$$$

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.