wall that I
was hoping would be open this is our
Island the counter we'll be able to see
like 10 or 11 around it which is so cool
you know we'll use that a lot this
dining room we could literally put two
tables two 12T tables our table is 12T
so we could put two of them if we wanted
to put card tables or be able to move it
around so we're not doing a chandelier
over it so that we can have a lot of
Versatility so I'm excited about that
but lots of new changes with
plumbing sink stuff solo decided at the
last minute we should have a pot filler
over the stove
and he said it's a long walk from the
sink to the big
stove you still got to walk back to
drain that pot that was my opinion but
whatever anyway this is our pantry looks
good our front door is not in yet and
that one window I think it arrived
broken so that's why that one's not in
yet but there's another patio door back
there I don't know when all the film
comes off the windows and doors but I'm
so excited for it uh one decision we did
make is to get rid of the he
around it was such a hard decision we
have these L-shaped couches I don't know
if they'll still fit here like for a
regular basis but with the Hearth they
really don't you can't walk around both
sides they're huge couches we really
wanted to be able to have them both here
so when we went with the Hearth we
weren't thinking about that size we
thought there was plenty of space still
for it and when we got in here measured
it we realized oh we need to make a
decision so we decided to go without the
Hearth it will just buy us a little more
space cuz it's like it was a foot and a
half all the way around and hopefully we
don't regret it you got to do the best
with what you know you know you know you
can only do the best with what you know
I haven't taken you upstairs yet this is
the first when you go walk like this one
thing I love is these huge windows on
the upper
level oh
yeah oh you're going to sing a song up
there this is their stage believe
me there you go right
there okay do it
there so we come up
here there's more
windows all those trees there are coming
down today so that we have a view of the
water
better it's kind of sad but we also have
so many new baby trees everywhere so not
too worried oh there's a bathtub in
there this is last shower this is not a
shower this is for a about wow I knew it
because Dad told me
oh we have a couple of these bathrooms
where where we have a sink on either
side and then um pocket door that locks
with the toilet and shower so that we
can get maximum use out of our bathrooms
this loft is so huge this turned out
bigger than I thought it would be I'm
not an architect so seeing the numbers
and the drawing
I had a pretty good idea we're the ones
that kind of designed what we wanted but
to actually see it in person The Loft is
over the kitchen and dining room so it
is really huge it will be a great SP
space to keep homeschool stuff and have
toys we have a couple storage closets up
here that are pretty large where we can
store our toys um we may eventually have
some built-ins here I'm not sure if
we'll do it right away or not looking at
the budget but
um it will be great I've even thought
about putting the grand baby grand piano
up here and it might be a really good
solution for us cuz it would save us
more space in that living room down
there for seating um but also we could
hear it down there which would be nice
and it's car going to be carpet up here
I'm sure the piano movers would not
enjoy bringing it up the steps but it is
possible to have it up here so it's just
something we're considering I don't want
it to be like right under a window for
wreck light all the time it's not good
for the finish of it so lots to consider
this will be a good railing up here that
looks over the house so when the kids
are playing up here they won't feel like
they're separated completely from the
rest of us I can listen in on his
conversations from
anywhere our Builder works with an
interior designer sometimes or most of
the time so he asked us if we'd like to
work with her and we said yes for sure
when I see what I like I know right away
so I can make very quick decisions I
would say that solo and I have made a
lot of very very quick decisions in fact
we've had to speed it up because of this
trip to Kenya we're gone for a month
like in a very critical time so we made
a lot of decisions that would normally
wait and we've had to just keep like
meeting with her and making a ton of
decisions and she kind of figured out
our style pretty quick which has been
very helpful um to make it go faster and
she just brings step and we're like yes
yes yes no yes yes yes we're just like
flying through so we've decided I think
everything but lighting and paint and um
some of our hand handles like what do
you call that not fixtures but
um you know some of the hardware not the
word I'm looking for some of the
hardware on cabinets for bathrooms and
kitchen I don't think we finalized that
but we've decided so much um it's just
those couple end things so uh they they
told us it looks like we might be
drywalling when you get home and then a
week later they're like it looks like we
might be putting cabinets in and
woodwork trim and stuff when you get
home that's
crazy it's amazing it's going so so fast
we could not be more thankful for that
