1 What a great find, Sarah! I really enjoyed this article! My oldest daughter was born my senior year in high school, and AFG and I had some very rough years where we made about 750$ a month total to get through college. Granted, 1995 prices weren't what they are today, but it wasn't a princely sum by any means, and McDonalds was a luxury to us then! And yet we did it - for three years. And now I'm very proud of what we've accomplished.

2 What an inspirational story! I especially homed in on where he wrote, "It wasn't so much as where we were coming from, it was where we were going." So true. I recently had a conversation with a friend who has spent himself into financial difficulties. As he complained about being screwed by everyone from the Government to his employer to the grocery store, I pointed out that perhaps he could cut back on some of the luxuries. That perhaps he didn't need the expensive cell plan, the big screen TV, and super-premium cable channels. He looked at me like I was crazy and retorted, "It's my right to have it!" That ended the conversation. Yep, it gives me hope.