Dr. Laura,

In regards to your recent blog, "Single Family Incomes are Still Possible," my family is an exact example of just about everything you talked about. After my husband proposed to me, we began saving every extra penny each of us was making. By our first anniversary, we had saved up enough to purchase a modest size house, with mortgage payments we could afford, even if my husband lost his job and had to work for minimum wage. I worked and saved all of my income for a year before we decided to get pregnant. Fast forward to today: I am a proud and blessed mom of a 2-month-old baby.

It's not only the smart financial decisions people need to make even before marriage, but the mentality that they need to have as well. I am so grateful I was wise enough to marry a real man. Trust me, I've seen examples of all the alternatives to what my life could have been. I've seen people who purchase homes they can barely afford and then stick their kids in day cares to make the payments. I've seen people who somehow justify spending all their time away from their babies - going to school or working full-time so they can give their kids more things. It's a shame in our advanced society that we have lost our value-system.

As for today, my husband and I may not be living in a huge house or taking fancy vacations, but I was there to see my daughter's first smile and I will be there for all of her other firsts.

Thank you for teaching all of us how to make a house a home.

Tova