Anniversary Trip

Our 36-hour getaway to Savannah was just what we needed to celebrate passing the one-year mark. It was PHENOMENAL to just be married people again, without being parents.
Well, I guess we still had a few parental moments -- like when we were comparing stuffed animal dragons for Phoenix.
But we didn't have to function around her schedule, we had no oxygen to cart around, no diapers to change and no monitor to break the blessed silence.

I, being a little bit more reflective than Josh, made us talk (a lot) about the past year, everything we have learned about relationships, and what was surprising to us about marriage. It has been a fun week of conversations, and I can honestly say that I love that man more than I ever imagined possible ... and definitely more than I did a year ago.

We had a TON of fun together, due in large part to Josh's awesome trip-planning skills. That's right, people, he planned it all! 

Here are just a few pictures:

Awesome room at a bed & breakfast (which, ironically, didn't really have breakfast)

River Street

Meet and my forever-man

It was simultaneously decorated for Halloween and breast cancer awareness. Awesome.

Anyone who really knows me will understand why Josh picked the perfect place for dinner

Year-old cake (Still looked and tasted good, Lisa!)

Thank you all for loving and supporting us ... it has made all the difference in the way we love and support one another!
And here is a shout-out to Skitch and Doobie ... thank you for showering our girl in snuggles, and for blessing us with the chance to leave her at home!

Side note -- without any context, it is kinda sketchy that we have a four-month-old and have only been married a year.
Side note #2 -- While reading this post, Josh said, "You aren't more reflective ... you just think about it more." Yup. He's mine.

4 Month Pictures (and some randoms)

Turns out sister is done being cooperative for these pictures ... she was alert and flinging her limbs all over the place. I took millions of pictures, most of which had at least one blurry extremity.
But here are a couple of the best ones!

Most beautiful baby ever!

Wassup, Darla?

Mid yawn

Couldn't tell you why I like this one

Super girl!

Today I decided to carve a pumpkin -- except that I forgot we don't have a carving kit until I had already gutted the thing.
So, in the interim, I decided to put my baby in the jack'o'latern. And sister hated it. But the pictures are AWESOME!

Chillin'

Eat that pumpkin

Wait a second ...

Angry girl!

Check out her fatty arm!

Get me out of here!

And a couple of random pictures:

Layin' on Daddy

Couch nap

Love her tons!

$$$

I have had quite a few people ask for updates on the bills/insurance situation.
My response?
JESUS IS THE JAM!

Here is why:
We received the bill from the hospital with the total charges listed as $179, 551.96. Our insurance got their crap together (after we clarified that Phoenix is, in fact, covered) and paid $125,518.19 ... about what we excepted.
But then there was a glorious little line item labeled "contractual adjustment." Do I know what that means? No. But I love it. Because it knocked the bill down another $53, 865.59.
Which leaves a grand total of  $176.00 for us to pay out of pocket.
Say it with me people ... THANK YOU JESUS!

Thank you all so much for praying with us! God just continues to confirm that Phoenix was born on His timing and in His way!


We would love for you to continue to intercede for our financial situation, as there are more bills to come.
- We will be billed separately for the doctors' services (And have no idea what that will look like)
- We still have quite a bit of cash to shell out for her home oxygen
- Phoenix needs a special vaccine (synagis) to protect her from RSV. In normal kiddos, RSV manifests itself as a cold. But if Phoenix contracts this fairly common virus, it could seriously mess with her fragile lungs. Because it is considered a pharmaceutical, our out-of-state insurance doesn't cover the upfront cost. Though we will get reimbursed for 80%, we have to come up with the $1500 for the shot.


So Josh and I are working hard to pinch the pennies around here. Amanda Cole, an awesome friend and financial guru, helped us to create a bangin' budget and is helping us navigate our financial waters.
Sometimes being on a budget sucks ... hard.
But here are some awesome things that have already come of it:
- I am getting really good at couponing. I can't believe I ever paid full price for paper towels, toothpaste, shampoo, over-the-counter drugs, and tons of other things. Sunday afternoons you can find me drowning in a sea of newspapers, and Mondays I make the rounds with Phoenix to several different stores to grab some rockin' deals. Check out http://thekrazycouponlady.com/ if you want to learn more!
- Josh and I have started cooking dinner together almost every night! One of my favorite things about growing up was the way our family prioritized dinner together, and I am thrilled that Josh and I are starting to do the same thing. It has been a really fun thing for us to do together, and my oh-so-picky husband has really branched out .. and liked it!
- Phoenix is finally big enough for her cloth diapers! After some early mishaps (I didn't realize they needed to be washed first in order to be absorbent), I am now really excited about CDing. Disposables are really the worst thing you can do for your budget and for the environment, and she just looks so dang cute in cloth! We are still working on getting Daddy as excited ... but I think he just has a strong aversion to dirty diapers in any form.
- I have re-discovered the library. Working at a bookstore for the last 2 years prompted me to always purchase books I wanted to read ... and sometimes they were lame. [[Once, one book was so lame that I intentionally threw it in the pool. Thanks for the encouragement, Katya]] And sometimes the books were good but not something I would ever read again. So why own any less-than-awesome books (especially since I am still lacking a bookshelf)?  Plus, you can borrow cookbooks ... which has been very helpful in our new cooking adventures.


It is Phoenix's four month birthday today, so tomorrow I will post the pictures (since I can't get them onto my computer right now).


Thank you for praying for us ... we are so blessed by the presence of our awesome girl.


PS -- My baby smiles now ... and it pretty much melts my heart. She is very selective with her smile moments, which only makes me treasure them more.