too so I dropped off some of our middle
kids at our old neighborhood cuz there's
a neighborhood play every year and our
kids are usually a part of it and they
couldn't be in it this year because the
performance is happening while we're in
Kenya but they're having some dress
rehearsals so they invited our kids over
to come see the play they're so excited
so Tor Eli and Noel are over there
having a good time the big boys have
been doing school all day it's school
day for them like where they go to a
school so we're just home with some
little kids now I promised that I would
share some Finance tips you know we had
a message the other day come through
like a comment um she
said I just I feel so overwhelmed what's
the secret to affording all of this
stuff on a pastor's income I felt bad
for her that she thought that because um
we are not doing all of this on a pastor
Sal salary we actually I wrote her back
we have several businesses and we're
entrepreneurs as well so um that really
helps us but we have definitely lived on
a lot of different incomes and somehow
we've still managed to get to Kenya
yeah by the by the grace of God I that
is for sure that's for sure Solo's tired
can you tell I'm tired guys yeah I want
to take a
nap I'm making you talk so how we can
afford to go to Kenya even on so many
different income levels is um it has
been it's just been a huge priority for
us we determined when we got married
that we would make sure our kids know
their culture um even the one we we
thought we'd be living in Kenya guys so
we thought we would have to make sure
that they're knowing American culture
turns out we lived in America so far all
this time and so we've had to make a
point to take them to know their Kenyan
culture and that's been very important
to us not only their culture their
family we have so much family there solo
has four siblings there his mother's
there she hasn't been able to visit for
a while but we we've wanted our kids to
know their cousins there and I tell you
FaceTime is wonderful and we're
appreciative of appreciative of it but
nothing is like being with your family
in person yeah um even if you're across
the country your relationship goes so
much farther when you're in a room with
somebody when you spend a week in their
house or in a house together there's
just nothing like it personally I have
always just determined that I'm going to
make sure it's enough it's as much of a
priority as it would would be to me if I
was the one living in Kenya so I would
want my kids to get home to see my
family spend time with them to know my
culture too and so um I try to make it
that much of a priority in my own heart
so uh throughout the years like if we
have sold an asset sold a house we'll
take some money and just put it right
away toward Kenya because we are
entrepreneurs or we have our own
businesses our income fluctuates a lot
so if our business is suddenly doing
well and we've been used to living on it
doing not so well before our living
expenses adjust to a better income we
right away take money and just put it
aside for trip to Kenya we've mostly
only gone as a whole family every 5
years or even less yeah so there was a
stretch of
time that we were kind of busy our kids
were little and um you know we're doing
okay we're doing well financially I
think based on the our lifestyle at the
time but it was the time taking time
that much time off we didn't want to
just want to go for 2 weeks or or less
than 3 weeks so it was kind of like a
gamble do we go for 3 weeks cuz that
maxes out all the vacation I had yeah
and um but so we went for a stretch
where I only went in between a window of
time twice but nobody else went and then
it was in that
time before we could go my dad passed
unexpectedly uh the timing and that just
was awful and we just decided decided
that changed everything that just
changed everything you know the life is
just so too short mhm to keep postponing
these opportunities and so even though
it was always our desire and our
priority yeah we kind of we felt like we
either didn't have time or we didn't
have enough money but really we could
have we could have done even if it was
just even if it was two weeks we could
have done 2 weeks we're always hoping
that we could go longer than that you
know and some of those decisions led to
maybe really pushing into stepping out
of a job and starting doing
self-employment so you can control your
own time and so that was about that you
know some of those things you're like
okay I'm done with this yeah so there
are obviously it is very expensive we
have a number in our mind like a nice
even round number that we basically need
in order to go to Kenya with our big
family and so we kind of have that
number all the time in mind when we're
thinking when can we do the next trip
last year we thought we were going to do
a trip and we didn't um ways we're
saving money and making it happen this
year is um we are driving to Chicago
because take a couple hundred cheaper on
a ticket you wouldn't just drive to
Chicago take a couple hundred cheaper on
a ticket and multiply it by 12 it was
more than that this time it was 300 even
two I would have considered doing
without trust it was over 300 a ticket
so you multiply that times a lot
and you end up driving
[Music]
to multiplication we're driving to
Chicago so we have an 8 hour drive to
