I'm in Es-ca-row!

On Wednesday, David and I signed papers to refinance our home. The last time we did this, three years ago, I swore I would never do it again. After all, we had reduced the length of time until payoff by taking a 20 year mortgage instead of a 30 year; our interest rate was fixed at 6%; and most importantly, homeowners everywhere were losing everything by making stupid decisions (whoever thought an adjustable rate mortgage would be a good idea?).

Why did I do it again?

We again reduced the length of time until payoff by taking the 15 year option. Our interest rate is still fixed, but now it's 5.65%. We also took the bi-weekly pay plan, which should shorten the length of the mortgage by just under 2 years.

Figured it out yet?

We should be mortgage free by the time Ella graduates from high school.

I'm not planning on paying for my children's advanced education. I figure they better get scholarships and grants (Joshua is sitting right here and just gave me a dirty look.) What I want to do is travel. I want to see all sorts of places. I want to try all sorts of new things. And right now, with four kids in tow, my vacations are stuck in family mode...camping, historic monuments, national parks, Disneyland, that sort of thing. Not that Disneyland is a bad place! I will definitely go there even after my kids are grown! But I want to go to Italy, France, England, Scotland, Prince Edward Island, Australia, China...many, many places. And being out of debt is the key.

So...I'm in es-ca-row!