Ode to the Martins

Hilary-“We should do an Ode to the Martins”

Me-“You want me to compose them a poem or a ballad?”

I think Hilary meant that we should tell them thanks for how much they’ve helped us out.

Later today we are going to pay off our home. Completely Debt Free. We are very proud of ourselves for accomplishing this feat. True, our timing was great and our home was remarkably inexpensive (and has continued to go down in value), but it is still amazing we were able to pay it off in under two years. We have been very wise and frugal in our decisions and lifestyles. Hilary is particularly good at wealth accumulation. She saved up an amazing amount while teaching in Provo. She recently read most of the book The Millionaire Next Door, and found our money habits align closely with the best of wealth accumulators.

Self-aggrandizements aside, we realize that a lot of people helped us out, not least of all parents who taught us well and strategically helped us out. In addition to wonderful parents, we owe a big thanks to the Martins. We thought we’d go on a photo tour of some of the ways the Martins helped us with our home. First off all Karen, was more involved in the process of buying this place than we were. She said we were going to have to babysit for each time she signed a document for us. It didn’t happen, we only ended up watching the kids once or twice and it usually felt like they were babysitting us.

They gave us this couch. Seriously my couch is better than your couch, and I didn’t pay for mine. (Thanks Mom and Dad for fixing the couch cushion.)

The lamp was also donated by the Martins.

Our kitchen table,

This chair along with a computer chair and a bookcase.

Combined with all the furniture we got from Brad we didn’t have to buy hardly anything. (We’d do a blog thanking Brad but I’m pretty sure this blog only has about 6 readers.)

Besides all the stuff we’ve been given, the Martins also fed us numerous times, drove us to and from airports and hosted us at their house lots during our time dating, engaging, and marrying. Next week they will be graciously hosting us in Dubai. We’ve rarely done anything for them and will probably never be able to pay them back. We feel very blessed to have them as family.