Chicago which that is always a bit
nerve-wracking because the old nothing
can go wrong old that I get the more
Navas I get with that idea yeah things
can go wrong in cars you know when you
young you're like you can give give me
anything and I'm realizing I'm starting
to think like I
I've lost more hair and I'm like am I is
this really smart to do this cuz the
last time we drove to Chicago just a few
months ago yeah we had an accident on
the road like we had a isue yeah we did
we nothing can happen this time yeah
with a with a new car newer car you know
new newer to US Car newer to us well it
wasn't newer too the car is only like 3
years four years old you know and so
then you start thinking boy you know the
tolerance is very I'm must started think
we should drive halfway through to see
the Rapids where we have good friends
and uh spend the night there and just
have a shter drive you know uhhuh anyway
instead we have an 8 hour drive okay
we'll be getting up like well when did
we decide we're leaving in the morning
we haven't decided but we know it's
going to be 4:00 a.m. I think it's 4:00
a.m. because our flight's at 5: p.m. and
we want to make sure we have plenty of
time for the travel and plenty of time
for check in with our massive amount of
luggage then we have so 8 hour drive
there that's not with stops and then two
8 Hour flights to get to Kenya that is a
long trip so then when we come home we
get a hotel room because of the jet lag
we don't want to just get right on the
road I feel like that would be very
dangerous and then when we wake up
sometime in the middle of the night with
jet lag when everybody wakes up like
2:00 or 3: in the morning this is what
we did last time too we just got in the
car and drove home um because we wanted
to get home before that jet lag
tiredness hits again so it is a long
journey and it's longer because of our
need to make it fit in our budget um
when we're in Kenya we stay with friends
and family as much as possible family I
we have been known to sleep on floor
somewhere we'll just do whatever we can
so we try to do that as much as possible
how else do we save money when we go
yeah we stay with people that's huge we
we so far we've been able to borrow
Vehicles that's huge borrow car from
family yeah borrowing CS from it's
harder it's getting harder cuz uh
there's there's more of us and so there
are not many people some family members
that would happily give us cars but
they're not big enough yes it's getting
it is getting harder the bigger the
bigger we are a few other ways that we
save big time by when we're traveling
with this huge group is that um we eat
at home a lot and we're not like eating
at restaurants we tried to eat at
restaurants if a few times because there
are some really good restaurants in
Kenya like the the Indian food there is
out of this world the Ethiopian food is
obviously neighboring Ethiopia best I've
ever had so we will eat out a couple
times but um eating at home mostly the
food is actually when you're buying food
to cook it at home very affordable um
also when we're doing some experiences
that are more touristy safaris different
and things like that are so much cheaper
for residents solo is a Kenyan citizen
he's a dual Citizen and all our children
are dual citizens so they all get in on
the Kenyon prices mine probably costs
the same as all of theirs combined
although and I'm argued with them guys
over there I said if my wife was from
Nigeria and she looked like I do you
would even be asking to see if she's a
or not and they'll admit yeah yeah but
now sometimes he does get me in
for he tries every time let me tell you
but they've gotten harder they used to
be more lenient before understanding but
now they're like oh yeah your wife will
pay more yeah so most of us travel
around there um with the cheap rate on
things so that really does help a lot
too so those are just some of the things
we do to make it more affordable more
Within Reach this plane tickets are
definitely the expense of the century
and both of us by the way have jobs that
we work still while we're there that we
work online um not the church the church
is well taken care of while we're gone
um by our team here but we just keep the
the businesses rolling while we're over
there guys if you like to hear how we
save money in different things um let us
know cuz we could do a video I was
thinking about how we save money
building a
house I think we have enough things that
we have come up with creatively there's
a lot of things that we've come up with
that have helped us save um from the
conventional way so we could do that
video if you're interested let us know
if you are wanting to get a hold of your
finances and make some changes or just
get ahead don't forget to check out
rocket money in my link in the
description box below or you can go to
www.
rocket.com our tribe of Mone we will
talk to you again in the next video
hopefully I will have a lot more than
two kids packed when I come back to talk
I need to focus I'll talk to you in the
next video
bye this house is so weird when we only
have little kids it's way too quiet it's
the big ones making all the noise
realiz
mess yeah that was the big ones too and
the little ones
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a
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