Thank heaven for insurance!!!

On Saturday I took Ethan to our urgent care facility. Not for anything serious; I just suspected an ear infection and was not willing to suffer needlessly all weekend long.

We arrived right after opening at 10:15 and found an hour wait already ahead of us due to a deep gash in the forehead ahead of us. We sat as patiently as a 7 1/2 month pregnant lady and her two year possibly could.

While waiting, a woman walked in with her daughter who could not have been more than 7 years old. She explained to the woman atthe counter that her daughter had been sick for nearly a week and it had been getting much worse for the last few days including a high fever.

As I heard her talk kept wondering to myself why she had waited that long to bring her daughter in. Then I heard the receptionist ask if she had insurance. When her reply was no I instantly understood.

My urgent care co-pay is 15 dollars. For this woman to pay full price was 170 dollars. This of course didn't even begin to include any prescriptions that were to follow.

After thinking about our health this year I am so thankful for amazing, inexpensive (on our part), government insurance. We pay a measly 60 dollars a paycheck for full family coverage.

So far this year Ethan has had one minor surgery, three hospital stays, and countless well and sick child visits. Not mention a minor surgery on my part, a pregnancy, and all the other visits Jacob and I have had throughout the year - including dental.

I just made a few estimates on what our costs might have been without insurane (including our big delivery in December) and we would have been looking at over 20,000 in doctor and hospital bills.

How do people live without insurance!!

On a seperate note - a much happier one. Ethan will be a dinosaur this year. When I was little my mom made me a green dinosaur costume and has kept it. She made a few adjustments and updates for Ethan and it is stinking cute! I will have to dress him up and take some pictures.

Jacob and Ethan spent all day yesterday in Brigham visiting family so that I could have a day at home by myself - which I have not had since Ethan was born. I have time alone, like nap time. But never a whole day with nothing to do but whatever I wanted!

It was awesome! I spent the day scrapbooking and eating, I confess, more than just a few rice krispie treats. I used my fabulous cricut more than it has been used beforeand I loved every minute. It was definitely a day I needed before Ellie is born. Thanks Hun!!

THE FIRST SNOW!!

Yes, it is only October 11th and we have snow. And we are talking the kind of stuff that sticks to the ground. There is maybe 2 inches and Ethan is so excited about it. Grandma Youngberg bought him a snow suit but we have to wait till Tuesday to get it. The snow will most likely be gone by then but we HAVE to get it!!

I had my 30 week check-up last Tuesday. All is well and Ellie is weighing in at a whopping 3 lb. 10 oz. Right on schedule. She is a very busy little baby who keeps me up at all hours of the night running to the restroom. I just can't help it - I have to have a glass of chocolate mill EVERY night before bed. I have to!!!

Ethan is the most awesome little boy ever. I think I have posted about this before but I am just amazed at him!

Every time we are getting ready for nap time or bed time we are usually out in the front room. That's where we play, rough house, and everything else in the world. All we have to say to him is "Ethan. Do you want to go na-night?". And off he runs into his bedroom.

He climbs up onto the love sac which is by his bed. We have some books that we keep near by and while we are still making our way into the bedroom he picks out a story to read.

We sit down with him and he gets puppy and his blanket, read the story and then he crawls into bed all by himself. We tuck him in, kiss him, and leave him to fall asleep.

He falls asleep without a sound and without moving from where we left him. What two year old is excited for bed time let alone nap time?!?!

Today during nap I went through our routine and once I laid him down I checked the mail. It maybe took me three minutes at the most. I looked in his room and he was out like a light. He hadn't moved a muscle and slept for two hours. Could life be any better?