I have decided to go to Des Moines University. There are a lot of advantages to staying here in Des Moines. We'll keep our house (well, we'll keep it until we are too poor...), the kids get to keep their friends and my wife and I will be able to keep our friends, too. Des Moines is a pretty good place. Most of all, I am really thrilled to have the opportunity to go to school. Only 61 days left!

Because we've decided to stay, we have figured that it would be a good idea to try and finish the basement. I mentioned this to a 2nd year med student I know and he said he'd spent two years working as a framer and that he'd like to help. So he came over on Saturday and last night and now more than half of the work is done. I hope to finish the framing by Saturday night so I can start the electrical work on Monday. I think the electrical will take me about a week. Caulking and sealing, redistributing the insulation we have and the insulation we still need to buy will take another week. Then sheetrock will take, I'm guessing here, 4 weeks. Taping and mudding will take another 2 weeks, then we just have to hang doors, paint and trim and have some cheap carpet installed. I still don't know if we will have enough money for it all. I had to buy a framing nailer on Monday, since my first nailer bit the dust. It sure is fun, though, seeing it all go up.